Enter Caesar and his army

CAESAR          But being charged, we will be still by land—

Which, as I take’t, we shall, for his best force

Is forth to man his galleys. To the vales,

And hold our best advantage.

Exeunt                         (4.12.1-4)

More rapid cutting between scenes; the action’s continuous, pretty much, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the beat of drums continued between scenes, as the tension increases. Antony’s preparing to give battle both by sea and on land, and has taken his troops to higher ground, the better to see what’s going on; he expects the fiercer fight to be at sea. Caesar, though, is holding his main strength on land: but being charged, unless we’re attacked, we will be still by land. We’re going to stick with it. And I think that it’s the most sensible course, as I take’t, we shall do just that, for Antony’s best force is forth to man his galleys. That’s where he’s thrown the greater part of his troops, that’s where he’s strongest, at sea. But if we don’t meet him there, all those crack troops aboard the galleys are just going to be twiddling their thumbs. We’re going to go to the vales, the low ground, therefore, and hold our best advantage, dominate the land battle, be in the best possible position. Two experienced commanders, both being highly strategic, but Antony’s perhaps erred in committing so many of his troops to the galleys, from whence they cannot easily or swiftly be recalled, which may have left his forces on land underpowered… Caesar is pragmatic to the point of cynicism.