SCENE VII. Antony's Camp, near the Promontory of

Actium.

Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS.

Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
Eno. But why, why, why?

Cleo. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars;
And say'st, it is not fit.

Eno.

Well, is it, is it?

Cleo. If not denounced against us, why should not we Be there in person?

Eno. [Aside.] Well, I could reply;

If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.

Cleo.

What is't you say?

Eno. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his time, What should not then be spared. He is already Traduced for levity; and 'tis said in Rome,

That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids,

Manage this war.

Cleo.

Sink Rome; and their tongues rot

That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war, And, as the president of my kingdom, will

Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;

I will not stay behind.

Eno.

Here comes the emperor.

Nay, I have done.

Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS.

Ant. Is't not strange, Canidius,

That from Tarentum, and Brundusium,

He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,

And take in Toryne?-You have heard on't, sweet?
Cleo. Celerity is never more admired,

Than by the negligent.

Ant.

A good rebuke,

Which might have well becomed the best of men,
To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we

Will fight with him by sea.

Cleo.

By sea! What else?

Can. Why will my lord do so?

Ant.

Eno. So hath my lord

For that he dares us to't.

dared him to single fight.

Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Where Cæsar fought with Pompey; but these offers, Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off; And so should you.

Eno. Your ships are not well manned; Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people Engrossed by swift impress. In Cæsar's fleet Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought; Their ships are yare; yours, heavy. No disgrace Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,

Being prepared for land.

Ant.

By sea, by sea.
Eno. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which doth most consist
Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego
The way which promises assurance; and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,
From firm security.

Ant.

I'll fight at sea.

Cleo. I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better.

Ant. Our overplus of shipping will we burn; And, with the rest full manned, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Cæsar. But if we fail,

Enter a Messenger.

We then can do't at land.-Thy business?

Mess. The news is true, my lord; he is descried;
Cæsar has taken Toryne.

Ant. Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;
Strange, that his power should be.-Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse. We'll to our ship;

Enter a Soldier.

Away, my Thetis!- How now, worthy soldier?
Sold. O noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
This sword, and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians,
And the Phoenicians, go a ducking; we

Have used to conquer, standing on the earth,

And fighting foot to foot.

Ant.

Well, well, away.

[Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS.

Sold. By Hercules, I think I am i' the right.

Can. Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows
Not in the power on't. So our leader's led,
And we are women's men.

Sold.

You keep by land.
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
Can. Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola, and Cælius, are for sea;

But we keep whole by land. This speed of Cæsar's
Carries beyond belief.

Sold.

His power went out in such distractions, as
Beguiled all spies.

Can.

While he was yet in Rome,

Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

Well I know the man.

Enter a Messenger.

Sold. They say, one Taurus.

Can.

Mess. The emperor calls Canidius.

Can. With news the time's with labor; and throes forth,

Each minute, some.

SCENE VIII. A Plain near Actium.

[Exeunt.

Enter CESAR, TAURUS, Officers, and others.

Cas. Taurus,

Taur.

Cæs.

My lord.

Strike not by land; keep whole:

Provoke not battle, till we have done at sea.

Do not exceed the prescript of this scroll.

Our fortune lies upon this jump.

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

[Exeunt.

Ant. Set we our squadrons on yon' side o' the hill,

In eye of Cæsar's battle; from which place
We may the number of the ships behold,
And so proceed accordingly.

[Exeunt.

Enter CANIDIUS, marching with his Land-Army one way. over the stage; and TAURUS, the Lieutenant of Cæsar, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a sea-fight.

Alarum. Re-enter ENOBARBUS.

Eno. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer. The Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral,

With all their sixty, fly, and turn the rudder;
To see't, mine eyes are blasted.

Sear.

Enter SCARUS.

Gods and goddesses,

What's thy passion?

All the whole synod of them!

Eno.

Scar. The greater cantle of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kissed away Kingdoms and provinces.

Eno.

How appears the fight?

Sear. On our side like the tokened pestilence,
Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred hag of Egypt,
Whom leprosy o'ertake! i' the midst o' the fight,—
When vantage like a pair of twins appeared,
Both as the same, or rather ours the elder,-
The brize upon her, like a cow in June,
Hoists sails, and flies.

Eno. That I beheld;

Mine eyes did sicken at the sight, and could not
Endure a further view.

Scar.

She once being loofed,

The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,

Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.

I never saw an action of such shame;
Experience, manhood, honor, ne'er before
Did violate so itself.

Eno.

Alack, alack!

Enter CANIDIUS.

Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,
And sinks most lamentably. Had our general
Been what he knew himself, it had gone well.
O, he has given example for our flight,

Most grossly, by his own.

Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good night. Indeed.

Can. Towards Peloponnesus they are fled. Scar. 'Tis easy to't; and there I will attend. What further comes.

Can.

To Cæsar will I render

My legions, and my horse; six kings already
Show me the way of yielding.

[Aside.

Eno.

I'll yet follow

The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason
Sits in the wind against me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter ANTONY and Attendants.

Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't;
It is ashamed to bear me!-Friends, come hither.
I am so lated in the world, that I

Have lost my way forever. I have a ship
Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,
And make your peace with Cæsar.

Att.

Fly! not we.

Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards
To run, and show their shoulders.-Friends, be gone;
I have myself resolved upon a course,
Which has no need of you; be gone.

My treasure's in the harbor; take it.-0,
I followed that I blush to look upon.
My very hairs do mutiny; for the white
Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them
For fear and doting.-Friends, be gone; you shall
Have letters from me to some friends, that will
Sweep your way for you. Pray you look not sad,
Nor make replies of loathness. Take the hint
Which my despair proclaims; let that be left
Which leaves itself. To the sea-side straightway;
I will possess you of that ship and treasure,
Leave me, I pray, a little; 'pray you now;
Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command,
Therefore I pray you;-I'll see you by-and-by. [Sits down.

Enter EROS, and CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN and IRAS.

Eros. Nay, gentle madam, to him;-comfort him.
Iras. Do, most dear queen.

Char. Do! why, what else?

Cleo. Let me sit down. O Juno!

Ant. No, no, no, no, no.

Eros. See you here, sir?

Ant. O, fie, fie, fie.

Char. Madam,

Iras. Madam; O good empress!

Eros. Sir, sir,

Ant. Yes, my lord, yes;-he, at Philippi, kept

His sword e'en like a dancer; while I struck