Antony and Cleopatra abbreviated

Synopsis


The storied assassination of Julius Caesar in 30 B.C., the stabbing heard around the world, the murder that created a political vacuum for Rome; a vacuum promptly filled by Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, the triumvirate; a moment that may have been the genesis of what is called the Roman Empire. It might be said the beginning of the Roman Empire was the defeat of Cassius and Brutus by Antony, Octavius and Lepidus on the Plains of Philippi, a historic event played out so well in the play Julius Caesar, the moment that provided the opportunity for the three of them to take charge. But in any event, Pompey the Great, who died in 48 B.C. and who by reference had a role to play in the beginning of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, also by reference plays an important role in this play, having around 50 B.C. fled to Egypt after losing a battle, being murdered there. Egypt is important in this period of Roman history, in part because Roman leaders were spending a good amount of time there, often with Cleopatra. In this play, one of Pompey the Great’s sons, Sextus Pompeius, known here as Pompey, plays a significant role as an external threat to Rome and the triumvirate. The triumvirate also had to deal with plenty of internal issues, the essence of the play.

The play begins when Antony, in Alexandria, there to be with Cleopatra, learns that his wife Fulvia has died. He also learns that Pompey, who controls the seas with help from the pirates Menecrates and Menas, is challenging Caesar. (Reflection, Act 1, Scene 2) As a result of Fulvia’s death and the threat posed by Pompey, Antony has to return to Rome, and he has a difficult time telling Cleopatra, and she has a difficult time hearing it. (Jealousy, Act 1, Scene 3) Cleopatra vows to write to him every day. Rhetorically Cleopatra asks Charmian, one of her aides, “if she ever loved Caesar so,” meaning Julius. She also reminisces about her time with Pompey the Great. (Love, Act 1, Scene 5)

Antony does return to Rome and meets with Octavius Caesar, but the meeting is frosty. Antony’s wife and her brother had made mischief for Rome while Antony was off carousing in Egypt, understandably upsetting Caesar. Caesar’s aide, Agrippa, changes the tone of the meeting when he suggests Antony marry Octavia, Caesar’s newly-widowed sister. And Antony and Caesar promptly agree to the marriage; Octavia unaware of what her future holds; Antony having no plans not to continue to see Cleopatra. When the principals exit, Enobarbus, an aide to Antony, gloriously describes to Maecenas and Agrippa (two of Caesar’s aides) the scene when Antony first laid eyes on Cleopatra, and how charming she was, capturing him, so to speak, the first time he was with her. (Enchantment, Act 2, Scene 2)

Back in Alexandria, Cleopatra berates the messenger when she learns Antony has married Octavia. Meanwhile, we learn to no surprise that Menas and Enobarbus both believe that Antony’s marriage to Octavia will lead to more stress between Antony and Caesar.

Meanwhile, back in Rome, trying to negotiate a resolution to his differences with the triumvirate, Pompey invites his adversaries to join him aboard his galley. (History, Act 2, Scene 6) While they’re there on the ship, Pompey rejects Menas’ suggestion (one of Pompey’s aides) that they cut the throats of the “three world-sharers.” Separately, Lepidus has too much to drink while on Pompey’s boat and is later carried off the vessel. The other principals, including Pompey, leave the galley aware that they are a little tipsy.

Separately, as a side issue, two officers lead Antony’s army to a convincing victory over the Parthians and one officer suggests that the other put “garlands on his head” and that he ride his chariot proudly through Mesopotamia, at which point the other wisely notes “’Tis better to leave undone than by our deed acquire too high a fame when him we serve ’s away.” (Insight, Act 3, Scene 1)

Antony and Octavia leave for Athens. Caesar and Octavia have a very nice brother-sister relationship, but Antony is a little miffed with Caesar, feeling he does not treat him with enough respect. Octavia soon leaves for Rome to help mend the rift. Caesar and Lepidus engage Pompey in a battle. Pompey is killed, rumored to be a result of one of Antony’s officers. Caesar, consolidating his power, has Lepidus imprisoned, accusing him of having been too close to Pompey. Caesar secures Pompey’s renowned navy. Antony leaves for Alexandria; Antony and Caesar’s rocky relationship deteriorates.

Antony unilaterally decides to confront Caesar at sea, rather than on land, as advised by others. Cleopatra offers her sixty ships to help the cause; help that ends up being worthless. Antony’s navel forces and the Egyptian navy fall quickly. (Capitulation, Act 3, