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Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS
CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS enter.

CLEOPATRA

I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

CLEOPATRA

I’ll be straight with you. Do not doubt it.

ENOBARBUS

But why, why, why?

ENOBARBUS

But why, why, why?

CLEOPATRA

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

CLEOPATRA

You opposed my taking part in the war. You said it wasn’t proper.

ENOBARBUS

Well, is it, is it?

ENOBARBUS

Well, is it? Is it?

CLEOPATRA

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

CLEOPATRA

Isn’t this war against me? Why shouldn’t I be there in person?

ENOBARBUS

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.

ENOBARBUS

Well, I could answer that if we went to war on male and female horses alike—the male horses would be totally distracted and useless. The mares would be ridden by their riders and the male horses.

CLEOPATRA

What is ’t you say?

CLEOPATRA

What do you mean?

ENOBARBUS

10 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
15 Manage this war.

ENOBARBUS

Antony will necessarily be distracted by your presence. You will affect his heart and his head. You’ll take up time he can’t afford to lose. He’s already criticized for frivolous behavior. In Rome they say that your eunuch Photinus and your maids run the 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.

CLEOPATRA

Let Rome fall! May the tongues of our critics rot! I have responsibilities in this war, and as the absolute ruler of my kingdom I will carry out my duties as if I were a man. Don’t argue against it. I won’t stay behind.
Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS
ANTONY and CANIDIUS enter.

ENOBARBUS

Nay, I have done.
20 Here comes the Emperor.

ENOBARBUS

No, I’ve had my say. 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?

ANTONY

Isn’t it strange, Canidius, that he could cross the Ionian Sea so quickly from Tarentum and Brundusium and take Toryne?—Have you heard about this, sweet?

CLEOPATRA

Celerity is never more admired
25 Than by the negligent.

CLEOPATRA

No one admires speed more than the lazy.

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.

ANTONY

That’s a good reprimand, suitable for reminding even the best of men to guard against negligence. Canidius, we’ll fight him at sea.

CLEOPATRA

By sea, what else?

CLEOPATRA

Of course we’ll fight him by sea. What else?

CANIDIUS

Why will
My lord do so?

CANIDIUS

Why do you want to do that, my lord?

ANTONY

For that he dares us to ’t.

ANTONY

Because he’s daring us to do it.

ENOBARBUS

30 So hath my lord dared him to single fight.

ENOBARBUS

So you’ve dared him to single combat.

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.

CANIDIUS

Yes, and you dared Caesar to fight the battle at Pharsalia, where he fought against Pompey. But Caesar ignores offers that don’t give him an advantage, and so should you.

ENOBARBUS

Your ships are not well manned,
35 Your mariners are muleteers, 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,
40 Being prepared for land.

ENOBARBUS

Your ships are not well crewed. Your sailors are mule drivers, harvesters—men who were drafted quickly and have little training. Caesar’s fleet is manned by mariners who already have experience battling Pompey. His ships are maneuverable. Yours are slow and awkward. Refusing to fight him at sea won’t disgrace you. You’ve prepared for a land war.

ANTONY

By sea, by sea.

ANTONY

I will fight 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
45 Your own renownèd knowledge, quite forego
The way which promises assurance, and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
From firm security.

ENOBARBUS

Most worthy sir, if you do that you throw away all the advantages you have on land. You will have to divide your army, which mostly consists of battle-hardened foot soldiers. You will be unable to use your legendary battle knowledge. You’ll be abandoning proven methods that promise victory, and instead you’ll put yourself at the mercy of haphazard chance.

ANTONY

I’ll fight at sea.

ANTONY

I’ll fight at sea.

CLEOPATRA

I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.

CLEOPATRA

I have sixty ships. Caesar doesn’t have any that are better.

ANTONY

50 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.

ANTONY

We’ll burn our surplus ships and fully man the rest. We’ll sail from Actium and beat Caesar as he approaches. Even if we fail at that, we can still fight him on land.
Enter a MESSENGER
A MESSENGER enters.
Thy business?
What’s your business?

MESSENGER

The news is true, my lord. He is descried.
55 Caesar has taken Toryne.

MESSENGER

The news is true, my lord. Caesar has been seen. He has captured 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.
60 Away, my Thetis!

ANTONY

Can Caesar be there in person? No, that’s impossible. It’s strange enough that his army should be there. Canidius, take our nineteen

legions

military division consisting of 4,500 armored infantrymen

legions
and twelve thousand horse soldiers. You must hold them on land. We’ll go to our ship. Come away, Cleopatra.
Exit He exits.
Enter a SOLDIER
A SOLDIER enters.
How now, worthy soldier?
What’s the news, brave 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
65 Have used to conquer standing on the earth
And fighting foot to foot.

