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 muliters, reapers, people

Ingross'd by swift impress: in Caesar'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 th' head of

Actium

Beat th' approaching Cæsar: but if we fail,

Enter a Messenger.

We then can do 't at land. 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.

Enter a Soldier.

Away, my Thetis ! How now, worthy soldier!
Soldier. O, noble Emperor! do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
This sword, and these my wounds? Let th' 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. Sold. By Hercules, I think I am i̇' th' right. Cun. 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

Mess. The Emperor calls Canidius.

Can. With news the time 's with labour; and throws

forth

Each minute some.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

A Plain near Actium.

Enter CESAR, TAURUS, Officers, and Others.

Cæs. Taurus!

Taurus. My lord.

Cæs. 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.

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

[Exeunt.

Ant. Set we our squadrons on yond' side o' the hill,

In 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 CESAR, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a sea-fight.

Alarum. 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:
To see 't, mine eyes are blasted.

Scarus.

Enter SCARUS.

Gods and goddesses,

All the whole synod of them!

Eno.

What's thy passion?

Scar. The greater cantle of the world is lost With very ignorance: we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces.

Eno.

How appears the fight?

Scar. On our side like the token'd pestilence, Where death is sure. Yond' ribaudred 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; 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
Endure a further view.

Scar.

She once being loof'd,

The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,

Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.

I never saw an action of such shame :

Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before
Did violate so itself.

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 night Indeed.

Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. Scar. 'Tis easy to 't; and there I will attend What further comes.

Can.

To Cæsar will I render

My legions, and my horse: six kings already
Shew me the way of yielding.

Eno.

I'll yet follow

The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason Sits in the wind against me.

[Exeunt.

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 asham'd to bear me.

Friends, come hither.
that I

- I have a ship
divide it; fly,

I am so lated in the world,
Have lost my way for ever.
Laden with gold; take that,
And make your peace with Cæsar.

Att.

Fly! not we.

Ant. I have fled myself, and have instructed

cowards

To run, and shew their shoulders. - Friends, be gone;
I have myself resolv'd upon a course,
Which has no need of you; be gone:
My treasure 's in the harbour, take it.
I follow'd that I blush to look upon:
My very hairs do mutiny; for the white
Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them
For fear and doting. — Friends, be gone: you shall
Have letters from me to some friends that will
Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad,
Nor make replies of lothness: take the hint
Which my despair proclaims; let that be left