← 4.6
Act 4, Scene 7 — Field of battle between the Camps.
on stage: —
Next: 4.8 →
Original
Faithful Conversational Text-message
The argument Antony wins the first day's land battle, routing Caesar's forces; Scarus fights brilliantly despite his wounds and they pursue the retreating enemy.
Alarum. Drums and Trumpets. Enter Agrippa and others.
AGRIPPA ≋ verse [alarmed, calling for retreat]

Retire! We have engaged ourselves too far.

Caesar himself has work, and our oppression

Exceeds what we expected.

Fall back! We've pushed too far. Caesar himself is fighting hard, and their resistance Is greater than we predicted.

Pull back! We've gone in too deep. Caesar's fighting hard, and the opposition Is tougher than we thought.

retreat! we went too far caesar fights hard it's tougher than expected

[_Exeunt._]
Alarums. Enter Antony and Scarus wounded.
SCARUS ≋ verse [exhilarated by the victory]

O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed!

Had we done so at first, we had droven them home

With clouts about their heads.

Oh my courageous emperor, this is real fighting! If we had fought like this from the start, we would have driven them home With bruises all over their heads.

Oh my fearless emperor, now that's what I call a fight! If we had gone at it like this from the beginning, we'd have beaten them Back home with black eyes.

brave emperor this is real fighting! wish we fought this way from the start

ANTONY [concerned for his wounded comrade]

Thou bleed’st apace.

You're bleeding rapidly.

You're bleeding a lot.

ur bleeding bad

SCARUS ≋ verse [joking through his wound]

I had a wound here that was like a T,

But now ’tis made an H.

_Sounds retreat far off._

I had a wound here shaped like a T, But now it's become an H.

I had a wound here shaped like a T, But now I've got another one making it an H.

wound was like T now it's H more wounds

"I had a wound here that was like a T, / But now 'tis made an H" Scarus's wound has been extended — what was a vertical slash (T) has been widened into an H-shape. He makes it sound like a minor editorial correction. It is one of the play's most darkly comic lines.
ANTONY [noting the advantage with relief]

They do retire.

They do retire.

They do retire.

they do retire.

SCARUS ≋ verse [bloodthirsty battle glee]

We’ll beat ’em into bench-holes. I have yet

Room for six scotches more.

We'll beat them into holes. I still have Room for six more wounds.

We'll crush them into the ground. I've still got Space for six more cuts.

we'll crush them i got room for 6 more wounds

Enter Eros.
EROS ≋ verse [jubilant with victory]

They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves

For a fair victory.

They are defeated, sir, and our advantage ensures A clear victory.

They're beaten, sir, and we have the advantage For a clean win.

they're beaten we'll win fair

SCARUS ≋ verse [savagely eager to finish them]

Let us score their backs

And snatch ’em up as we take hares, behind.

’Tis sport to maul a runner.

Let us slash their backs And catch them as we catch hares from behind. It's fun to beat down someone who's running.

Let's slash them as they run And grab them the way you'd catch rabbits from behind. It's sport to pound someone who's fleeing.

slash their backs catch them like hares it's fun beating runners

ANTONY ≋ verse [grateful, praising his valor]

I will reward thee

Once for thy sprightly comfort, and tenfold

For thy good valour. Come thee on.

I will reward you Once for your encouraging cheer, and ten times For your good bravery. Come on.

I'm going to reward you Once for cheering me up, and ten times over For your courage. Let's go.

i'll reward u for ur cheer & ten times for ur bravery let's go

SCARUS [gamely pressing on despite pain]

I’ll halt after.

I'll limp after.

I'll follow along, but I'll be limping.

ill limp after

[_Exeunt._]

The Reckoning

A brief flash of what Antony on land can do. Caesar's side falls back — 'we have engaged ourselves too far.' Scarus, bloodied and giddy, makes a joke about his wound widening from a T to an H shape. The scene breathes the joy of a battle going right. It won't last — but this moment matters: the audience needs to see Antony as a soldier, not just a defeated lover.

If this happened today…

The quarterly results come back and the underdog company — written off by everyone — beats its target for the first time in months. The lead engineer, who's been working with a bad cold all week, shows his laptop and jokes about how the bug tracker went from looking like a T to an H. Everyone laughs. Their boss says: 'You did this. Ten times the reward.' They chase the advantage. For now.

Continue to 4.8 →