CLEOPATRA Thou hast forspoke3 my being in these wars,
And say’st it is not fit.
ENOBARBUS Well, is it, is it?
CLEOPATRA If not denounced against us6, why should not we
Be there in person?
Aside
ENOBARBUS Well, I could reply:
If we should serve9 with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost10. The mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.
CLEOPATRA What is’t you say?
ENOBARBUS Your presence needs must puzzle13 Antony,
Take from his heart, take from his brain, from’s time
What should not then be spared. He is already
Traduced16 for levity, and ’tis said in Rome
That Photinus an eunuch and your maids
Manage this war.
CLEOPATRA Sink Rome19, and their tongues rot
That speak against us! A charge20 we bear i’th’war,
And as the president21 of my kingdom will
Appear there for22 a man. Speak not against it,
I will not stay behind.
Enter Antony and Canidius
ENOBARBUS Nay, I have done.
Here comes the emperor.
ANTONY Is it not strange, Canidius,
That from Tarentum and Brundusium27
He could so quickly cut28 the Ionian Sea
And take in29 Toryne?—You have heard on’t, sweet?
CLEOPATRA Celerity30 is never more admired
Than by the negligent.
ANTONY A good rebuke,
Which might have well becomed33 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 hath my lord dared him to single fight.
CANIDIUS Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia40,
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 muleteers45, reapers, people
Ingrossed46 by swift impress. In Caesar’s fleet
Are those that often have gainst Pompey fought.
Their ships are yare48, yours heavy: no disgrace
Shall fall49 you for refusing him at sea,
Being prepared for land.
ANTONY By sea, by sea.
ENOBARBUS Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
The absolute53 soldiership you have by land,
Distract54 your army, which doth most consist
Of war-marked footmen55, leave unexecuted
Your own renownèd knowledge, quite forgo
The way which promises assurance57, 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 overplus62 of shipping will we burn,
And with the rest full-manned, from th’head63 of Actium
Beat th’approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
We then can do’t at land.—
Enter a Messenger
Thy business?
MESSENGER The news is true, my lord: he is descried66.
Caesar has taken Toryne.
ANTONY Can he be there in person? ’Tis impossible68
Strange that his power69 should be. Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land
And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship:
Away, my Thetis72!—
Enter a Soldier
How now, worthy soldier?
SOLDIER O, noble emperor, do not fight by sea:
Trust not to rotten planks74. Do you misdoubt
This sword and these my wounds? Let th’Egyptians
And the Phoenicians76 go a-ducking: we
Have used77 to conquer standing on the earth
And fighting foot to foot.
ANTONY Well, well, away!
Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra and Enobarbus
SOLDIER By Hercules80, I think I am i’th’right.
CANIDIUS Soldier, thou art. But his whole action grows
Not in the power on’t81. So our leader’s led,
And we are women’s men83.
SOLDIER You keep by land
The legions and the horse whole85, 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
Carries89 beyond belief.
SOLDIER While he was yet90 in Rome,
His power went out in such distractions91 as
Beguiled92 all spies.
CANIDIUS Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?
SOLDIER They say one Taurus.
CANIDIUS Well I know the man.
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER The emperor calls Canidius.
CANIDIUS With news the time’s in labour, and throws forth97
Each minute, some.
Exeunt
[Act 3 Scene 8]
running scene 15
Location: Actium
* * *
Enter Caesar [and Taurus] with his army, marching
CAESAR Taurus!
TAURUS My lord?
CAESAR Strike not by land. Keep whole3, provoke not battle
Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed4
The prescript5 of this scroll: our fortune lies
Gives him a scroll
Upon this jump6.
Exeunt
[Act 3 Scene 9]
running scene 15 continues
* * *
Enter Antony and Enobarbus
ANTONY Set we our squadrons on yond1 side o’th’hill
In eye2 of Caesar’s battle, from which place
We may the number of the ships behold
And so proceed accordingly.
Exeunt
[Act 3 Scene 10]
running scene 15 continues
* * *
Canidius marcheth with his land army one way over the stage, and Taurus, the lieutenant of Caesar, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a sea-fight. Alarum
Enter Enobarbus
ENOBARBUS Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no
longer:
Th’Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral2,
With all their sixty3, fly and turn the rudder:
To see’t mine eyes are blasted4.
Enter Scarrus
SCARRUS Gods and goddesses,
All the whole synod of them!
