Alarum. Enter Agrippa [with soldiers carrying] drums and trumpets

AGRIPPA        Retire! We have engaged ourselves too far.

Caesar himself has work, and our oppression

Exceeds what we expected.

Exeunt                         (4.7.1-3)

Some editions run this scene together with the one that follows, which is short but not this short. The scene division, albeit anachronistic, underlines to readers at least how quickly events are developing and changing. The battle’s underway—the sound cue, alarum, makes that clear, and there may be drums and trumpets on stage—and here’s Agrippa, usually unflappable, in charge but not entirely in control, it seems. He might enter at speed, in some disarray. Retire! is the order. Fall back, retreat! (And it might even be an order specifically to the drums and trumpets, to sound the retreat right now, on the spot.) We have engaged ourselves too far; we’ve overreached our capability, exceeded what’s sensible and orderly. Time to regroup! Caesar himself has work: he’s having to get involved in the fighting, properly involved, working for it, rather than staying on the sidelines giving the orders, and that’s not a good sign. Our oppression exceeds what we expected. Antony’s putting up far more of a fight than they’d anticipated (and, presumably, had intelligence of: Caesar’s always on top of the intel)—and we’re under pressure. Time to regroup, make a new plan. Retire!

Ironic, of course, given Enobarbus’s despair only a moment before. Is Antony in the ascendant once again?