Sol. O noble emperor, do Trust not to rotten planks. not fight by sea; Do you misdoubt This sword, and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians 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. Sol. By Hercules, I think I am i' the right. grows Not in the power on 't; so our leader 's led, And we are women's men. Sol. 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. Sol. While he was yet in Rome, His power went out in such distractions,1 as Enter MESSENGER. Mes. The emperor calls Canidius. Can. With news the time's with labor, and throes forth, Each minute, some. [Exeunt. SCENE VIII. A plain near Actium. Enter CESAR, TAURUS, Officers, and others. Ca. Taurus, Tau. Ca. My lord. Strike not by land; keep whole : Provoke not battle, till we have done at sea. Do not exceed the prescript of this scroll: In Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS. [Exeunt. Ant. Set we our squadrons on yon' side o' the hill, eye 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 Casar, 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, With all their sixty, fly, and turn the rudder: Sca. The greater cantle 2 of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces. Eno. How appears the fight? Sca. On our side like the token'd3 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, 4 The brize upon her! like a cow in June, Hoists sails, and flies. Eno. That I beheld: Mine eyes did sicken at the sight, and could not 2 Corner. 4 The gad-fly that stings cattle. 1 Name of Cleopatra's ship. 3 Spotted. Sca. She once being loof'd,1 The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, Claps on his sea-wing; and, like a doting mallard, I never saw an action of such shame : Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general Been what he knew himself, it had gone well. O, he has given example for our flight, Most grossly, by his own. Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good Indeed. night Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. Sca. 'Tis easy to 't; and there I will attend What farther comes. Can. 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. To loof is to bring a ship close to the wind. 2 The drake of the wild duck. SCENE IX. Alexandria. A room in the palace. Enter ANTONY and ATTENDANTS. Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon 't; It is ashamed to bear me! Friends, come hither; Have lost my way for ever :-I have a ship Att. Fly! not we. Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards To run, and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone; I have myself resolved upon a course, My very hairs do mutiny; for the white 1 Benighted. |