Imatges de pàgina
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Cleo. By fea, what else?

Can. Why will my Lord do fo?

Ant. For that he dares us.

Eno. So hath my Lord dar'd him to fingle fight.

Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharfalia,
Where Cafar fought with Pompey. But thefe offers,
Which ferve not for his vantage, he shakes off,
And fo fhould you.

Eno. Your fhips are not well mann'd,
Your mariners muleteers and reapers, people
Ingroft by fwift imprefs. In Cafar's fleet
Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought;
Their fhips are yare, yours heavy: no difgrace
Shall 'fall you for refufing him at fea,
Being prepar'd for land.

Ant. By fea, by fea.

Eno. Moft worthy. Sir, you therein throw away
The abfolute foldiership you have by land,
Diftract your army, which doth most confift
Of war-mark'd footmen, leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge, quite forego
The way which promifes affurance, and
Give up your self meerly to chance and hazard,
From firm fecurity.

Ant. I'll fight at fea.

Cleo. Why, I have fixty fails, Cafar none better.
Ant. Our overplus of fhipping will we burn,

And with the reft full-mann'd, from th' head of Altium
Beat the approaching Cæfar. If we fail,

We then can do't at land.

Thy bufinefs?

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. The news is true, my Lord, he is defcried,
Cæfar has taken Toryne.

Ant. Can he be there in perfon? 'tis impoffible:
Strange that his power fhould be. Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horfe. We'll to our fhip.
Away, my Thetis.

Enter a Soldier.

How now, worthy foldier?

Sal.

Sol. Oh noble Emperor, do not fight by fea,
Truft not to rotten planks: do you misdoubt

This fword, and these my wounds? let the Ægyptians
And the Phoenicians go a ducking: we

Have us'd to conquer ftanding on the earth,

And fighting foot to foot.

Ant. Well, well, away. [Exeunt Ant. Cleo, and Enob.

Sold. By Hercules, I think I am i'th' right.

Can. Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows

Not in the power on't: fo our leader's led,

And we are womens men.

Sold. You keep by land

The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
Can. Marcus Octavius, Marcus Jufteus,

Publicola, and Celius, are for fea.

But we keep whole by land. This fpeed of Cæfar's
Carries beyond belief.

Sold. While yet in Rome,

His power went out in such distractions as

Beguil'd all fpies.

Can. Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

Sold. They fay, one Taurus.

Can. Well I know the man.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. The Emperor calls for Canidius.

Can. With news the time's in labour, and throws forth,

Each minute, fome.

Enter Cæfar with bis Army, marching.

[Exeunt.

Caf. Taurus!

Taur. My Lord.

Cef. Strike not by land.

Keep whole, provoke not battle

[Exeunt.

"Till we have done at fea. Do not exceed

The prefcript of this fcroul: our fortune lyes

Upon this jump.

Enter Antony and nobarbus.

Ant. Set we our fquadrons on yond fide o'th' hill,
In eye of Cafar's battle; from which place
We may the number of the fhips behold,
And fo proceed accordingly.

[Exeunt. SCENE

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SCENE VII.

Canidius marching with his land Army one way over the ftage, and Taurus the Lieutenant of Cæfar the other way: after their going in, is beard the noise of a Sea-fight. Alarum. Enter nobarbus.

Eno. Naught, naught, all naught, I can behold no longer; *Th' Antonias th' Egyptian admiral,

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With all their fixty, flies and turns the rudder :

To fee't, mine eyes are blafted.

Enter Scarus.

Scar. Gods, and Goddeffes, all the whole fynod of them! no. What's thy paffion?

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

Eno. How appears the fight?

Scar. On our fide like the token'd peftilence, Where death is fure. Yond ribauld nag of Egypt, (Whom leprofie o'ertake!) i'th' midst o'th' fight, (When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd Both as the fame, or rather ours the elder ;) The brize upon her, like a cow in June, Hoifts fails, and flies.

Eno. That I beheld:

Mine eyes did ficken at the fight, and could not
Endure a further view.

Scar. She once being looft,

The noble ruin of her magick, Antony,
Claps on his fea-wing, like a doating mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her:
I never faw an action of fuch fhame;
Experience, manhood, honour ne'er before.
Did violate fo it felf.

no. Alack, alack!

Enter Canidius.

Can. Our fortune on the fea is out of breath, And finks moft lamentably. Had our General Been what he knew himself, it had gone well:

Th' Antonias, &c. (which Plutarch fays was the name of Cleopatra's ship)

Oh

Oh he has given example for our flight,

Moft grofly by his own.

no. Ay, are you thereabouts? why then good-night Indeed.

Can. Toward Peloponnefus are they fled.

Scar. 'Tis eafie to't. And there I will attend

What further comes.

Can. To Cæfar will I render

My legions and my horfe; fix 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.

SCENE VIII.

[Exeunt feverally.

Enter Antony, with Eros and other Attendants.
Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't,
It is afham'd to bear me. Friends, come hither,
I am fo lated in the world, that I

Have loft my way for ever.

Laden with gold, take that,

I've a ship

divide it; y,

And make your peace with Cæfar.

Omnes. Fly! not we.

Friends, be gone.

oh,

Ant. I've fled my felf, and have inftructed cowards To run, and fhew their fhoulders. I have my felf refolv'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 rafhness, and they them For fear and doating. Friends, be gone; you fhall Have letters from me to fome friends, that will Sweep your way for you. Pray you look not fad, Nor make replies of lothness; take the hint Which my defpair proclaims. Let them be left Which leave themselves. To the fea-fide ftraight-way: I will poffefs you of that fhip and treasure. Leave me, I pray, a little; pray you now Nay, do fo; for indeed I've loft command,

Therefore, I pray you I'll fee you by and by. [Sits down:

Enter

Enter Cleopatra, led by Charmian and Iras, to Antony, Eros. Nay, gentle Madam, to him, comfort him. Iras. Do, moft dear Queen.

Cleo. Do? why, what else? let me

Sit down; oh Juno!

Ant. No, no, no, no, no.

Eros. See you here, Sir?

Ant. Oh fie, fie, fie.

Char. Madam!

Iras. Madam, oh good Emprefs!
Eros. Sir, Sir, my Lord!

Ant. Yes, yes; he at Philippi kept
His fword e'en like a dancer, while I ftrook
The lean and wrinkled Caffius, and 'twas I
That the fad Brutus ended; he alone

Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had

In the brave fquares of war; yet now -- no matter Cleo. Ah ftand by.

Eros. The Queen, my Lord, the Queen

Iras. Go to him, Madam, fpeak to him, He is unqualitied with very fhame.

Cleo. Well then, fuftain me: oh!

Eros, Moft noble Sir, arife, the Queen approaches } Her head's declin'd, and death will feize her, but Your comfort makes the rescue.

Ant. I have offended reputation;

A most unnoble fwerving

Eros. Sir, the Queen.

Ant. O whither haft thou led me, Egypt? fee
How I convey my fhame out of thine eyes,
By looking back on what I've left behind
'Stroy'd in difhonour.

Cleo. Oh, my Lord; my Lord;

Forgive my fearful fails; I little thought
You would have follow'd.

Ant. Egypt, thou knew'ft too well,
My heart was to thy rudder ty'd by th' ftring,
And thou should't towe me after. O'er my fpirit
Thy full fupremacy thou knew'ft, and that

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