_Enter_ Antony and Canidius.
_Ant._ Is it not strange, Canidius,
That from Tarentum and Brundusium
He could so quickly cut the Ionian Sea,
And taken in 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.
_Cleo._ By sea! What else?
_Canid._ Why will my lord do so?
_Ant._ For that he dares us to ’t.
_Enob._ So hath my lord dared him to single fight.
_Canid._ 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.
_Enob._ Your ships are not well mann’d;
Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
Ingrossed 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.
_Enob._ 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 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 mann’d, from the head of Actium,
Beat the approaching Cæsar. But if we fail,
We then can do ’t at land.