Ant and Cleo Summary:

Act 1:
S1
● Two Roman soldiers, Demetrius and Philo, are at Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria,
Egypt. They discuss how their dear leader and friend, Mark Antony, is totally smitten
with Egypt’s queen, Cleopatra. Because of this, he acts less like a ruler and more like
a teenager in love.
● Cleopatra and Antony show up, and Cleopatra demands that Antony tells her how
much he loves her. He does so with much fawning.
● A messenger arrives with news from Rome, and Cleopatra taunts him that the
message is either from Antony’s wife Fulvia, who’s angry about his absence, or
maybe orders from Octavius Caesar in Rome.
● Antony insists he won’t hear the message, because everything he cares about is in
front of him. Cleopatra again taunts her love: she wonders whether Antony might
care as little for her as for Fulvia, his wife back home.
● Antony scolds her for being so hot and cold. They leave the messenger without
hearing the message, and Demetrius and Philo lament that all the rumors in Rome
about Antony having fallen off the manly wagon are true.

S2:

● Charmian and Iras, Cleopatra’s maids, chat with a soothsayer (a.k.a., a fortuneteller).
He tells them their fortunes are alike in that their pasts are better than their futures
and that they’ll both outlive the woman they serve. They tease the soothsayer and
dismiss his prophecies.
● The giggle-fest is broken up when Cleopatra comes in looking for Antony, who was all
revelry until he suddenly went into a bad mood thinking about Rome.
● Cleopatra is a feisty one: she exits when Antony enters so as not to see him, even
though she had just sent his man Enobarbus to go find him. Oh, the games!
● A messenger is telling Antony some bad news: his wife Fulvia went to war with his
brother Lucius, but then joined forces with Lucius against Octavius Caesar, who
promptly beat them both. Further, Labienus, an old enemy of the Roman triumvirate,
has begun to conquer the territories of Asia and the east that Antony is supposed to
be ruling.
 ● The servant hesitates to hint that maybe this wouldn’t have happened if somebody
had been paying attention, and Antony admits he needs to hear about his faults.
● Antony resolves to leave Egypt when he gets the news that his wife is dead. He’s
often wished for her to be dead, but now that she is, he wishes that it hadn’t
happened.
● When Antony tells Enobarbus that he has to leave Egypt, Enobarbus says that will kill
Cleopatra. He also suggests to Antony that the death of his wife, Fulvia, is actually a
blessing. It makes things far less complicated.
● Still, Antony is resolved to finish the business Fulvia started in Rome. To make
matters worse, Sextus Pompeius, son of Pompey (who fought Julius Caesar and
lost), has begun to gain power at sea and is now challenging Octavius Caesar.
Someone’s got to help.
● Antony sends Enobarbus to let Cleopatra know he’s got work to attend to in Rome.
He’s got to go.

S3:

● Meanwhile Cleopatra sends Alexas, her servant, to see what Antony is doing and tells
her if she finds him upset, she should tell him Cleopatra is super happy; if he's happy,
she should tell him Cleopatra is sad. But most importantly, she can't let Antony know
that Cleopatra sent her. Cleo believes the best way to keep a man’s interest is to
seem as disinterested in him as possible.
● Charmian tries to advise Cleopatra against playing these games with Antony, but
Cleopatra tells her she doesn't know what she's talking about. Cleo knows how to
keep a man around—Charmian only knows how to lose one.
● Just then, Antony shows up with the news that he’s leaving for Rome. Cleopatra
swoons this way and that, wishing she’d never met him.
● He finally explains that he needs to take care of the war brewing with Sextus
Pompeius. Further, Cleopatra should feel okay about him going because Fulvia is
dead.
● Cleopatra has a moment of seriousness. She is shocked by Fulvia’s death, but also at
Antony’s calmness over the death. Cleopatra worries that Antony would be equally
unaffected by her death.
 ● They argue a bit over how much Antony loves Cleopatra, and whether Antony will
forget Cleopatra as quickly as he forgot Fulvia.
● Finally Cleopatra concedes he should go to Rome and take care of his affairs. She
wishes him well, and they both promise they’ll be with each other in spirit while
they’re apart physically.
● Antony leaves.

S4:

● Back in Rome, Octavius Caesar conferences with Lepidus, another member of the
triumvirate (group of three) that leads Rome.
● Caesar complains that Antony, the third member of the triumvirate, has been fishing,
drinking, and partying in Egypt, instead of doing his duty to Rome.
● Lepidus tries to defend Antony, suggesting his faults are in his nature, maybe
inherited, and that they’re not that big of a deal compared to his good traits.
● Caesar’s not having any of it, though. He says it’s one thing for Antony to give up his
manhood and follow a woman in drunken revelry, but he leaves too great a burden on
the other two members of the triumvirate. Basically he’s been letting everyone down.
This is no time for him to be fooling around in Egypt, there's serious business is afoot
in Rome.
● A messenger enters with the news that Pompey’s forces at sea are strong. Worse, it
turns out that Caesar’s men are defecting and joining Pompey’s army because they
were only with Caesar out of fear, not out of loyalty.
● Even worse news soon arrives: the sea is overrun with pirates.
● Caesar wishes Antony, who has already proven himself as a soldier, would hurry up
and get there, as they need his help.
● He and Lepidus agree to raise their forces together against Pompey, and presumably
wait for Antony.

S5:

● We’re back with Cleopatra in Alexandria. She’s verbally toying with Mardian, her
eunuch (male servants who were castrated so they could protect women without the
 usual distractions), about whether he can feel anything for women, alluding to her
self, obviously.
● She then returns to sighing over Antony, and laments that when she was Julius
Caesar’s mistress, she was "a morsel fit for a monarch." Her other lover, one of the
elder Pompeys, was overcome by her looks alone. She worries she’s past her prime.
● Just then, Alexas, another of her servants, enters with a pearl. It’s a gift from Antony,
who made a big deal about the thing before giving it to Alexas to take to the Queen.
Antony promises Cleopatra will soon be called mistress of the East, because of the
kingdoms he’ll win for her.
● Cleopatra asks Alexas how Antony looked, and is glad to hear he wasn’t really sad or
really happy. She praises his moderation: seeming sad would make his followers sad,
while seeming merry would make it seem like he took his job in Rome lightly.
● She’s so pleased that she demands twenty messengers immediately, so she can
write a ton of love letters to Antony. She claims she never loved Julius Caesar this
way, but Charmian points out she has a habit of being in and out of love.
● Cleopatra dismisses her sighs over Caesar as youthful folly, and goes back to
penning her affections for Antony.

