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• Antony and Cleopatra: Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Scene I.—: Alexandria. a Room Incleopatra’spalace.
• Scene II.—: The Same. Another Room.
• Scene III.—: The Same. Another Room.
• Scene IV.—: Rome. a Room Incæsar’shouse.
• Scene V.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Act II.
• Scene I.—: Messina. a Room Inpompey’shouse.
• Scene II.—: Rome. a Room Inlepidus’ House.
• Scene III.—: The Same a Room Incæsar’shouse.
• Scene IV.—: The Same. a Street.
• Scene V.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene VI.—: Near Misenum.
• Scene VII.—: On Boardpompey’sgalley Off Misenum.
• Act III.
• Scene I.—: A Plain In Syria.
• Scene II.—: Rome. a Room Incæsar’shouse.
• Scene III.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene IV.—: Athens. a Room Inantony’shouse.
• Scene V.—: The Same. Another Room.
• Scene VI.—: Rome. a Room Incæsar’shouse.
• Scene VII.—: Antony’scamp, Near to the Promontory Ofactium.
• Scene VIII.—: A Plain Nearactium.
• Scene IX.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene X.—: Egypt.cæsar’scamp.
• Scene XI.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.—: Before Alexandria.cæsar’scamp.
• Scene II.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene III.—: The Same. Before the Palace.
• Scene IV.—: The Same. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene V.—: Alexandria.antony’scamp.
• Scene VI.—: Before Alexandria.cæsar’scamp.
• Scene VII.—: Field of Battle Between the Camps.
• Scene VIII.—: Under the Walls of Alexandria.
• Scene IX.—: Cæsar’scamp.
• Scene X.—: Between the Two Camps.
• Scene XI.—: Alexandria. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene XII.—: The Same. Another Room.
• Scene XIII.—: The Same. a Monument.
• Act V.
• Scene I.—: Alexandria.cæsar’scamp.
• Scene II.—: The Same. the Monument.

Scene VII.—

Antony’sCamp, near to the Promontory ofActium.

EnterCleopatraandEnobarbus.

Cleo.

I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

Eno.

But why, why, why?

Cleo.

Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,

And sayst it is not fit.

Eno.

Well, is it, is it?

Cleo.

If not denounc’d against us, why should not we

Be there in person?

Eno.

[Aside.] Well, I could reply:

If we should serve with horse and mares together,

The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear

A soldier and his horse.

Cleo.

What is ’t you say?

Eno.

Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;

Take from his heart, take from his brain, from ’s time,

What should not then be spar’d. He is already

Traduc’d for levity, and ’tis said in Rome

That Photinus a eunuch and your maids

Manage this war.

Cleo.

Sink Rome, and their tongues rot

That speak against us! A charge we bear i’ the war,

And, as the president of my kingdom, will

Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;

I will not stay behind.

Eno.

Nay, I have done.

Here comes the emperor.

EnterAntonyandCanidius.

Ant.

Is it not strange, Canidius,

That from Tarentum and Brundusium

He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,

And take in Toryne? You have heard on ’t, sweet?

Cleo.

Celerity is never more admir’d

Than by the negligent.

Ant.

A good rebuke,

Which might have well becom’d the best of men,

To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we

Will fight with him by sea.

Cleo.

By sea! What else?

Can.

Why will my lord do so?

Ant.

For that he dares us to ’t.

Eno.

So hath my lord dar’d him to single fight.

Can.

Ay, and to wage his battle at Pharsalia,

Where Cæsar fought with Pompey; but these offers,

Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off;

And so should you.

Eno.

Your ships are not well mann’d;

Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people

Ingross’d by swift impress; in Cæsar’s fleet

Are those that often have gainst Pompey fought:

Their ships are yare; yours, heavy. No disgrace

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;

Distract your army, which doth most consist

Of war-mark’d footmen; leave unexecuted

Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego

The way which promises assurance; and

Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard

From firm security.

Ant.

I’ll fight at sea.

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,

We then can do ’t at land.

Enter a Messenger.

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:

Away, my Thetis!

Enter a Soldier.

How now, worthy soldier!

Sold.

O noble emperor! do not fight by sea;

Trust not to rotten planks: do you misdoubt

This sword and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians

And the Phœnicians go a-ducking; we

Have used to conquer, standing on the earth,

And fighting foot to foot.

Ant.

Well, well: away!

[ExeuntAntony, Cleopatra,andEnobarbus.

Sold.

By Hercules, I think I am i’ the right.

Can.

Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows

Not in the power on ’t: 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?

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.

Sold.

While he was yet in Rome

His power went out in such distractions as

Beguil’d all spies.

Can.

Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?

Sold.

They say, one Taurus.

Can.

Well I know the man.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess.

The emperor calls Canidius.

Can.

With news the time’s with labour, and throes forth

Each minute some.

[Exeunt.