Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
Act 3 - Scene 7
Near Actium. MARK ANTONY’s camp.
Cleopatra : I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
Domitius Enobarus : But why, why, why?
Cleopatra : Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
[p]And say'st it is not
fit.
Domitius Enobarus : Well, is it, is it?
Cleopatra : If not denounced against us, why should not we
[p]Be there in person?
Domitius Enobarus : [Aside] Well, I could reply:
[p]If we should serve with horse and
mares together,
[p]The horse were merely lost; the mares would
bear
[p]A soldier and his horse.
Cleopatra : What is't you say?
Domitius Enobarus : Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
[p]Take from his heart, take
from his brain,
[p]from's time,
[p]What should not then be spared. He
is already
[p]Traduced for levity; and 'tis said in Rome
[p]That
Photinus an eunuch and your maids
[p]Manage this war.
Cleopatra : Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
[p]That speak against us! A charge we
bear i' the war,
[p]And, as the president of my kingdom,
will
[p]Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:
[p]I will not
stay behind.
Domitius Enobarus : Nay, I have done.
[p]Here comes the emperor.
Cleopatra : Celerity is never more admired
[p]Than by the negligent.
Cleopatra : By sea! what else?
Canidius : Why will my lord do so?
Domitius Enobarus : So hath my lord dared him to single fight.
Canidius : Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia.
[p]Where Caesar fought with
Pompey: but these offers,
[p]Which serve not for his vantage, be
shakes off;
[p]And so should you.
Domitius Enobarus : Your ships are not well mann'd;
[p]Your mariners are muleters,
reapers, people
[p]Ingross'd by swift impress; in Caesar's
fleet
[p]Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought:
[p]Their
ships are yare; yours, heavy: no disgrace
[p]Shall fall you for
refusing him at sea,
[p]Being prepared for land.
Domitius Enobarus : Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
[p]The absolute soldiership
you have by land;
[p]Distract your army, which doth most consist
[p]Of
war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted
[p]Your own renowned knowledge;
quite forego
[p]The way which promises assurance; and
[p]Give up
yourself merely to chance and hazard,
[p]From firm security.
Cleopatra : I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
Messenger : The news is true, my lord; he is descried;
[p]Caesar has taken
Toryne.
Soldier : O noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
[p]Trust not to rotten planks:
do you misdoubt
[p]This sword and these my wounds? Let the
Egyptians
[p]And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
[p]Have used to
conquer, standing on the earth,
[p]And fighting foot to foot.
Soldier : By Hercules, I think I am i' the right.
Canidius : Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows
[p]Not in the power
on't: so our leader's led,
[p]And we are women's men.
Soldier : You keep by land
[p]The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
Canidius : Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
[p]Publicola, and Caelius, are for
sea:
[p]But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's
[p]Carries
beyond belief.
Soldier : While he was yet in Rome,
[p]His power went out in such distractions
as
[p]Beguiled all spies.
Canidius : Who's his lieutenant, hear you?
Soldier : They say, one Taurus.
Canidius : Well I know the man.
Messenger : The emperor calls Canidius.
Canidius : With news the time's with labour, and throes forth,
[p]Each minute,
some.
Previous: Act 3 - Scene 6
Next: Act 3 - Scene 8
