Antony's Camp, near Actium.
 Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS.

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

Enobarbus	But why, why, why?

Cleopatra	Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
	And sayst it is not fit.

Enobarbus							Well, is it, is it?

Cleopatra	Is't not denounced against us? Why should not we
	Be there in person?

Enobarbus				[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?

Enobarbus	Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
	Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's time,
	What should not then be spared. He is already
	Traduced 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.

Enobarbus							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 admired
	Than by the negligent.

Antony							A good rebuke,
	Which might have well becomed 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.

Enobarbus	So hath my lord dared 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.

Enobarbus						Your ships are not well manned;
	Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people
	Engrossed 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 prepared for land.

Antony								By sea, by sea.

Enobarbus	Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
	The absolute soldiership you have by land;
	Distract your army, which doth most consist
	Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted
	Your own renownd knowledge; quite forgo
	The way which promises assurance; 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 shipping will we burn,
	And, with the rest full-manned, 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 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 th' Egyptians
	And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
	Have used to conquer standing on the earth,
	And fighting foot to foot.

Antony								Well, well. Away!
					   [Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS.

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
	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 throws forth
	Each minute some.
													[Exeunt.

