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

Mess. The emperor calls Canidius.

Can. With news the time's with labour, and throes forth,

Each minute, some.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII. A plain near Actium.

Enter CESAR, TAURUS, Officers, and others.

Cæs. Taurus,

Taur. 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.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX. Another part of the plain.

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

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.

SCENE X. Another part of the plain.

Enter CANIDIUS, marching with his land army one way; and TAURUS, the lieutenant of CESAR, with his army, 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.

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. Yon ribaudred nag(8) 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 breese 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.

Enter CANIDIUS.

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(89) given example for our flight,
Most grossly, by his own!

Eno.

Ay, are you thereabouts?

Why, then, good night indeed.

Can. Toward 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
Show 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 XI. 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:

I am so lated in the world, that I

Have lost my way for ever:-I have a ship
Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,
And make your peace with Cæsar.

All.

Fly! not we.

Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards To run and show 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.—O, 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 loathness: take the hint
Which my despair proclaims; let that be left(90)
Which leaves itself: to the sea-side straightway:
I will possess you of that ship and treasure.
Leave me, I pray, a little pray you now :-
Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command,

Therefore I pray you:-I'll see you by and by. [Sits down.

Enter CLEOPATRA led by CHARMIAN and IRAS; EROS following.

Eros. Nay, gentle madam, to him,-comfort him.

Iras. Do, most dear queen.

Char. Do! why, what else?

Cleo. Let me sit down. O Juno!

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

Eros. See you here, sir?

Ant. O fie, fie, fie!

Char. Madam,

Iras. Madam, O good empress,
Eros. Sir, sir,—

Ant. Yes, my lord, yes ;--he at Philippi kept
His sword e'en like a dancer; while I struck
The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I
That the mad Brutus ended: he alone
Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had
In the brave squares of war: yet now-No matter.
Cleo. Ah, stand by.

Eros. The queen, my lord, the queen.

Iras. Go to him, madam, speak to him:

He is unqualitied with very shame.

Cleo. Well then,-sustain me:-O!

Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches:

Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her, but

Your comfort makes(91) the rescue.

Ant. I have offended reputation,—

A most unnoble swerving.

Eros.

Sir,

the

queen.

Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See,
How I convey my shame out of thine eyes
By looking back (92) what I have left behind
Stroy'd in dishonour.

Cleo.

O my lord, my lord,

Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought
You would have follow'd.

Ant.

Egypt, thou knew'st too well

My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings,
And thou shouldst tow(93) me after: o'er my spirit
Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that

Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods
Command me.

Cleo.

Ant.

O, my pardon!

Now I must

To the young man send humble treaties, dodge
And palter in the shifts of lowness; who

With half the bulk o' the world play'd as I pleas'd,
Making and marring fortunes. You did know
How much you were my conqueror; and that
My sword, made weak by my affection, would
Obey it on all cause.

Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates All that is won and lost: give me a kiss;

Even this repays me.-We sent our schoolmaster;

Is he come back?—Love, I am full of lead.—

Some wine, within(94) there, and our viands!-Fortune knows We scorn her most when most she offers blows.

[Exeunt.

SCENE XII. CESAR'S camp in Egypt.

Enter CESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, and others.

Cæs. Let him appear that 's come from Antony.Know you him?

Dol.

Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster:

An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither