THE CHARACTERS

Antony and Cleopatra

MARK ANTONY
 Lived: 83 B.C.-30 B.C. died of a suicide.
 Was a general in the Caesar's army.

 Antony gained control of Egypt, where he

met Cleopatra and fell in love. Therefore they
become lovers.
 Antony was married at the time to Octavia,
Caesar’s sister.
 Best known as Cleopatra’s lover.

 He committed suicide by falling on his sword

 TIMELINE OF ANTONY’S LIFE
 57 to 55 B.C.E- first overseas experience served with the Roman governor of Syria,
which was a province (territory) of Rome
 From there he went to serve with Caesar (100–44 B.C.E. ) in Gaul (a region of Europe
that included what is now modern-day France, as well as parts of modern-day
Germany, Belgium, and Italy).
 50 B.C.E. , after returning to Rome, Antony was elected a tribune, an office that
represented the people's interests.
 With Caesar's death, Antony was forced to fight a two-front war. One front was
against those who had plotted to kill Caesar. The other was with Caesar's supporters,
who were undecided on how to avenge Caesar and as to who would lead them.
 Antony tried to strengthen his position by attempting to gain a new five-year
command in Gaul, but Octavian skillfully lured some of Antony's legions (the largest
unit in the Roman military) to his side. In the clash that followed, Antony's forces
attacked Decimus Brutus (a leader of the plotters), but he was in turn attacked by the
armies of Octavian and the consuls. He was defeated and forced to retreat north.
TIMELINE OF ANTONY’S LIFE CONT.
 following months Antony strengthened himself with the armies of the western
Roman Empire
 c. 90–13 B.C.E- formation of the Second Triumvirate of Antony, Octavian, and
Lepidus.
 c. 115–53 B.C.E-mere political alliance, the Second Triumvirate became a
constitutionally established body for ruling the state. Octavian assumed control
in the west, Antony in the east, and Lepidus (for a time) in Africa.
 42 B.C.E- Antony and Octavian now moved eastward to face the army of those
who had killed Caesar. The two forces met in Greece, where Antony's military
skill led to victory.
 41 B.C.E.- met with Cleopatra to try and gain Egyptian support
 40 B.C.E- married Octavia
 33 B.C.E- the Second Triumvirate legally came to an end.
 At the same time the crisis between Octavian and Antony was reaching a
climax. Antony still had support in Rome. Octavian turned public opinion
against Antony, however, doing so by announcing Antony's divorce of Octavia
for Cleopatra, reading Antony's will (in which his strong ties to Cleopatra were
stressed), and starting rumors against Antony.
 Octavian gathered support in Italy, while Antony's Roman friends had mixed
emotions about waging war on the side of the Egyptian queen. The two men
and their armies met off at Actium, Greece, on September 2, 31 B.C.E.
 Antony's fleet was defeated. He fled back to Egypt with Cleopatra. Upon
Octavian's arrival in Egypt, Antony committed suicide. Octavian went on to
become the first emperor of Rome, taking the name Augustus.
Mark Antony
Cleopatra
 Born 69 - August 30, 30 BCE
 Queen of Egypt
 Was married to her younger brother when she was 18 (he was 9)
 In 48 BCE, Cleopatra was pushed out of power by ministers. At the
same time, Pompey -- with whom Ptolemy XII had allied himself --
appeared in Egypt, chased by forces of Julius Caesar. Pompey was
assassinated by Ptolemy XIII's supporters. A sister of Cleopatra and
Ptolemy XIII declared herself ruler as Arsinoe IV.
 46 BCE, Cleopatra named her newborn son Ptolemy Caesarion,
emphasizing that this was the son of Julius Caesar.
 44 BCE- after Caesar was assassinated, Cleopatra claimed to be
married to him.
 Antony spent a winter in Alexandria with Cleopatra (41-40 BCE),
and then left. Cleopatra bore twins to Antony.
 In 30 BCE, Marc Antony killed himself, reportedly because he'd
been told that Cleopatra had been killed, and when yet another
attempt to keep power failed, Cleopatra killed herself.
Hollywood's portrayal of Cleopatra

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Octavius Caesar 
 Sep 23, 63 BC - C. Octavius (later Augustus) was
born.
 Sep 45 BC - On Caesar's return to Italy in
September 45 BC, he filed his will, naming his
grandnephew (Octavian) as the heir to
everything, including his name.
 44 BC - When Caesar was assassinated on the
15th . Octavius was studying, When Caesar's will
was read it revealed that, he had adopted his
great-nephew Octavius as his son and main heir.
 42 BC –second triumvirate with Marc Antony

 31 BC- became the first roman emperor with the

name Augustus.
 14 AD- ruled 30 BCE to 14 CE, when he died.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
 MINOR
CHARACTERS
ENOBARBUS
 Antony’s most loyal supporter. Worldly and cynical,
Enobarbus is friendly with the subordinates of both
Pompey and Caesar, yet stays faithful to his master
even after Antony makes grave political and military
missteps. He abandons Antony only when the general
appears to be completely finished.
 Slits his throat because of him feeling like a traitor.
POMPEY
 The son of a great general who was one of Julius
Caesar’s partners in power. Pompey is young and
popular with the Roman people, and he possesses
enough military might to stand as a legitimate threat
to the triumvirs. He fancies himself honorable for
refusing to allow one of his men to kill the
unsuspecting Caesar, Antony, and Lepidus when they
are his guests.
 Antony kills him
OCTAVIA
 Married to Mark Antony
 Sister to Octavius

 Reason for Octavius to wage war on Antony

and Egypt
 Jealous of Cleopatra
THE SOOTHSAYER
 Predicts the future for Cleopatra’s servants
 Tells Antony to leave Rome because he “will
always be in Caesar’s shadow.”
 Provides foreshadowing for Cleopatra.
THE CLOWN AND ASP.
The clown brings the asp to the chamber of
Cleopatra so that she will be able to kill her
self instead of going back to Rome with
Octavius.