feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/shmoop/The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra/section_18_part_0.txt
feat_book_id: The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra.act iii.scene vii
feat_summary_id: act iii, scene vii
feat_summary: {"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": ""}
text: 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
  
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Act III, Scene vii
target: 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.