finished_summaries/shmoop/The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra/section_18_part_0.txt
The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra.act iii.scene vii
act iii, scene vii
{"name": "Act III, Scene vii", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210116191009/https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/antony-cleopatra/summary/act-iii-scene-vii", "summary": "Cleopatra readies to go to battle alongside Antony, though Enobarbus thinks it's not a place fit for women. Further, she'll be a distraction to Antony, when all his attention needs to be on the war. She won't hear any of it, despite the fact that the Romans are taunting that a woman and her maids are running the war. Antony interrupts this little discussion of gender roles and announces to Canidius, one of his soldiers, that they'll fight by sea. Enobarbus and Canidius plead with him; as his fleet and sea power are much weaker than Caesar's, they're sure to be doomed. Still, Caesar has challenged Antony at sea, so in spite of his good sense, he won't back down. Cleopatra pledges sixty ships, and Antony contends that if they lose at sea, they can still fight by land. A messenger enters with the news that Caesar is already conquering, so there's no time to waste. The main players exit with Antony preparing for war on the water. Canidius and a soldier stay back, lamenting Antony's decision to fight in the arena where he's weakest --he's being led not by tactics, but by a woman. Caesar has traveled quickly, and his power is only growing. Still, they'll take care of land preparations while Antony puts the brunt of their force into the sea.", "analysis": ""}
SCENE VII.
                  ANTONY'S camp near Actium

                Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS

  CLEOPATRA. I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
  ENOBARBUS. But why, why,
  CLEOPATRA. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
    And say'st it is not fit.
  ENOBARBUS. Well, is it, is it?
  CLEOPATRA. Is't not denounc'd 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 spar'd. He is already
    Traduc'd 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 admir'd
    Than by the negligent.
  ANTONY. A good rebuke,
    Which might have well becom'd 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 dar'd 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 mann'd;
    Your mariners are muleteers, 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,
    Being prepar'd 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-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted
    Your own renowned 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-mann'd, 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 us'd 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
    Beguil'd 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 throes forth
    Each minute some.                                     Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_8




Act III, Scene vii
Cleopatra readies to go to battle alongside Antony, though Enobarbus thinks it's not a place fit for women. Further, she'll be a distraction to Antony, when all his attention needs to be on the war. She won't hear any of it, despite the fact that the Romans are taunting that a woman and her maids are running the war. Antony interrupts this little discussion of gender roles and announces to Canidius, one of his soldiers, that they'll fight by sea. Enobarbus and Canidius plead with him; as his fleet and sea power are much weaker than Caesar's, they're sure to be doomed. Still, Caesar has challenged Antony at sea, so in spite of his good sense, he won't back down. Cleopatra pledges sixty ships, and Antony contends that if they lose at sea, they can still fight by land. A messenger enters with the news that Caesar is already conquering, so there's no time to waste. The main players exit with Antony preparing for war on the water. Canidius and a soldier stay back, lamenting Antony's decision to fight in the arena where he's weakest --he's being led not by tactics, but by a woman. Caesar has traveled quickly, and his power is only growing. Still, they'll take care of land preparations while Antony puts the brunt of their force into the sea.