Act 2:

S1:

● At Pompey’s house in Messina, Pompey confers with his friends Menecrates and
Menas about the upcoming battle. He’s convinced they’ll win, because his army is
strong at sea and the Romans love him.
● He is most confident, however, because he knows he won’t have to face Antony,
whom he thinks is being distracted by Cleopatra’s feminine wiles in Egypt.
● Pompey thinks Caesar can win money, but not loyalty. Since Lepidus is fawning, he
believes that the two men can’t really compete with him.
● Menas, with great timing, announces that, actually, Caesar and Lepidus have raised a
strong army in the field.
 ● Worse, Pompey gets the news that Antony is on his way back to Rome. Antony’s
soldier skills are twice the other men’s. Pompey chooses to take it as a compliment
to his own strength that Antony should come specifically to fight him.
● Menas points out that Antony and Caesar might not get along so well together,
especially since Antony has been out carousing with the Egyptian Queen. Pompey,
however, responds that the threat he (Pompey) poses to both men will surely be
enough to get them fighting together against him.

S2:

● At Lepidus’s house in Rome, Lepidus talks to Enobarbus, Antony’s confidante.

Lepidus tries to get Enobarbus to convince Antony to go easy on Caesar, but
Enobarbus is certain that Antony shouldn’t back down.
● Caesar and Antony enter with their attendants, and the talk begins with Lepidus
encouraging everyone to just be friends.
● Caesar is clearly unhappy—Antony’s behavior in Egypt has made him a joke in Rome.
Further, Antony’s wife and brother waged war against Caesar, which was not cool.
● Antony insists his brother didn’t consult him about the war, and his wife was a
difficult woman who did what she pleased.
● Caesar continues to list his grievances, and is upset that Antony ignored his
messages while away.
● Antony points out he was too drunk to deal with messages (inexcusable), but he did,
to his credit, apologize to Caesar’s messenger the next morning in a hung-over state.
● As they continue to argue, Maecenas breaks in and asks that they kiss and make up
so they can deal with the whole Pompey situation, as imminent invasion is slightly
more important than past slights.
● Agrippa, another of Caesar’s men, suggests that the best way to put the past behind
them is to have something that will bind them in the future. Caesar’s sister Octavia is
a widow, and they all decide it’s a good idea for Antony to marry her. Never mind that
Antony’s wife is fresh in the grave, his heart is in Egypt, and he’s generally a player.
Octavia will be symbolic of the bond between Caesar and Antony, the glue that will
hold them together.
● Antony accepts the marriage, and the men shake hands, promising to be brothers.
 ● Having traded the woman Octavia like a horse, they return to the present matter of
the war. Pomey has recently been throwing gifts Antony’s way. Still, he’s an enemy.
His force at sea is masterful and he’s only getting stronger on land. The men agree to
head toward Pompey’s army at Misena, in southern Italy.
● Then they remember that Lepidus (the third member of the triumvirate). Since he’s
supposed to rule the world with them, they invite him to come too.
● Once the big dogs leave, Enobarbus is left with Agrippa and Maecenas, whom he
regales with "dude, we were so drunk" kinds of stories about fun times they had in
Egypt. He describes Cleopatra’s pomp and beauty, and the time Antony first met her.
She showed up in a pimped-out ride on the water, and Antony, at the marketplace,
invited her on a dinner date solely based on her fancy ride.
● Cleopatra refused his original invitation and asks him to dine with her instead. This
was aggravating but intriguing, seeing as no women ever refused Antony.
● Antony was smitten as soon as he saw this woman, and then, as Shakespeare
delicately puts it, "He ploughed her, and she cropp’d," meaning he had sex with her
and then she bore him a child.
● Enobarbus is sure that Antony is so beguiled by this wonderful woman that even
marriage to Octavia won’t keep him away from her long.

S3:

● Antony, Octavia, and Caesar are back at Caesar’s palace in Rome.

● Antony promises Octavia that though his work will take him away from her often, he
won’t indulge in any monkey business, no matter how naughty he’s been in the past.
● Caesar leads his sister away, and Antony meets with a soothsayer who tells him he
should have never left Egypt, and should get back there ASAP.
● Antony asks whether he or Caesar will have better fortune, and the man replies that
Caesar will.
● Further, Antony should stay as far away from Caesar as possible, as Antony’s fortune
is muted, and his greatness lessened, whenever Caesar is around. Antony agrees,
and announces that though he married Octavia to make peace, he needs to return to
his girl in Egypt as "I’ th’ East my pleasure lies."
 ● In a totally unrelated side note, he sends his soldier Ventidius to Parthia (modern-day
Iraq) to fight on his behalf. (Parthia was one of Rome’s last surviving major enemies
in the East.)

S4:

● Lepidus meets with Maecenas and Agrippa. They are to gather their troops and meet
together at Mount Misenum, where they’ll face off with Pompey’s army.
● Lepidus has some other stuff to do, so he’ll be there two days later than the other
men.

