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Antony and Cleopatra

Please see the bottom of this page for explanatory notes and resources.
ACT III SCENE VII Near Actium. Mark Antony's camp. 
[Enter CLEOPATRA and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]
CLEOPATRAI will be even with thee, doubt it not.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSBut why, why, why?
CLEOPATRAThou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
And say'st it is not fit.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSWell, is it, is it?5
CLEOPATRAIf not denounced against us, why should not we
Be there in person?
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS[Aside] Well, I could reply:
If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear10
A soldier and his horse.
CLEOPATRAWhat is't you say?
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSYour presence needs must puzzle Antony;
Take from his heart, take from his brain,
from's time,15
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.
CLEOPATRASink Rome, and their tongues rot20
That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:
I will not stay behind.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSNay, I have done.25
Here comes the emperor.
[Enter MARK ANTONY and CANIDIUS]
MARK ANTONYIs 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?30
CLEOPATRACelerity is never more admired
Than by the negligent.
MARK ANTONYA good rebuke,
Which might have well becomed the best of men,
To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we35
Will fight with him by sea.
CLEOPATRABy sea! what else?
CANIDIUSWhy will my lord do so?
MARK ANTONYFor that he dares us to't.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSSo hath my lord dared him to single fight.40
CANIDIUSAy, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia.
Where Caesar fought with Pompey: but these offers,
Which serve not for his vantage, be shakes off;
And so should you.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSYour ships are not well mann'd;45
Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people
Ingross'd 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,50
Being prepared for land.
MARK ANTONYBy sea, by sea.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSMost worthy sir, you therein throw away
The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which doth most consist55
Of war-mark'd 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.60
MARK ANTONYI'll fight at sea.
CLEOPATRAI have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
MARK ANTONYOur 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,65
We then can do't at land.
[Enter a Messenger]
Thy business?
MessengerThe news is true, my lord; he is descried;
Caesar has taken Toryne.
MARK ANTONYCan he be there in person? 'tis impossible;70
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?75
SoldierO 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,80
And fighting foot to foot.
MARK ANTONYWell, well: away!
[ Exeunt MARK ANTONY, QUEEN CLEOPATRA, and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS ]
SoldierBy Hercules, I think I am i' the right.
CANIDIUSSoldier, thou art: but his whole action grows
Not in the power on't: so our leader's led,85
And we are women's men.
SoldierYou keep by land
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
CANIDIUSMarcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola, and Caelius, are for sea:90
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's
Carries beyond belief.
SoldierWhile he was yet in Rome,
His power went out in such distractions as
Beguiled all spies.95
CANIDIUSWho's his lieutenant, hear you?
SoldierThey say, one Taurus.
CANIDIUSWell I know the man.
[Enter a Messenger]
MessengerThe emperor calls Canidius.
CANIDIUSWith news the time's with labour, and throes forth,100
Each minute, some.
[Exeunt]


Antony and Cleopatra, Act 3, Scene 8
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Explanatory Notes for Act 3, Scene 7
From Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. M. Eaton. Boston: Educational Publishing Company.
(Line numbers have been altered.)
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3. Forspoke. Spoken against, opposed.

6. Denounced. Pronounced; if the war is declared against us why, etc.

17. Traduced. Accused of.

21. Charge. Have a part in the expenses and supplies.

23. For. As if I were a man.

23. Take in. Capture.

34. Becomed. This form of the participle occurs several times in Shakespeare.

39. For that. For the reason that, because.

43. Vantage. Advantage.

46. Muleters. Muleteers, mule-drivers.

47. Ingross'd, etc. Levied or "impressed" into service hurriedly.

49. Yare. Light and easily managed.

50. Fall. Fall upon you.

58. Assurance. That is, assurance of success.

59. Merely. Altogether.

60. Firm. Away from.

63. Overplus. Superfluous ships.

64. Head of Actium. The promontory of Actium.

68. Descried. His approach is observed.

71. Power. His army.

72. Legions. The Roman army consisted of legions, each containing five thousand men.

72. Hold. Command.

74. Thetis. My sea nymph. Thetis was one of the Nereides or nymphs.

77. Misdoubt. Have you lost confidence in.

79. Phoenicians. In ancient times the Phoenicians were noted sailors.

79. Go-a-ducking. Take to the water as ducks do.

80. Used. Have been accustomed to.

85. Power on't. That is, his whole plan of action is based not upon his greatest strength — i.e., his land force — but upon the whims of a woman.

92. Carries. Goes.

94. Distractions. That is, his forces marched in so many different divisions.

95. Beguiled. Deceived.

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How to cite the explanatory notes:

Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. M. Eaton. Boston: Educational Publishing Company, 1908. Shakespeare Online. 20 Feb. 2010. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/antony_3_7.html >.

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