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Antony and Cleopatra - Act 3, scene 7
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Antony and Cleopatra - Act 3, scene 7Act 3, scene 7
⌜Scene 7⌝
Synopsis:
Over the pleading of his soldiers and officers and encouraged by Cleopatra, Antony decides to fight Caesar by sea.
Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbus.CLEOPATRA
1867 I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
ENOBARBUS 1868 But why, why, why?
CLEOPATRA
1869 Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars
1870 And say’st it ⌜is⌝ not fit.
ENOBARBUS 1871 5 Well, is it, is it?
p.
143
CLEOPATRA 1872 ⌜Is ’t⌝ not denounced against us? Why should not we
1873 Be there in person?
ENOBARBUS 1874 Well, I could reply:
1875 If we should serve with horse and mares together,
1876 10 The horse were merely lost. The mares would bear
1877 A soldier and his horse.
CLEOPATRA 1878 What is ’t you say?
ENOBARBUS
1879 Your presence needs must puzzle Antony,
1880 Take from his heart, take from his brain, from ’s time
1881 15 What should not then be spared. He is already
1882 Traduced for levity, and ’tis said in Rome
1883 That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids
1884 Manage this war.
CLEOPATRA 1885 Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
1886 20 That speak against us! A charge we bear i’ th’ war,
1887 And as the president of my kingdom will
1888 Appear there for a man. Speak not against it.
1889 I will not stay behind.
Enter Antony and Canidius.
ENOBARBUS 1890 Nay, I have done.
1891 25 Here comes the Emperor.
ANTONY 1892 Is it not strange, Canidius,
1893 That from Tarentum and Brundusium
1894 He could so quickly cut the Ionian Sea
1895 And take in Toryne?—You have heard on ’t, sweet?
CLEOPATRA
1896 30 Celerity is never more admired
1897 Than by the negligent.
ANTONY 1898 A good rebuke,
1899 Which might have well becomed the best of men,
1900 To taunt at slackness.—Canidius, we will fight
1901 35 With him by sea.
p.
145
CLEOPATRA
1902
By sea, what else?CANIDIUS 1903 Why will
1904 My lord do so?
ANTONY 1905 For that he dares us to ’t.
ENOBARBUS
1906 40 So hath my lord dared him to single fight.
CANIDIUS
1907 Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,
1908 Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers,
1909 Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off,
1910 And so should you.
ENOBARBUS 1911 45 Your ships are not well manned,
1912 Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
1913 Engrossed by swift impress. In Caesar’s fleet
1914 Are those that often have ’gainst Pompey fought.
1915 Their ships are yare, yours heavy. No disgrace
1916 50 Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,
1917 Being prepared for land.
ANTONY 1918 By sea, by sea.
ENOBARBUS
1919 Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
1920 The absolute soldiership you have by land,
1921 55 Distract your army, which doth most consist
1922 Of war-marked footmen, leave unexecuted
1923 Your own renownèd knowledge, quite forgo
1924 The way which promises assurance, and
1925 Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
1926 60 From firm security.
ANTONY 1927 I’ll fight at sea.
CLEOPATRA
1928 I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
ANTONY
1929 Our overplus of shipping will we burn,
1930 And with the rest full-manned, from th’ head of
1931 65 Actium
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147
1932
Beat th’ approaching Caesar. But if we fail,1933 We then can do ’t at land.
Enter a Messenger.
1934 Thy business?
MESSENGER
1935 The news is true, my lord; he is descried.
1936 70 Caesar has taken Toryne.⌜He exits.⌝
ANTONY
1937 Can he be there in person? ’Tis impossible;
1938 Strange that his power should be. Canidius,
1939 Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
1940 And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship.—
1941 75 Away, my Thetis.
Enter a Soldier.
1942 How now, worthy soldier?
SOLDIER
1943 O noble emperor, do not fight by sea!
1944 Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
1945 This sword and these my wounds? Let th’ Egyptians
1946 80 And the Phoenicians go a-ducking. We
1947 Have used to conquer standing on the earth
1948 And fighting foot to foot.
ANTONY 1949 Well, well, away.
Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus exit.
SOLDIER
1950 By Hercules, I think I am i’ th’ right.
CANIDIUS
1951 85 Soldier, thou art, but his whole action grows
1952 Not in the power on ’t. So our leader’s led,
1953 And we are women’s men.
SOLDIER 1954 You keep by land
1955 The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
⌜CANIDIUS⌝
1956 90 Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
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149
1957
Publicola, and Caelius are for sea,1958 But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar’s
1959 Carries beyond belief.
SOLDIER 1960 While he was yet in Rome,
1961 95 His power went out in such distractions as
1962 Beguiled all spies.
CANIDIUS 1963 Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?
SOLDIER
1964 They say one Taurus.
CANIDIUS 1965 Well I know the man.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER 1966 100The Emperor calls Canidius.
CANIDIUS
1967 With news the time’s ⌜in⌝ labor, and throws forth
1968 Each minute some.
They exit.