S5:

● Cleopatra misses Antony, and jokes with her servants about the times they had.
● She likens Antony to a fish she caught in the river, and notes that last time she caught
him she kept him for quite some time, "Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed," (i.e.,
they were rather voracious in their appetites for each other).
● Interestingly, Cleopatra dressed him up in her headdresses and clothes, and she wore
the sword he used in the battle against Brutus and Cassius at Philippi. This moment
of sharing is interrupted by a messenger who brings news from Rome.
● Cleopatra can tell by his face that it’s not great news. She worries that Antony is
dead, or that he’s Caesar’s captive or something terrible. She keeps interrupting the
messenger, threatening him if he brings bad news and promising gold if he brings
good.
● Finally, the messenger points out Antony is alive and well, but bound to Octavia "for a
turn i’ th’ bed."
● Cleopatra, Antony’s former partner for such bed turns, flies into a rage, beats the
messenger herself, and eventually draws a knife. He runs away, thinking his job was
to tell the truth, not to bear its consequences.
 ● She eventually calms out of crazed mood, and calls the messenger back, admitting
she has acted like she’s on Jerry Springer. She says it’s not the poor messenger's
fault that Antony sleeps around.
● She has the messenger repeat that Antony’s married a few more times, adding to the
drama.
● As she dismisses the servant, she’s still in a sad rage, and points out that praising
Antony has made her dispraise Julius Caesar (her original lover). She’s sure this is
punishment for her short memory.
● Cleopatra sends her servant, Alexas, to follow the messenger and ask that he bring
back word of what Octavia is like—her age, manner, height, hair color. She’d like to
size up the competition.

S6:

● Back at Mount Misenum, in southern Italy, Pompey’s crew has just walked in to meet
with the triumvirate and attendants. They’re ready to do some old-school negotiating
before they fight. Caesar refers to a letter the triumvirs sent that outlines some terms
the enemies can discuss.
● Pompey points out he’s fighting to avenge the death of his father.
● (A history lesson: Pompey (the elder) was defeated by Julius Caesar and had to flee
to Egypt, where he was murdered.)
● Ignoring this, Antony points out that although Pompey’s force at sea is masterful,
Rome’s land forces far outweigh Pompey’s.
● Pompey knows they're right about his troops being out of their league on land, and
when pressed, he goes over the terms that have been offered. The triumvirs have
said that Pompey can have Sicily and Sardinia if he rids the sea of pirates and sends
wheat to Rome on occasion. (Remember with Pompey’s sea control, he strangled
shipping lanes, so goods to Rome were blocked. Hungry Romans = angry Romans.)
● Pompey is ready to agree to the terms except for one little thing. It seems that he
entertained Antony’s mom in Sicily while Caesar and Antony’s brother Lucius was at
war. Pompey just wants his generosity to be acknowledged.
● Antony apologizes and admits he owes Pompey some big thank yous. Thousands of
lives are saved and war is averted.
 ● They shake on it, and agree to feast together, but not before Pompey gets in a few
jibes at Antony about how being with Cleopatra means that he’s getting Julius
Caesar’s sloppy seconds.
● Enobarbus, Antony’s friend and confidante, stops the joking around before someone
gets their throat cut, and they all go carousing on Pompey’s ship.
● Menas, Pompey’s friend, and Enobarbus, from Antony’s camp, are left alone to
discuss the newly made truce. They’re friends, though they admit there’s a little edge
to this whole affair. Pompey the elder would never have done what Pompey the
younger has done. Having made this compromising pact, the younger Pompey can
kiss his good fortune goodbye. You weren’t supposed to make nice with the enemy, it
seems. It wasn’t the manly, Roman thing to do.
● They then discuss how Antony has married Octavia, which was clearly for political
purposes, as Octavia is a quiet and cold, especially compared to the sultry Cleopatra
waiting in Egypt.
● Enobarbus predicts that, rather than seal the bond between Antony and Caesar, the
marriage will ruin any goodwill between the men because there's no way that Antony
will remain faithful to Octavia. Antony’s inevitable betrayal of Octavia is bound to
anger Caesar.

S7:

● Back at Pompey’s ship, the former enemies are all making merry together.
● The servants note that Lepidus is wasted, and the others tease him. He’s clearly not
as great as the others, and hangs on like a third wheel.
● Antony and Lepidus have a long exchange about life in Egypt, and Lepidus is really
interested in Egyptian pyramids, snakes, and crocodiles.
● Meanwhile, Pompey’s man Menas has been whispering in his ear to get him away
from the table.
● Pompey finally gets up to hear what the man won’t tell him in his ear. Menas
proposes that he cut the boat from the dock, and murder the three drunken triumvirs.
This would make Pompey ruler of their shares of the world.
● Pompey laments on hearing the plan: while he would’ve been glad if Menas had done
it without asking, now that Menas has told him, he has to admit the murders would
be dishonorable.
 ● He tells Menas to go back to drinking, and forget the whole thing. Menas is angry and
vows to leave Pompey’s service becausethe man won’t answer opportunity when it
knocks him about the head.
● Meanwhile, Lepidus has to be carried out from too much drinking, and the remaining
men dance the "Egyptian bacchanals." Hand-holding, singing, and drinking continues
late into the night. Eventually, Caesar leaves and Antony stays on Pompey’s boat.
Enobarbus stays with Menas.

Act 3

S1:

● Now we’re in Syria, where Ventidius (the soldier Antony sent to fight at Parthia,
remember?) has returned victorious from his earlier battle. Ventidius brings with him
the body of the King of Parthia's son, Pacorus. He thinks of this as revenge for
Marcus Crassus (one of the three in the original Roman triumvirate with Julius
Caesar and the elder Pompey), who was killed by the Parthians.
● Silius, another Roman, urges Ventidius to quickly go to Antony and tell of all the good
deeds he’s performed, as surely Antony will reward and praise him.
● Ventidius is a smart guy and realizes that by showing up Antony at battle, he will lose
favor, not gain it.
● To rise too quickly under powerful men makes you a threat, not an asset. Ventidius
agrees he’ll write a letter to Antony, praising him for making their victory possible.
● They all set off to meet Antony at his house in Athens.

S2:

● Back at Caesar’s house in Rome, Enobarbus and Agrippa talk while the rest of the
group work out the details of the truce and its aftermath: Pompey has already left,
Antony will take Octavia and go back to Athens, Caesar is sad to see them go, and
Lepidus is pitifully hung over.
 ● Enobarbus and Agrippa go back and forth, gently mocking Lepidus about whether he
loves Antony or Caesar better. They decide he’s the beetle in the center, and the other
two men his wings on either side. Clearly, Lepidus is a joke.
● Just then, Lepidus, Antony, Caesar, and Octavia enter the scene. They’re about to say
their big goodbyes before they part ways, and Caesar bids Antony to take care of his
sister, whose love will seal the bond between the two men.
● Octavia bids her brother a teary goodbye, and asks to speak to him in his ear. Hearing
her words, Enobarbus and Agrippa worry Caesar will cry, as he wept at Philippi over
Brutus. Instead, Caesar responds to Octavia’s secret plea that he’ll think of her and be
in touch often.
● Caesar gives the couple a final blessing, and all exit.

