CLEOPATRA
I will be even with , doubt it not.
ENOBARBUS
But why, why, why?
CLEOPATRA
forspoke my being in these wars
And say’st it is not fit.
ENOBARBUS
Well, is it, is it?
CLEOPATRA
Is ’t not denounced against us? Why should not we
Be there in person?
ENOBARBUS
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?
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 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’ th’ war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it.
I will not stay behind.
ENOBARBUS
Nay, I have done.
Here comes the Emperor.
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.
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?
ANTONY
For that he dares us to ’t.
ENOBARBUS
So 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, he shakes off,
And so should you.
ENOBARBUS
Your ships are not well manned,
Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
Engrossed 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.
ANTONY
By sea, by sea.
ENOBARBUS
Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which most consist
Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo
The way which promises assurance; and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
From firm security.
ANTONY
I’ll fight at sea.
CLEOPATRA
I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
ANTONY
Our overplus of shipping will we burn,
And with the rest full-manned, from th’ head of Actium
Beat th’ approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
We then can do ’t at land.
ANTONY
business?
MESSENGER
The news is true, my lord; he is descried.
Caesar has taken Toryne.
ANTONY
Can he be there in person? impossible;
Strange that his power should be. Canidius,
Our nineteen legions hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship.
Away, my Thetis!
ANTONY
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 th’ Egyptians
And the Phoenicians go a-ducking. We
Have used to conquer standing on the earth
And fighting foot to foot.
ANTONY
Well, well, away.
SOLDIER
By Hercules, I think I am i’ th’ right.
CANIDIUS
Soldier, 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.
MESSENGER
The Emperor calls Canidius.
CANIDIUS
With news the time’s with labour, and throes forth
Each minute some.