| [Enter CLEOPATRA and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] | |
| CLEOPATRA | I will be even with thee, doubt it not. |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | But why, why, why? |
| CLEOPATRA | Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars, And say'st it is not fit. |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | Well, is it, is it? |
| CLEOPATRA | If not denounced against us, why should not we Be there in person? |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | [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. |
| CLEOPATRA | What is't you say? |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's 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. |
| CLEOPATRA | 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. |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | Nay, I have done. Here comes the emperor. |
| [Enter MARK ANTONY and CANIDIUS] | |
| MARK ANTONY | Is it 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? |
| CLEOPATRA | Celerity is never more admired Than by the negligent. |
| MARK ANTONY | A good rebuke, Which might have well becomed the best of men, To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we Will fight with him by sea. |
| CLEOPATRA | By sea! what else? |
| CANIDIUS | Why will my lord do so? |
| MARK ANTONY | For that he dares us to't. |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | So hath my lord dared him to single fight. |
| CANIDIUS | Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia. Where Caesar fought with Pompey: but these offers, Which serve not for his vantage, be shakes off; And so should you. |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | Your ships are not well mann'd; Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people Ingross'd by swift impress; in Caesar'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. |
| MARK ANTONY | By sea, by sea. |
| DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS | Most worthy sir, you therein throw away The absolute soldiership you have by land; Distract your army, which doth most consist Of war-mark'd 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. |
| MARK ANTONY | I'll fight at sea. |
| CLEOPATRA | I have sixty sails, Caesar none better. |
| MARK ANTONY | Our overplus of shipping will we burn; And, with the rest full-mann'd, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Caesar. But if we fail, We then can do't at land. |
| [Enter a Messenger] | |
| Thy business? | |
| Messenger | The news is true, my lord; he is descried; Caesar has taken Toryne. |
| MARK ANTONY | Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible; Strange that power should be. Canidius, Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land, And our twelve thousand horse. We'll to our ship: Away, my Thetis! |
| [Enter a Soldier] | |
| How now, worthy soldier? | |
| Soldier | 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. |
| MARK ANTONY | Well, well: away! |
| [Exeunt MARK ANTONY, QUEEN CLEOPATRA, and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] |
|
| Soldier | By Hercules, I think I am i' the right. |
| CANIDIUS | 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. |
| Soldier | You keep by land The legions and the horse whole, do you not? |
| CANIDIUS | Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius, Publicola, and Caelius, are for sea: But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's Carries beyond belief. |
| Soldier | While he was yet in Rome, His power went out in such distractions as Beguiled all spies. |
| CANIDIUS | Who's his lieutenant, hear you? |
| Soldier | They say, one Taurus. |
| CANIDIUS | Well I know the man. |
| [Enter a Messenger] | |
| Messenger | The emperor calls Canidius. |
| CANIDIUS | With news the time's with labour, and throes forth, Each minute, some. |
| [Exeunt] |