S3:

● Cleopatra and her servants meet the messenger she had previously whipped. He’s
bearing news on just how Octavia matches up with Cleopatra in the competition for
Antony’s affection.
● The news turns out to be good. He watched Octavia in Rome as she walked between
Antony and Caesar. The woman, he reports, isn't beautiful. She’s short, brown-haired
and round-faced, with a low forehead, walks with a creep instead of a saunter, and
she’s at least 30.
● Cleopatra is overjoyed and repents that she cursed Antony.
● She promises the messenger plenty of gold, and asks forgiveness for that one time
when she tried to knife him.
● Cleopatra’s certain that she can win Antony’s affections back.

S4:

● Back in Athens at Antony’s house, Antony complains to Octavia of Caesar’s behavior

since their departure. Caesar has broken their pact and waged war against Pompey,
not to mention he has railed against Antony in public.
 ● Octavia laments that she’s monkey in the middle of this mess, and she pleads with
him not to believe the reports against her brother. She wouldn’t know whom to
support in a quarrel between her brother and her husband.
● Antony tells her not to fear; he’ll win back his honor by raising a war against Caesar.
● He sends his wife back to Rome to be with her brother (and ostensibly make peace
between them) while he prepares for war with Caesar.

S4:

● Back in Athens at Antony’s house, Antony complains to Octavia of Caesar’s behavior

since their departure. Caesar has broken their pact and waged war against Pompey,
not to mention he has railed against Antony in public.
● Octavia laments that she’s monkey in the middle of this mess, and she pleads with
him not to believe the reports against her brother. She wouldn’t know whom to
support in a quarrel between her brother and her husband.
● Antony tells her not to fear; he’ll win back his honor by raising a war against Caesar.
● He sends his wife back to Rome to be with her brother (and ostensibly make peace
between them) while he prepares for war with Caesar.

S5:

● The plot thickens in Athens, as Enobarbus and Eros let us in on how deep the
treachery runs.
● Caesar used Lepidus’s forces to defeat Pompey, but denied him his share of the
spoils of the battle.
● Further, Caesar has accused Lepidus of siding with Pompey, and has imprisoned him
and taken his share of the triumvirate’s power.
● Caesar has also had some shady dealings in getting an officer of Lepidus’s to murder
Pompey, which Antony is furious about.
● Antony prepares his naval fleet to battle Caesar in Rome.

S6:
 ● In Rome, Caesar fills us in on Antony’s wickedness. He reports that when in
Alexandria, Antony chilled out on gold thrones in the marketplace, in full public view,
with Cleopatra, Julius Caesar’s son by Cleopatra, and her children by Antony.
● There he declared her Queen of Egypt and added Syria, Cyprus, and a dash of Lydia to
the bounty for good measure.
● Further, he added areas for the children to rule. All the while, Cleopatra was dressed
up as the goddess Isis.
● Caesar believes this information will turn the people against Antony. He thinks he can
win the support of these people even though Antony’s been making some
accusations against him, in particular claiming that he (Antony) was wrongly left out
of the spoils gained from defeating Pompey, and that Lepidus shouldn’t have been
unseated.
● Caesar says he’s already sent a reply to Antony, insisting that Lepidus had grown too
cruel and needed to be overturned (which is suspect, knowing what we know of
Lepidus’s character up to this point) and that he’d share his spoils of war with Antony
if Antony would do the same. Caesar feels comfortable doing this, as he assumes
Antony would never share his bounty. It’s a crooked deal both ways.
● Octavia enters. Caesar is upset that she arrived with so little fanfare.
● Octavia says she came of her own free will, after hearing her brother would make war
against her husband.
● Caesar cuts her short. It’s clear to him that Antony got Octavia out of the way so he
could go back to Cleopatra, and further, that the pair is collecting the kings of the
east to wage war against Caesar and Rome.
● Caesar claims that he was holding back on making war on Antony for Octavia’s sake,
but now that she’s here, they can be certain Antony has betrayed them both. Octavia
seems uncertain.

S7:

● 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 (the sea)—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.

S8:

● Now at Actium, Caesar gives instruction to his lieutenant, Taurus.

● They’re not to engage Antony’s side on land until the sea battle is over. He’s
convinced all their fortunes rest on this one decision.

S9:

● Antony speaks to Enobarbus—the plan is to set up on one side of the hill, so they can
observe how strong Caesar’s fleet is, and then plan accordingly.

S10:

● Stage directions show Taurus with Caesar’s army and Canidius with Antony’s army as
they both cross paths. We can hear the battle off-stage, but Enobarbus comes in to
deliver the horrifying news: in the middle of the battle, just when fortune could have
gone one way or the other, Cleopatra’s ship turned sail and ran away.
 ● Antony, seeing her flee, also turned his sails and followed her, leaving the battle to
ruins and his honor to mockery.
● Canidius enters, announcing that this defeat was due to Antony not being remotely
noble.
● Canidius decides to defect to Caesar’s side with his troops, and Enobarbus leans
toward defecting also, though he’s not too happy about it.

S11:

● Antony, back at Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria, cries out in shame.