ENOBARBUS What’s thy passion7?
SCARRUS The greater cantle8 of the world is lost
With very ignorance9. We have kissed away
Kingdoms and provinces.
ENOBARBUS How appears the fight?
SCARRUS On our side, like the tokened pestilence12
Where death is sure. Yon13 ribaudred nag of Egypt —
Whom leprosy o’ertake14! — i’th’midst o’th’fight
When vantage15 like a pair of twins appeared
Both as the same16, or rather ours the elder,
The breeze17 upon her, like a cow in June,
Hoists sails and flies18.
ENOBARBUS That I beheld:
Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could not
Endure a further view.
SCARRUS She once being loofed22,
The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,
Claps on his sea-wing24 and, like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in25 height, flies after her.
I never saw an action26 of such shame:
Experience, manhood, honour, ne’er before
Did violate so itself.
ENOBARBUS Alack, alack!
Enter Canidius
CANIDIUS Our fortune on the sea is out of breath
And sinks most lamentably. Had our general
Been what he knew himself32, it had gone well.
O, he has given example for our flight
Most grossly34 by his own!
ENOBARBUS Ay, are you thereabouts35? Why, then, goodnight
indeed.
CANIDIUS Toward Peloponnesus36 are they fled.
SCARRUS ’Tis easy to’t37, and there I will attend
What further comes.
CANIDIUS To Caesar will I render39
My legions and my horse: six kings already
Show me the way of yielding.
ENOBARBUS I’ll yet follow
The wounded chance43 of Antony, though my reason
Sits in the wind against44 me.
[Exeunt separately]
[Act 3 Scene 11]
running scene 16
Location: unspecific
* * *
Enter Antony with Attendants
ANTONY Hark! The land bids me tread no more upon’t:
It is ashamed to bear me. Friends, come hither.
I am so lated3 in the world that I
Have lost my way forever. I have a ship
Laden with gold: take that, divide it: fly
And make your peace with Caesar.
ALL Fly? Not we.
ANTONY I have fled myself and have instructed cowards
To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone:
I have myself resolved upon a course
Which has no need of you. Be gone.
My treasure’s in the harbour: take it. O,
I followed that13 I blush to look upon.
My very hairs do mutiny14, for the white
Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them15
For fear and doting. Friends, be gone. You shall
Have letters from me to some friends that will
Sweep your way18 for you. Pray you look not sad
Nor make replies of loathness19: take the hint
Which my despair20 proclaims. Let that be left
Which leaves itself. To the seaside straightway:
I will possess you22 of that ship and treasure.
Leave me, I pray, a little23. Pray you now,
Nay do so, for indeed I have lost command24:
Therefore I pray you, I’ll see you by and by.
Sits down
[Exeunt Attendants]
Enter Cleopatra led by Charmian, [Iras] and Eros
EROS Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him.
IRAS Do, most dear queen.
CHARMIAN Do? Why, what else?
CLEOPATRA Let me sit down. O Juno29!
ANTONY No, no, no, no, no!
EROS See you here, sir?
ANTONY O fie32, fie, fie!
CHARMIAN Madam!
IRAS Madam, O good empress!
EROS Sir, sir—
ANTONY Yes, my lord36, yes; he at Philippi kept
His sword e’en like a dancer37 while I struck
The lean and wrinkled Cassius, and ’twas I
That the mad39 Brutus ended: he alone
Dealt on lieutenantry40, and no practice had
In the brave squares41 of war: yet now, no matter.
CLEOPATRA Ah, stand by42.
EROS The queen, my lord, the queen!
IRAS Go to him, madam, speak to him:
He’s unqualitied45 with very shame.
CLEOPATRA Well then, sustain46 me. O!
EROS Most noble sir, arise, the queen approaches.
Her head’s declined48, and death will seize her, but
Your comfort49 makes the rescue.
ANTONY I have offended reputation50,
A most unnoble swerving51.
EROS Sir, the queen!
ANTONY O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See
How I convey my shame out of thine eyes
By looking back what I have left behind
’Stroyed56 in dishonour54.
CLEOPATRA O my lord, my lord,
Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought
You would have followed.
ANTONY Egypt, thou knew’st too well
My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’strings61
And thou shouldst tow me after. O’er my spirit
Thy full supremacy thou knew’st, and that
Thy beck64 might from the bidding of the gods
Command me.