SOLDIER

Oh, don’t fight by sea, noble Emperor! Don’t trust rotten planks. Don’t you trust my sword and these wounds? Let the Egyptians and Phoenicians go swimming. We are used to winning by standing on the earth and fighting toe to toe.

ANTONY

 Well, well, away.

ANTONY

Well, well, let’s go.

SOLDIER

By Hercules, I think I am i’ th’ right.

SOLDIER

By Hercules, I think I’m right.

CANIDIUS

Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows
Not in the power on ’t. So our leader’s led,
70 And we are women’s men.

CANIDIUS

Soldier, you are. But Antony’s decisions aren’t coming from his extensive experience. Our leader is being led. We are following a woman.

SOLDIER

You keep by land
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?

SOLDIER

On land you keep the legions and cavalry together, don’t you?

CANIDIUS

Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola, and Caelius, are for sea;
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar’s
75 Carries beyond belief.

CANIDIUS

Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius, Publicola, and Caelius will go by sea, but we’ll keep the bulk on land. Caesar’s speed defies belief.

SOLDIER

While he was yet in Rome
His power went out in such distractions as
Beguiled all spies.

SOLDIER

While he was still in Rome, he deployed his forces in so many different disguises that all our spies were fooled.
Exeunt ANTONY , CLEOPATRA , and ENOBARBUS ANTONY , CLEOPATRA , and ENOBARBUS exit.

CANIDIUS

Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?

CANIDIUS

Who’s his lieutenant, do you know?

SOLDIER

They say, one Taurus.

SOLDIER

A man named Taurus, they say.

CANIDIUS

Well I know the man.

CANIDIUS

I know the man well.
Enter a MESSENGER
A MESSENGER enters.

MESSENGER

80 The Emperor calls Canidius.

MESSENGER

The Emperor is calling for Canidius.

CANIDIUS

With news the time’s with labor, and throws forth
Each minute some.

CANIDIUS

The present time is like a woman in labor, each minute giving birth to some piece of news.
Exeunt They exit.

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS
CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS enter.

CLEOPATRA

I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

CLEOPATRA

I’ll be straight with you. Do not doubt it.

ENOBARBUS

But why, why, why?

ENOBARBUS

But why, why, why?

CLEOPATRA

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

CLEOPATRA

You opposed my taking part in the war. You said it wasn’t proper.

ENOBARBUS

Well, is it, is it?

ENOBARBUS

Well, is it? Is it?

CLEOPATRA

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

CLEOPATRA

Isn’t this war against me? Why shouldn’t I be there in person?

ENOBARBUS

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.

ENOBARBUS

Well, I could answer that if we went to war on male and female horses alike—the male horses would be totally distracted and useless. The mares would be ridden by their riders and the male horses.

CLEOPATRA

What is ’t you say?

CLEOPATRA

What do you mean?

ENOBARBUS

10 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
15 Manage this war.

ENOBARBUS

Antony will necessarily be distracted by your presence. You will affect his heart and his head. You’ll take up time he can’t afford to lose. He’s already criticized for frivolous behavior. In Rome they say that your eunuch Photinus and your maids run the 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.

CLEOPATRA

Let Rome fall! May the tongues of our critics rot! I have responsibilities in this war, and as the absolute ruler of my kingdom I will carry out my duties as if I were a man. Don’t argue against it. I won’t stay behind.
Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS
ANTONY and CANIDIUS enter.

ENOBARBUS

Nay, I have done.
20 Here comes the Emperor.

ENOBARBUS

No, I’ve had my say. 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?

ANTONY

Isn’t it strange, Canidius, that he could cross the Ionian Sea so quickly from Tarentum and Brundusium and take Toryne?—Have you heard about this, sweet?

CLEOPATRA

Celerity is never more admired
25 Than by the negligent.

CLEOPATRA

No one admires speed more than the lazy.

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.

ANTONY

That’s a good reprimand, suitable for reminding even the best of men to guard against negligence. Canidius, we’ll fight him at sea.

CLEOPATRA

By sea, what else?

CLEOPATRA

Of course we’ll fight him by sea. What else?

CANIDIUS

Why will
My lord do so?

CANIDIUS

Why do you want to do that, my lord?

ANTONY

For that he dares us to ’t.