● He laments that he’s lost to the world forever, and insists that his friends go to a ship
he has left full of gold, divide up the spoils, and follow his example by fleeing.
● He says his lesser parts have defeated his nobler intuitions, and he has lost
command (of himself and his men). Overall, he’s kind of a wreck.
● Cleopatra enters.
● Antony is busy recounting what a noble soldier he used to be, like that time he
oversaw the death of Brutus and Cassius. These victories are mitigated by his
present shame.
● Cleopatra goes to comfort him, with her head hung and looking the very picture of
shame.
● He asks her how she could lead him to this, and she is full of apologies—she ran
away because she was frightened, and never thought he would follow her.
● He responds in despair. His heart was tied to her rudder; he had to follow because his
love for her rules his spirit.
● She’s really sorry, it seems, but Antony now has to worry about seeking pardon from
Caesar, which is sad since not too long ago he ruled half the world.
● Still, Cleopatra has power over him; he asks her for a kiss, as this will repay him for all
the wrongs.
● He calls for wine and is determined to make merry. Antony chooses to deliberately
ignore all the signs that the entire endeavor against Caesar is cursed.

S12:
 ● Antony’s messenger, a schoolmaster (the tutor of his and Cleopatra’s children) arrives
at Caesar’s camp in Egypt.
● Antony has sent word with the messenger that he admits Caesar is now his lord. He
requests that Caesar let him stay in Egypt, or else let him stay a free and lowly man in
Athens. Cleopatra has also admitted to Caesar’s greatness, and her request is that
her sons be allowed to keep Egypt for their rule.
● Caesar tells the messenger to refuse Antony’s request. He says he’ll grant Cleopatra’s
request, though, if she exiles her lover from Egypt or alternatively has him killed there.
● The schoolmaster leaves sorrowfully with the news (especially knowing how
Cleopatra tends to knife messengers carrying bad news).
● Caesar calls over Thidias, one of his men. He asks Thidias to try to lure Cleopatra to
their side with his eloquence. Cleopatra, like all women, Caesar claims, is strong
when she is fortunate. But with her fortunes down, he says, they might be able to get
her to betray Antony.

S12:

● At Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria, Enobarbus half-heartedly consoles Cleopatra. He

claims Cleopatra has no fault in the defeat—Antony chose to let his affection for her
overpower his reason, so Antony bears both the shame and the loss. This is cold
comfort to Cleopatra.
● Antony enters with Caesar’s messenger.
● Antony discovers from the messenger that if Cleopatra turns him over to Caesar,
Caesar will give her all sorts of honors and lands.
● Antony is, of course, furious, and says Caesar’s victories are only the luck of his
youth—his armies would do as well if they were led by a child.
● Antony resolves to challenge Caesar man-to-man, sword-against-sword, and exits to
write the letter of challenge.
● In an aside, Enobarbus laments Antony’s fall from grace.
● Thidias, Caesar’s other messenger, arrives. He suggests to Cleopatra that she only
gave into Antony out of fear, not love, so she doesn’t deserve her dishonor, but
instead deserves pity. Cleopatra says Caesar is indeed a god, and she agrees that
Thidias speaks rightly, as she didn’t yield to Antony, but was conquered against her
will.
● Enobarbus hears all of this and exits, remarking that Antony is like a leaky boat that's
sinking fast. Even his love has abandoned him! Thidias goes on, promising that
Caesar would be glad to warmly offer protection (and who knows what else, warmly)
to Cleopatra.
● Cleopatra then does the despicable, telling the messenger to pass on to Caesar that
she would kneel at his feet, give over her crown, and let him pronounce doom upon
Egypt (Egypt being herself). Thidias reaches to kiss her hand, and Cleopatra
remembers out loud how this Caesar’s father, Julius Caesar, had often rained kisses
on that same hand. She’s trifling.
● Just then Antony returns with Enobarbus, and flies into a rage seeing Thidias getting
cozy on Caesar’s behalf with Cleopatra. Thidias is in for a whooping.
● Antony has his servants take Thidias away for a sound beating, and instructs them to
bring him back when they’re done, so the lousy son of a Roman can bring a message
to Caesar from Antony.
● Antony lights into Cleopatra, claiming he sacrificed the "getting of a lawful race" by "a
gem of women" (it was illegal in Rome for him to marry a foreigner, but, to put a fine
point on it, he didn’t really marry Cleopatra, so his kids with her weren’t legitimate
either way), meaning he left behind the good life so he could be here with Cleopatra,
only to find her flirting with Caesar’s messenger.
● Thidias returns from his beating. Antony tells him to go back to Caesar and let him
know the following: Antony may not have the honor and fortune he once possessed,
but he still has his fury. If Caesar dislikes the way Thidias was treated, then he can
punish Antony’s man Hipparchus, whom Caesar has captured.
● Turning back to Cleopatra, he asks whether she’d flatter Caesar by flirting with a man
that ties his pant laces. She doesn’t take to this kindly, but simply insists she’d never
betray Antony.
● He accepts this completely, maybe because he’s crazy, but likely because he’s
whipped.
● He’s gotten his forces back together to fight Caesar on land and sea the next day, and
promises he’ll fight with malice, regardless of the outcome.
● He calls for wine and demands one more "gaudy night." It’s Cleopatra’s birthday, so
she’s probably up for some gaudiness too.
● Cleopatra is glad to see Antony is back in his former spirits, even if he’s been driven
there by utter madness.
 ● Alone, Enobarbus notes the insanity of the situation—his master is so furious that
he’s no longer even afraid. Antony's brain and reason have given up, and his heart has
taken over for some last glory in this doomed venture.
● Enobarbus resolves that he must leave Antony before this sinking ship goes down.

Act 4:

S1:

● Back at Caesar’s camp outside of Alexandria, Thidias has returned to deliver Antony’s
message.
● Caesar scoffs at Antony's challenge, but it’s clear to Maecenas that Antony is
distracted by his own fury. Although he’s valiant now, Antony is likely to be defeated.
● Caesar's plan: the next day, he’ll take his army (which, by the way, is full of defectors
from Antony’s army) and fight the battle to end this war for good.

