Act 3. Scene VII - Page 2

assurance; and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,
From firm security.

MARK ANTONY
I'll fight at sea.

CLEOPATRA
I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.

MARK ANTONY
Our overplus of shipping will we burn;
And, with the rest full-mann'd, from the head of Actium
Beat the 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.

MARK ANTONY
Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;
Strange that 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?

Soldier
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 Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
Have used to conquer, standing on the earth,
And fighting foot to foot.

MARK ANTONY
Well, well: away!

Exeunt MARK ANTONY, QUEEN CLEOPATRA, and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Soldier
By Hercules, I think I am i' the 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
Beguiled 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