Shall fall you for refusing him at sea, Being prepar'd for land. Ant. By sea, by sea. Eno. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away The absolute soldiership you have by land; 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 be.-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? 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 us'd to conquer, standing on the earth, And fighting foot to foot. Ant. Well, well, away. [Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus. Sold. By Hercules, I think, I am i' the right. Can. Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows Not in the power on't34: 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? 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 power went out in such distractions, as 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: [Exeunt. Provoke not battle, till we have done at sea. Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS. Ant. Set we our squadrons on yon' side o' the hill, In eye of Cæsar's battle; from which place We may the number of the ships behold, And so proceed accordingly. [Excunt. 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. Alarum. Re-enter ENOBARBUS. Eno. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer : The Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral, Gods, and goddesses, Enter SCARUS. Scar. All the whole synod of them! What's thy passion? Scar. The greater cantle 35 of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces. Eno. How appears the fight? Scar. On our side like the token'd pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon' ribald-rid 56 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, The brize upon her, like a cow in June, Hoists sails, and flies. Eno. That I beheld: mine eyes Did sicken at the sight on't, and could not Endure a further view. Scar. She once being loof'd, The noble ruin of her magick, Antony, Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard, Leaving the fight in height, flies after her: I never saw an action of such shame; Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before Did violate so itself. Eno. Alack, alack! Enter CANIDIUS. Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general Most grossly, by his own. Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good Indeed. night Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. What further comes. To Cæsar will I render My legions, and my horse; six kings already Show me the way of yielding. Eno. I'll yet follow [Aside. The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason Sits in the wind against me. [Exeunt. SCENE IX. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter ANTONY, and Attendants. Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't, Have lost my way for ever:--I have a ship And make your peace with Cæsar. Fly! not we. |