SCENE VII. ANTONY'S Camp, near the Promontory of Actium. Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not. Cleo. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars, Eno. Well, is it, is it? If not denounc'd 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, Cleo. Eno. What is 't you say? Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from 's time, What should not then be spar'd. He is already Traduc'd for levity; and 't is said in Rome, 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; That from Tarentum, and Brundusium, He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea, And take in Toryne? You have heard on 't, sweet? Than by the negligent. Ant. Which might have well become the best of men, To taunt at slackness. A good rebuke, Will fight with him by sea. Cleo. Can. Why will my lord do so? For that he dares us to 't. Eno. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Eno. Your ships are not well mann'd; Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought. Being prepar'd for land. Eno. Most worthy Sir, you therein throw away Cleo. I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better. Ant. Our overplus of shipping will we burn, And with the rest, full-mann'd, from the head of Actium Mess. The news is true, my lord; he is descried; Cæsar has taken Toryne. Ant. Can he be there in person? 't is impossible; Strange, that his power should be. Canidius, Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land, 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, Have used to conquer standing on the earth, Ant. Well, well. Away! [Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBus. Sold. By Hercules, I think, I am i' the right. And we are women's men. Sold. You keep by land The legions and the horse whole, do you not? Publicola, and Cælius, are for sea; But we keep whole by land. This speed of Cæsar's Mess. The emperor calls Canidius. Can. With news the time 's with labour; and throws forth Each minute some. [Exeunt. SCENE VIII. A Plain near Actium. Enter CASAR, TAURUS, Officers, and Others. Cæs. Taurus! Taur. Cœs. My lord. Strike not by land; keep whole: [Exeunt. Provoke not battle, till we have done at sea. Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS. Ant. Set we our squadrons on yond' side o' the hill, In eye of Cæsar's battle; from which place 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 SeaFight. 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. Scar. The greater cantle of the world is lost With very ignorance: we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces. How appears the fight? Eno. When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd, Hoists sails, and flies. Eno. Mine eyes That I beheld: did sicken at the sight, and could not Endure a further view. Scar. She once being loof'd, The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard, I never saw an action of such shame : Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, Most grossly, by his own. Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good night Indeed. Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. Scar. 'Tis easy to 't; and there I will attend What farther comes. Can. To Cæsar will I render My legions, and my horse: six kings already Show me the way of yielding. Eno. I'll yet follow The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason [Exeunt. |