ANTONY

Because he’s daring us to do it.

ENOBARBUS

30 So hath my lord dared him to single fight.

ENOBARBUS

So you’ve dared him to single combat.

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.

CANIDIUS

Yes, and you dared Caesar to fight the battle at Pharsalia, where he fought against Pompey. But Caesar ignores offers that don’t give him an advantage, and so should you.

ENOBARBUS

Your ships are not well manned,
35 Your mariners are muleteers, 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,
40 Being prepared for land.

ENOBARBUS

Your ships are not well crewed. Your sailors are mule drivers, harvesters—men who were drafted quickly and have little training. Caesar’s fleet is manned by mariners who already have experience battling Pompey. His ships are maneuverable. Yours are slow and awkward. Refusing to fight him at sea won’t disgrace you. You’ve prepared for a land war.

ANTONY

By sea, by sea.

ANTONY

I will fight 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
45 Your own renownèd knowledge, quite forego
The way which promises assurance, and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
From firm security.

ENOBARBUS

Most worthy sir, if you do that you throw away all the advantages you have on land. You will have to divide your army, which mostly consists of battle-hardened foot soldiers. You will be unable to use your legendary battle knowledge. You’ll be abandoning proven methods that promise victory, and instead you’ll put yourself at the mercy of haphazard chance.

ANTONY

I’ll fight at sea.

ANTONY

I’ll fight at sea.

CLEOPATRA

I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.

CLEOPATRA

I have sixty ships. Caesar doesn’t have any that are better.

ANTONY

50 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.

ANTONY

We’ll burn our surplus ships and fully man the rest. We’ll sail from Actium and beat Caesar as he approaches. Even if we fail at that, we can still fight him on land.
Enter a MESSENGER
A MESSENGER enters.
Thy business?
What’s your business?

MESSENGER

The news is true, my lord. He is descried.
55 Caesar has taken Toryne.

MESSENGER

The news is true, my lord. Caesar has been seen. He has captured 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.
60 Away, my Thetis!

ANTONY

Can Caesar be there in person? No, that’s impossible. It’s strange enough that his army should be there. Canidius, take our nineteen

legions

military division consisting of 4,500 armored infantrymen

legions
and twelve thousand horse soldiers. You must hold them on land. We’ll go to our ship. Come away, Cleopatra.
Exit He exits.
Enter a SOLDIER
A SOLDIER enters.
How now, worthy soldier?
What’s the news, brave 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
65 Have used to conquer standing on the earth
And fighting foot to foot.

SOLDIER

Oh, don’t fight by sea, noble Emperor! Don’t trust rotten planks. Don’t you trust my sword and these wounds? Let the Egyptians and Phoenicians go swimming. We are used to winning by standing on the earth and fighting toe to toe.

ANTONY

 Well, well, away.

ANTONY

Well, well, let’s go.

SOLDIER

By Hercules, I think I am i’ th’ right.

SOLDIER

By Hercules, I think I’m right.

CANIDIUS

Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows
Not in the power on ’t. So our leader’s led,
70 And we are women’s men.

CANIDIUS

Soldier, you are. But Antony’s decisions aren’t coming from his extensive experience. Our leader is being led. We are following a woman.

SOLDIER

You keep by land
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?

SOLDIER

On land you keep the legions and cavalry together, don’t you?

CANIDIUS

Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola, and Caelius, are for sea;
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar’s
75 Carries beyond belief.

CANIDIUS

Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius, Publicola, and Caelius will go by sea, but we’ll keep the bulk on land. Caesar’s speed defies belief.

SOLDIER

While he was yet in Rome
His power went out in such distractions as
Beguiled all spies.

SOLDIER

While he was still in Rome, he deployed his forces in so many different disguises that all our spies were fooled.
Exeunt ANTONY , CLEOPATRA , and ENOBARBUS ANTONY , CLEOPATRA , and ENOBARBUS exit.

CANIDIUS

Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?

CANIDIUS

Who’s his lieutenant, do you know?

SOLDIER

They say, one Taurus.

SOLDIER

A man named Taurus, they say.

CANIDIUS

Well I know the man.

CANIDIUS

I know the man well.
Enter a MESSENGER
A MESSENGER enters.

MESSENGER

80 The Emperor calls Canidius.

MESSENGER

The Emperor is calling for Canidius.

CANIDIUS

With news the time’s with labor, and throws forth
Each minute some.

CANIDIUS

The present time is like a woman in labor, each minute giving birth to some piece of news.
Exeunt They exit.