S2:

● Antony receives news that Caesar won’t fight him man-to-man. Enobarbus proposes
it’s because Caesar thinks his fortunes are about twenty times better than Antony’s,
making it an unfair fight. Antony promises to throw himself into the next day’s battle
whole-heartedly.
● Antony gathers all of his men and praises them in a way that makes it seem like he’s
saying goodbye to them once and for all.
● Enobarbus and Cleopatra speak to each other in whispers, wondering what the
dickens Antony is doing. The way Antony thanks his soldiers for their good fight (and
wishes them farewell) makes it seem like he expects death and defeat in the next
day’s battle. Not much of a morale booster.
● Eventually, even Enobarbus is in tears, as are the soldiers. Antony chides them,
claiming he didn’t mean to be a drama queen. He just wanted to comfort them and
convince them they should make this night a great one.
 ● Interestingly, he says he expects out of tomorrow "victorious life [rather than] death
and honor."
● Either way, Antony is in a bad way, and like many men in a bad way, he instructs them
all feast so they can drown their dark thoughts with drinking.

S3:

● That night, as Antony’s soldiers stand watch and chat about the coming battle,
strange oboe music begins to play. It seems to come from the air and the earth
simultaneously.
● The men guess it is the sound of Hercules (the god Antony modeled himself after
and claimed as his ancestor) leaving Antony, which is not so good of a sign for the
upcoming battle.

S4:

● That night, as Antony’s soldiers stand watch and chat about the coming battle,
strange oboe music begins to play. It seems to come from the air and the earth
simultaneously.
● The men guess it is the sound of Hercules (the god Antony modeled himself after
and claimed as his ancestor) leaving Antony, which is not so good of a sign for the
upcoming battle.

S5:

● At Antony’s camp, a wounded soldier conferences with Antony and Eros. Antony
admits he wishes he had followed the advice to fight first on land, and not at sea.
● The soldier, saucy, suggests that maybe if they’d fought on land in the first place, the
kings and the man that left this morning might still be on their side.
● Antony asks who it was that left, only to hear the sad news that his dear friend
Enobarbus has joined Caesar’s camp. Ouch.
 ● Eros points out Enobarbus left his treasure behind. Antony, a bit shocked, orders that
Enobarbus’s clothes and treasure be sent after him, with a kind note from Antony,
wishing that Enobarbus should never again feel forced to change masters.
● Antony is disappointed in himself, saying his bad fortune has led honest men to
become traitors.

S6:

● On Caesar’s side of the battle, we find Caesar confident that he will be victorious.
● He instructs his men of the following: he wants Antony taken alive, and he announces
that the end of this battle (presumably his victory) will bring a time of universal
peace.
● Caesar instructs Agrippa to put the defectors from Antony’s army on the front
line—he hopes Antony’s morale will be hurt by having to face his own deserting men.
● All head out for some more planning, leaving Enobarbus by himself. He notes
privately that Caesar has a strange sense of justice; Alexas, on an errand for Antony,
ended up persuading King Herod to join Caesar’s side (it’s unclear what exactly went
down here), but regardless, Caesar had Alexas killed for it. Other cases are clearer: all
the others who have deserted Antony have gained employment with Caesar, but lost
their honor in doing so.
● Just as Enobarbus is deciding to be really ashamed of himself for his desertion, one
of Caesar’s soldier’s announces the arrival of a messenger from Antony. The man
bears Antony’s good tidings to Enobarbus and the treasure Enobarbus left behind,
plus a little more that Antony added on.
● Enobarbus is shocked and now even more ashamed of his desertion. He’s sure his
thoughts will kill him, as he certainly can't bear to fight against Antony.
● He hopes to die in a ditch, which he imagines is the only end fitting the miserable
lowness of his recent actions.

S7:

● On the battlefield between the camps, Agrippa (Caesar’s guy) calls his men to retreat,
as they’ve overestimated their strength.
 ● Antony confers with a wounded soldier, Scarus.
● Caesar’s side is clearly beat, and Antony, calm, promises to reward his men for their
high spirits, even more for their valor, and even more for being the only people to not
ditch him for Caesar.

S8:

● Antony returns in full force to Alexandria. He praises everyone, and they plan to battle
again tomorrow.
● Cleopatra then enters, and he greets her gaily. He happily presents Scarus and all his
wounds to Cleopatra, who praises them all and promises him a suit of golden armor
that once belonged to a king.
● Antony again proclaims his love for "this fairy," claiming she is the only thing that can
pierce the armor over his heart.
● They dedicate the night to celebrating their victory in decadent Egyptian fashion.

S9:

● Back at Caesar’s camp, a sentry and his company are on watch when they overhear
Enobarbus railing privately against himself.
● He hopes to die because he's deserted Antony. Enobarbus begs Antony to forgive
him, though he wants the world to remember him as a traitor and a fugitive.
● Then Enobarbus cries out and is silent, prompting the sentries (who have been
listening) to go look at him.
● They find he has fainted.
● No, wait, he’s dead.
● They decide to bear his body to the court of guard, as he’s an important man, and
they hope he might arise still, though it’s clear to the audience that he’s died of his
own grief.

S10:
 ● Antony discusses with Scarus that Caesar has prepared to meet them at sea. He
would be willing to fight them in fire or the air, if they wanted, because he’s so
confident.
● They’ll go to the hills to survey the fleet at water and be ready for them.

S11:

● Caesar prepares his army to be inactive by land. He’ll meet Antony at sea, where he
hopes they can hold some advantageous position.

S12:

● Antony watches the battle at sea with Scarus and frets that he can’t see Caesar’s
troops yet. He leaves Scarus to go look from a different vantage point.
● Scarus notes in an aside that the augurs (or prophets) were hesitant to state their
predictions about this sea battle, which can’t be good.
● Antony returns to Scarus in a fury—Cleopatra’s fleet has deserted them again and
Antony’s fleet has yielded to Caesar’s, greeting them like friends.
● He doesn’t care to take revenge on his troops, only on Cleopatra. Antony is sure she’s
the one that led him to this course.
● Antony demands that all the remaining soldiers leave, as he doesn’t care about them
anymore.
● He privately laments that Fortune has deserted him and now favors Caesar instead.
He damns Cleopatra for luring him to Egypt and identifies her as the cause of his
loss.
● Cleopatra enters and Antony rages at her, saying she should go be part of Caesar’s
victory march for all the masses to see her. He even hopes Octavia might scratch up
her face with her fingernails.
● Cleopatra flees Antony’s fury. He’s glad that woman’s gone. He wishes he had killed
her earlier, which would have saved many lives. He resolves that she’ll die for selling
him out to Caesar, whom he calls "the young Roman boy."

