The Tragedy Of Antony And Cleopatra

1 Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbus.
2 CLEOPATRA.
3 I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
4 ENOBARBUS.
5 But why, why, why?
6 CLEOPATRA.
7 Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars
8 And say’st it is not fit.
9 ENOBARBUS.
10 Well, is it, is it?
11 CLEOPATRA.
12 Is ’t not denounced against us? Why should not we
13 Be there in person?
14 ENOBARBUS.
15 Well, I could reply:
16 If we should serve with horse and mares together,
17 The horse were merely lost. The mares would bear
18 A soldier and his horse.
19 CLEOPATRA.
20 What is’t you say?
21 ENOBARBUS.
22 Your presence needs must puzzle Antony,
23 Take from his heart, take from his brain, from ’s time,
24 What should not then be spared. He is already
25 Traduced for levity, and ’tis said in Rome
26 That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids
27 Manage this war.
28 CLEOPATRA.
29 Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
30 That speak against us! A charge we bear i’ th’ war,
31 And, as the president of my kingdom, will
32 Appear there for a man. Speak not against it.
33 I will not stay behind.
34 Enter Antony and Canidius.
35 ENOBARBUS.
36 Nay, I have done.
37 Here comes the Emperor.
38 ANTONY.
39 Is it not strange, Canidius,
40 That from Tarentum and Brundusium
41 He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea
42 And take in Toryne?—You have heard on ’t, sweet?
43 CLEOPATRA.
44 Celerity is never more admired
45 Than by the negligent.
46 ANTONY.
47 A good rebuke,
48 Which might have well becomed the best of men
49 To taunt at slackness.—Canidius, we
50 Will fight with him by sea.
51 CLEOPATRA.
52 By sea, what else?
53 CANIDIUS.
54 Why will my lord do so?
55 ANTONY.
56 For that he dares us to ’t.
57 ENOBARBUS.
58 So hath my lord dared him to single fight.
59 CANIDIUS.
60 Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,
61 Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers,
62 Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off,
63 And so should you.
64 ENOBARBUS.
65 Your ships are not well manned,
66 Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
67 Engrossed by swift impress. In Caesar’s fleet
68 Are those that often have ’gainst Pompey fought.
69 Their ships are yare, yours heavy. No disgrace
70 Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,
71 Being prepared for land.
72 ANTONY.
73 By sea, by sea.
74 ENOBARBUS.
75 Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
76 The absolute soldiership you have by land;
77 Distract your army, which doth most consist
78 Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted
79 Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo
80 The way which promises assurance; and
81 Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
82 From firm security.
83 ANTONY.
84 I’ll fight at sea.
85 CLEOPATRA.
86 I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
87 ANTONY.
88 Our overplus of shipping will we burn,
89 And with the rest full-manned, from th’ head of Actium
90 Beat th’ approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
91 We then can do ’t at land.
92 Enter a Messenger.
93 Thy business?
94 MESSENGER.
95 The news is true, my lord; he is descried.
96 Caesar has taken Toryne.
97 ANTONY.
98 Can he be there in person? ’Tis impossible;
99 Strange that his power should be. Canidius,
100 Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
101 And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship.
102 Away, my Thetis!
103 Enter a Soldier.
104 How now, worthy soldier?
105 SOLDIER.
106 O noble emperor, do not fight by sea.
107 Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
108 This sword and these my wounds? Let th’ Egyptians
109 And the Phoenicians go a-ducking. We
110 Have used to conquer standing on the earth
111 And fighting foot to foot.
112 ANTONY.
113 Well, well, away.
114 [_Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra and Enobarbus._]
115 SOLDIER.
116 By Hercules, I think I am i’ th’ right.
117 CANIDIUS.
118 Soldier, thou art. But his whole action grows
119 Not in the power on ’t. So our leader’s led,
120 And we are women’s men.
121 SOLDIER.
122 You keep by land
123 The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
124 CANIDIUS.
125 Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
126 Publicola, and Caelius are for sea,
127 But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar’s
128 Carries beyond belief.
129 SOLDIER.
130 While he was yet in Rome,
131 His power went out in such distractions as
132 Beguiled all spies.
133 CANIDIUS.
134 Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?
135 SOLDIER.
136 They say one Taurus.
137 CANIDIUS.
138 Well I know the man.
139 Enter a Messenger.
140 MESSENGER.
141 The Emperor calls Canidius.
142 CANIDIUS.
143 With news the time’s with labour, and throes forth
144 Each minute some.
145 [_Exeunt._]