CLEOPATRA O, my pardon!
ANTONY Now I must
To the young man68 send humble treaties, dodge
And palter69 in the shifts of lowness, who
With half the bulk o’th’world played as I pleased,
Making and marring fortunes. You did know
How much you were my conqueror, and that
My sword73, made weak by my affection, would
Obey it on all cause74.
CLEOPATRA Pardon, pardon!
ANTONY Fall not a tear, I say. One of them rates76
All that is won and lost. Give me a kiss:
They kiss
Even this repays me.
We sent our schoolmaster79: is a come back?
Love, I am full of lead80. Some wine
Within there and our viands81! Fortune knows
We scorn her most when most she offers blows.
Exeunt
[Act 3 Scene 12]
running scene 17
Location: Caesar’s camp outside Alexandria
* * *
Enter Caesar, Agrippa and [Thidias,] Dolabella with others
CAESAR Let him appear that’s come from Antony.
Know you him?
DOLABELLA Caesar, ’tis his schoolmaster,
An argument4 that he is plucked, when hither
He sends so poor a pinion5 of his wing,
Not many moons gone by.
Enter Ambassador from Antony
CAESAR Approach, and speak.
AMBASSADOR Such as I am, I come from Antony:
I was of late as petty10 to his ends
As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf11
To his grand sea12.
CAESAR Be’t so. Declare thine office13.
AMBASSADOR Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and
Requires15 to live in Egypt, which not granted,
He lessens his requests, and to thee sues16
To let him breathe17 between the heavens and earth,
A private man in Athens: this for him.
Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness,
Submits her to thy might, and of thee craves
The circle of the Ptolemies21 for her heirs,
Now hazarded to thy grace22.
CAESAR For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience nor desire shall fail, so25 she
From Egypt drive her all-disgracèd friend26
Or take his life there. This if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
AMBASSADOR Fortune pursue thee!
CAESAR Bring30 him through the bands.—
[Exit Ambassador, attended]
To Thidias
To try thy eloquence now ’tis time. Dispatch31.
From Antony win Cleopatra32. Promise,
And in our name33, what she requires: add more,
From thine invention, offers. Women are not
In their best fortunes strong, but want will perjure
The ne’er touched vestal34. Try thy cunning36, Thidias:
Make thine own edict for thy pains37, which we
Will answer38 as a law.
THIDIAS Caesar, I go.
CAESAR Observe how Antony becomes his flaw40,
And what thou think’st his very action speaks41
In
every power that moves42.
THIDIAS Caesar, I shall.
Exeunt
[Act 3 Scene 13]
running scene 18
Location: Alexandria
* * *
Enter Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian and Iras
CLEOPATRA What shall we do, Enobarbus?
ENOBARBUS Think2, and die.
CLEOPATRA Is Antony or we3 in fault for this?
ENOBARBUS Antony only, that would make his will4
Lord of his reason. What though you fled
From that great face of war, whose several ranges6
Frighted each other? Why should he follow?
The itch of his affection8 should not then
Have nicked9 his captainship, at such a point,
When half to half the world opposed, he being
The meerèd question11. ’Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course12 your flying flags
And leave his navy gazing13.
CLEOPATRA Prithee, peace.
Enter the Ambassador with Antony
ANTONY Is that his answer?
AMBASSADOR Ay, my lord.
ANTONY The queen shall then have courtesy, so she
Will yield us up17.
AMBASSADOR He says so.
ANTONY Let her know’t.
To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head,
And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
With principalities.
CLEOPATRA That head, my lord?
ANTONY To him again. Tell him he wears the rose
Of youth upon him, from which the world should note
Something particular25: his coin, ships, legions,
May be a coward’s, whose ministers28 would prevail
Under the service of a child as soon
As i’th’command of Caesar. I dare him therefore
To lay his gay caparisons31 apart
And answer me declined32, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone33. I’ll write it: follow me.
[Exeunt Antony and Ambassador]
ENOBARBUS Yes, like enough, high-battled34 Caesar will
Aside
Unstate his happiness35, and be staged to th’show
Against a sworder36. I see men’s judgements are
A parcel of37 their fortunes, and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them
To suffer all alike. That he should dream,
Knowing40 all measures, the full Caesar will
Answer41 his emptiness. Caesar, thou hast subdued
His judgement too.
Enter a Servant