Till we perceived, 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 determined things to destiny

Hold unbewailed their way.

Welcome to Rome;

Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought; and the high gods,
To do you justice, make them ministers

Of us, and those that love you. Best of comfort;1
And ever welcome to us.

Agr.

Welcome, lady.

Mec. Welcome, dear madam.

Each heart in Rome does love and pity you;
Only the adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off;

And gives his potent regiment to a trull,2
That noises it against us.

Oct.

Is it so, sir?

Cæs. Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you, Be ever known to patience; my dearest sister! [Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Antony's Camp, near the Promontory of Actium.

Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS.

Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
Eno. But why, why, why?

Cleo. Thou hast forespoke my being in these wars; And say'st, it is not fit.

Eno.

Well, is it, is it?

1 This elliptical phrase is merely an expression of endearment addressed to Octavia-" Thou best of comfort to thy brother."

2 Regiment is used for regimen or government, by most of our ancient writers.

3 Milton has used this uncommon verb in Paradise Regained, b. iv. 4 To forespeak here is to speak against, to gainsay, to contradict; as to forbid is to order negatively. The word had, however, the meaning, anciently, of to charm or bewitch, like forbid in Macbeth.

Cleo. If not denounced against us, why should

not we

Be there in person?

Eno. [Aside.] Well, I could reply;

2

If we should serve with horse and mares together, The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear A soldier, and his horse.

Cleo.

What is't you say?

Eno. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his 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.

Sink Rome; and their tongues rot,
A charge we bear i'the war,
my kingdom, will
Speak not against it;

Cleo.
That speak against us!
And, as the president of
Appear there for a man.
I will not stay behind.
Eno.

Here comes the emperor.

Nay, I have done.

Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS.

Ant. Is't not strange, Canidius,
That from Tarentum, and Brundusium,
He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,

And take in 3 Toryne?-You have heard on't, sweet?
Cleo. Celerity is never more admired,

Than by the negligent.

Ant.

A good rebuke,

Which might have well becomed the best of men,
To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we

Will fight with him by sea.

1 Steevens reads, "Is't not? Denounce against us, why," &c. Malone explains the reading of the old copy thus: :-"If there be no particular denunciation against us, why should we not be there in person?" Mr. Singer proposes to read, "Is't (i. e. the war) not denounced against us? Why should not we," &c.

2 i. e. entirely.

3 Take, subdue.

VOL. VI.

20

Cleo.

By sea! What else?

Can. Why will my lord do so?

Ant.

1

For that he dares us to't. Eno. So hath my lord dared him to single fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, 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 manned ; Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people Engrossed by swift impress. In Cæsar'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.

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-marked 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 manned, from the head of Actium Beat the 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,

1 i. e. cause that, or that is the cause.

2 Yare is quick, nimble, ready.

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?
Sold. 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.

Ant.

Well, well, away.

[Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS.

Sold. By Hercules, I think I am i' the right. Can. 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 Carries beyond belief.

Sold.

His power went out in such distractions,3 as

Beguiled all spies.

Can.

While he was yet in Rome,

Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

Well I know the man.

Sold. They say, one Taurus.

Can.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. The emperor calls Canidius.

1 "His whole conduct in the war is not founded upon that which is his greatest strength (namely, his land-force), but on the caprice of a woman, who wishes that he should fight by sea.'

2 i. e. passes all belief.

3 Detachments, separate bodies.

Can. With news the time's with labor; and throes

forth,

Each minute, some.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII. A Plain near Actium.

Enter CESAR, TAURUS, Officers, and others.

Cæs. Taurus,

Taur.

Cæs.

My lord.

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.1

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

[Exeunt.

Ant. Set we our squadrons on yon' 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 Cæsar, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a sea-fight.

Alarum. Re-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.

1 i. e. this hazard.

2 The Antoniad, Plutarch says, was the name of Cleopatra's ship.