S13:
 ● Cleopatra flees to her women, afraid of Antony’s rage.
● Charmian suggests she lock herself up in her monument and send word to Antony
that she’s dead. Cleopatra thinks this is a good idea, and sends Mardian to tell Antony
she’s killed herself, and that her last word was "Antony." She instructs Mardian to
return to her and tell her how Antony takes the false news.

S14:

● Eros comes upon Antony, who’s philosophizing on nature—exactly what you might
expect from a suicidal guy who’s just lost a great battle and is convinced that the
woman he sacrificed everything for has betrayed him to his enemy.
● Eros weeps, and Antony comforts him with the thought that at least his master can
kill himself. This is maybe not so comforting.
● Mardian then enters. Antony rages at him, too, telling him he’ll kill Cleopatra for her
betrayal. Mardian announces Cleopatra has already taken care of it, that she died
with his name on her lips.
● Antony doesn’t exactly fall on the ground, but announces that Eros should go to bed,
as all their work for the day is now done. He tells Mardian to be grateful that he’s
allowed to go safely, as in: "I could have you killed, but I'm not going to."
● Even though Antony was just raging against her, we see that the news of Cleopatra’s
death is tearing him apart on the inside. He begs his heart to be stronger than his
body, or, if not, at least burst open his body as it fills with grief.
● Antony says he will catch up with Cleopatra (in the afterlife, presumably) and weep
for her forgiveness. Then calls for Eros to return.
● Antony tells Eros that Cleopatra has made herself noble by taking her own life. She is,
at the end, the sole conqueror of herself.
● Thus he tells Eros to kill him. Eros refuses, but Antony reminds him that when he
freed Eros (presumably from being a prisoner of war), Eros promised to do anything
Antony wished.
● Eros readies to kill Antony, but demands that Antony turn away his face before Eros
strikes the blow. Antony agrees, and tells Eros to do it now. With his face turned away,
Antony misses that Eros has actually plunged his sword into himself, choosing to
take his own life rather than his friend’s.
 ● Antony is so moved by the nobility of suicide that Eros and Cleopatra showed that he
resolves to kill himself. Antony stabs himself, but finding he has not died
immediately, he calls on the guards to finish him off.
● The guards refuse which means Antony's going to die slowly and painfully.
● Then...Diomedes enters with the news that Cleopatra’s actually not dead.
● Cleopatra was just playing a little trick because she was hurt that Antony believed
she betrayed him to Caesar, which she definitely didn’t do.
● Antony doesn’t flip out, but instead asks that his guards lead him to Cleopatra’s side.

S15:

● Cleopatra waits at the monument and declares she’ll never leave, although she's
super anxious about Antony. Right about then Diomedes declares that Antony is not
quite dead, but mostly dying.
● The lovers call to each other.
● Antony announces that it can never be said that Caesar’s valor overthrew Antony;
rather, Antony’s valor made him overthrow himself. Cleopatra agrees that there’s
nobility in the fact that no man conquered Antony except Antony himself.
● Antony calls out to her to come down and give him a final kiss, but she dares not
leave the monument for fear that Caesar will catch her and place her in his victory
parade. Instead, she begs those around her to help pull her lover’s dying body to her.
She notes he’s heavy, his strength having turned into dull weight, and she wishes her
kisses might bring him back to life.
● Everyone watching is rather moved. Antony begs Cleopatra, with his dying breaths, to
seek her honor and safety with Caesar and the one trustworthy man around
Caesar—Proculeius. She replies she can’t have both her honor and her safety, and
that she will resolve this matter with her own hands, rather than seeking pardon from
Caesar.
● As he’s dying, Antony bids Cleopatra to remember him when he was the prince of the
world.
● Antony says he dies a noble death, at the hand of no other man, but dies "a Roman by
a Roman, valiantly vanquished."
● In the moment of his death, Cleopatra wails, and asks if he does not care for her. By
dying and leaving her alone, she's left in a world worthless without him.
 ● She faints, and the maids worry she’s died, too, since they know that lots of times in
Shakespeare fainting is just a façade for dying.
● When Cleopatra comes to, she declares that it is no sin to rush to death before death
rushes to her. Thus she’s resolved to kill herself.
● She declares they’ll bury Antony in the noble Roman fashion, giving him a funeral he
deserves. She is now all business, as her course is laid out clearly before her.

Act 5:

S1:

● Back at Caesar’s camp, Caesar sends Dolabella off to tell Antony to yield.
● Just then, Decretas, one of Antony’s men, enters with Antony’s sword. He announces
he served Mark Antony while the good man lived and will serve Caesar now, if Caesar
will have him.
● Caesar asks for clarification, and gets out of the woebegone Decretas that Antony is
dead.
● Caesar is shocked and says the world should mourn, as Antony’s death is not a single
one, but cause for grief on the part of half of the world (over which he was ruler).
● Decretas explains Antony took his own life, adding honor to the final act of suicide,
just as those same hands had added honor to so many acts before this one.
● Caesar weeps, and excuses himself, saying it is only befitting to weep over the death
of kings, even if it’s a king you were trying to kill.
● Maecenas insightfully contends that Antony was a mirror to Caesar, that Caesar saw
part of himself in Antony.
● Just as Caesar launches into a speech over what a disaster it is that the two brothers
in fate have come to this end, he’s interrupted by a messenger from Cleopatra.
● The Queen wants to know what Caesar will do with her, so she can prepare herself.
Caesar claims to the messenger that he’ll be gentle with her, and cause her no
shame.
● As soon as the messenger leaves, Caesar calls Proculeius to him. Caesar instructs
him to go to Cleopatra and give her what she wants to keep her comfortable.
Proculeius’s real job, though, is to make sure Cleopatra doesn’t kill herself, as
 Caesar’s plan is to put her in his triumphant march through Rome, as a symbol of
how great his victory is.
● Caesar worries the Queen will kill herself and thus rob him of the glee he’d get from
parading her through the streets as his prize.
● Caesar asks his men to follow him to his tent, where he’ll show them writings that
prove he was reluctant to go into this war, and further, that when in the war, he
proceeded calmly and gently.

