Only the adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off;
And gives his potent regiment* to a trull†,
That noises it against us.

Oct.

Is it so, sir?

Cæs. Most certain. Sister, welcome: Pray you, Be ever known to patience: My dearest sister!

[Exeunt.

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. Is't not? Denounce 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 spar'd. He is already
Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome,
That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids,
Manage this war.

• Government. Forbid.

+ Harlot.
Absolutely.

Threatens.

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.

Nay, I have done:

Here comes the emperor.

4

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 admir'd,
Than by the negligent.

Ant.

A good rebuke,
Which might have well becom'd 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. Fort 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, 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 mann'd : Your mariners are muleteerst, reapers, people Ingross'd 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 prepar'd for land.

Ant.

By sea, by sea.

* Take, subdue. Mule-drivers. Ready.

+ Because.

Pressed in haste.
Incumbered.

Eno. 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 foot-men; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego
and
The way which promises assurance;
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 mann'd, 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 bet.-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 Egyp-

tians,

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.

• Ships.

+ Strange that his forces should be there.
‡ Cleopatra.

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. While he was yet in Rome, His powert went out in such distractions, as Beguil'd all spies. Can. Sold. They say, one Taurus. Can.

Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

Well I know the man.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. The emperor calls for Canidius.

Can. With news the time's with labour; and

throes forth,

Each minute, some.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

A plain near Actium.

Enter Cæsar, Taurus, Officers, and Others.

Cæs. Taurus,

Taur.

My lord.

Strike not by land; keep whole :

Cæs.

Provoke not battle, till we have done at sea.

* Goes.

+ Forces.

Detachments, separate bodies. § Agonizes.

Do not exceed the prescript of this scroll:
Our fortune lies upon this jump.

Enter Antony and Enobarbus.

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

[Exeunt.

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.

Enter Scarus.

* Hazard.

+ Sight.

Name of Cleopatra's ship.

|| Spotted. **Better.

Gods, and goddesses,

Scar.
All the whole synod of them!
Eno.

What's thy passion?

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

Eno.

How appears the fight?
Scur. On our side like the token'd || pestilence,
Where death is sure. Yon' ribald-rid nag¶ of Egypt,
Whom leprosy o'ertake! i' the midst o'the fight,-
When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd,
Both as the same, or rather ours the elder**,-

§ Corner. Lewd, common strumpet.