The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 34

Where is he now?

OCTAVIA. My lord, in Athens.

CAESAR. No, my most wronged sister: Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire Up to a wh.o.r.e, who now are levying The kings o' th' earth for war. He hath a.s.sembled Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas; King Manchus of Arabia; King of Pont; Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas, The kings of Mede and Lycaonia, with More larger list of sceptres.

OCTAVIA. Ay me most wretched, That have my heart parted betwixt two friends, That does afflict each other!

CAESAR. Welcome hither.

Your letters did withhold our breaking forth, Till we perceiv'd both how you were wrong led And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart; Be you not troubled with the time, which drives O'er your content these strong necessities, But let determin'd things to destiny Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome; Nothing more dear to me. You are abus'd Beyond the mark of thought, and the high G.o.ds, To do you justice, make their ministers Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort, And ever welcome to us.

AGRIPPA. Welcome, lady.

MAECENAS. Welcome, dear madam.

Each heart in Rome does love and pity you; Only th' adulterous Antony, most large In his abominations, turns you off, And gives his potent regiment to a trull That noises it against us.

OCTAVIA. Is it so, sir?

CAESAR. Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you Be ever known to patience. My dear'st sister! Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_7 SCENE VII.

ANTONY'S camp near Actium

Enter CLEOPATRA and En.o.bARBUS

CLEOPATRA. I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

En.o.bARBUS. But why, why, CLEOPATRA. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars, And say'st it is not fit.

En.o.bARBUS. Well, is it, is it?

CLEOPATRA. Is't not denounc'd against us? Why should not we Be there in person?

En.o.bARBUS. [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.

CLEOPATRA. What is't you say?

En.o.bARBUS. 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 an eunuch and your maids Manage this war.

CLEOPATRA. Sink Rome, and their tongues rot That speak against us! A charge we bear i' th' war, And, as the president of my kingdom, will Appear there for a man. Speak not against it; I will not stay behind.

Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS

En.o.bARBUS. Nay, I have done.

Here comes the Emperor.

ANTONY. 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?

CLEOPATRA. Celerity is never more admir'd Than by the negligent.

ANTONY. 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.

CLEOPATRA. By sea! What else?

CANIDIUS. Why will my lord do so?

ANTONY. For that he dares us to't.

En.o.bARBUS. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight.

CANIDIUS. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers, Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off; And so should you.

En.o.bARBUS. Your s.h.i.+ps are not well mann'd; Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people Ingross'd by swift impress. In Caesar's fleet Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought; Their s.h.i.+ps are yare; yours heavy. No disgrace Shall fall you for refusing him at sea, Being prepar'd for land.

ANTONY. By sea, by sea.

En.o.bARBUS. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away The absolute soldiers.h.i.+p you have by land; Distract your army, which doth most consist Of war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo The way which promises a.s.surance; 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 overplus of s.h.i.+pping will we burn, And, with the rest full-mann'd, from th' head 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 descried; Caesar has taken Toryne.

ANTONY. 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 s.h.i.+p.

Away, my Thetis!

Enter a SOLDIER

How now, worthy soldier?

SOLDIER. O n.o.ble Emperor, do not fight by sea; Trust not to rotten planks. Do you mis...o...b.. This sword and these my wounds? Let th' Egyptians And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we Have us'd to conquer standing on the earth And fighting foot to foot.

ANTONY. Well, well- away.

Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and En.o.bARBUS SOLDIER. By Hercules, I think I am i' th' right.

CANIDIUS. 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.

SOLDIER. You keep by land The legions and the horse whole, 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 Carries beyond belief.

SOLDIER. While he was yet in Rome, His power went out in such distractions as Beguil'd 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 with labour and throes forth Each minute some. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_8 SCENE VIII.

A plain near Actium

Enter CAESAR, with his army, marching

CAESAR. Taurus!

TAURUS. My lord?

CAESAR. Strike not by land; keep whole; provoke not battle Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed The prescript of this scroll. Our fortune lies Upon this jump. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_9 SCENE IX.

Another part of the plain

Enter ANTONY and En.o.bARBUS

ANTONY. Set we our squadrons on yon side o' th' hill, In eye of Caesar's battle; from which place We may the number of the s.h.i.+ps behold, And so proceed accordingly. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_10 SCENE X.

Another part of the plain

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 En.o.bARBUS

En.o.bARBUS. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer.

Th' Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral, With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder.

To see't mine eyes are blasted.

Enter SCARUS