S2:

● Cleopatra curses Caesar for being a knave (or fool) of Fortune, and thus no better
than anybody else (including her and Antony).
● Just then, Proculeius enters. He asks what she wants from Caesar. She remembers
this was the man Antony said she could trust, though she doesn’t really care to trust
anyone just now.
● She tells Proculeius that she’d like to have Egypt remain her kingdom for her son to
rule. Proculeius promises Caesar will take care of Cleopatra, and as he’s leaving,
Roman soldiers sneak in behind him to guard her.
● Cleopatra’s women, Iras and Charmian, alert her immediately of the infiltration, and
she quickly draws a dagger to kill herself.
● She is even more quickly stopped by Proculeius. He says she’s not being betrayed,
but relieved. She resents this with a fury— she promises to starve or thirst herself to
death, rather than be gawked at in Caesar’s court, or be a thing for Octavia to look
down on.
● She says she would rather die in a ditch in Egypt, or be laid out naked on the Nile
where the water-flies can plant maggots in her that will burst her body at its seams
(ew), or even be hanged from chains at the pyramids, than go to Rome. She feels
pretty strongly, then.
● Just as Proculeius is promising that this is all pretty unnecessary, Dolabella arrives to
take over the guard. Proculeius bids him to be kind to Cleopatra.
● Cleopatra tells Dolabella all about this dream she had, where Antony was noble and
beautiful, holding the world in his raised hands, all full of natural and supernatural
beauty.
● As the Queen grieves and Dolabella watches, he’s moved to tell her the truth about
what Caesar really plans to do with her. She guesses Caesar means to lead her in
triumph (as part of his victory parade through the streets of Rome) and Dolabella
confirms her suspicions.
● Caesar enters with his men. He is full of words and grace for her, and promises to
spare her and her children if she does not choose Antony’s course of suicide. Still
saucy, she retorts that she’ll be as the other signs of his conquest, that he might hang
where he pleases.
● Caesar is then given a scroll that supposedly lists all the goods Cleopatra possesses.
Cleopatra calls on her treasurer, Seleucus, to confirm that these are all her worldly
possessions. The treasurer denies it, which is the exact opposite of what he was
supposed to do.
● Cleopatra rages against the treasurer for revealing her to be a liar, though Caesar
says he doesn’t mind, and understands her holding back a little.
● Cleopatra claims what she’s held back are just a few lady’s trifles, presents for
Octavia and friends. Eventually, she breaks down and says people are misjudged in
their lives for the ills of others, and are called to account for the ills of others also.
● Caesar is "merciful" and tells her she doesn’t need to worry about it, he won’t take any
of her things, listed or unlisted, as part of his conquest. He’s not a merchant, and he
claims he’ll treat her as she wants to be treated.
● Cleopatra, seemingly calmed, calls Caesar her master and her lord.
● After Caesar leaves, Cleopatra tells her women that she knows Caesar’s charming
words have something else at the bottom of them. Charmian and Iras, her faithful
ladies, encourage her to continue on the course they set. In hushed tones, Cleopatra
hears that what she’s asked for is being provided. Though we don’t know the
specifics, we can guess what’s up.
● Dolabella comes in, and since he has so nobly sworn devotion to her, he admits that
Caesar will call for her and her children within three days, with the intentions of
adding them to the victory march. Then he leaves.
● Cleopatra says "thanks" and then confers with her women. She can’t bear the idea of
being shown amid all the common people of Rome, with their plain occupations and
rank breath surrounding her as she’s played the fool.
● Cleopatra knows there will be mockeries of the Egyptian lifestyle and they’ll have
some drunk fool acting as Antony and some young boy acting as her, probably
 making her look like a whore. She won’t stand it, and she’s figured a way to beat
them.
● She bids Charmian and Iras to go bring her crown and finest garments.
● A guard comes in, telling of a rural visitor who's brought Cleopatra a gift of figs. The
guard leaves, and Cleopatra mysteriously states that this "poor instrument" brings her
liberty. (Curious, are you?)
● The rural man enters and is left with the Queen. She asks if he’s brought her the worm
(serpent) of Nilus, and he confirms that he has. It brings death to anyone who
touches it, he warns, and she asks for stories of people it's killed. Satisfied, she sends
him off, and he wishes her "joy of the worm."
● Iras dresses her in all her fine things, and Cleopatra says she hears Antony calling her,
praising the deed she’s about to do. She claims she is now fire and air—all else of her
she leaves on Earth. She bids her women kiss her lips for their last warmth—in doing
so, Iras falls and dies.
● Cleopatra asks if death comes so easy, as a lover’s pinch, and moves quickly to die
herself, lest Iras find Antony first in death and steal his kisses.
● She thus applies an asp (poisonous snake) to her breast, and as Charmian weeps
she bids her maid peace, saying, "Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, that sucks
the nurse asleep."
● She applies another asp to her arm, and dies mid-sentence, saying, "What should I
stay—."
● A guard enters as Charmian finishes her lady’s sentence, saying there’s no reason to
stay in this vile world. Charmian applies an asp to herself. Amid the confusion of the
soldiers, Charmian says this was work well done, "and fitting for a princess /
Descended of so many royal kings."
● Dolabella, Caesar, and more men trickle in. Caesar wearily announces she must’ve
guessed his intentions, and being royal and such, took her own way rather than suffer
humiliation.
● The men guess at the means by which the women died and, finding a wound on
Cleopatra’s breast and the figs slimy with the trail of some serpent, realize the ladies
had the rural visitor smuggle in snakes to do the deed.
● Caesar bids Cleopatra be buried next to Antony and states that their love engenders
as much pity as Antony’s glory, which led them to all of their troubles in the first
place.
 ● He and the army will attend the funeral and then head back to Rome. He bids
Dolabella organize the funeral with great and befitting solemnity.
● The end.

SOURCE: https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/antony-cleopatra/summary/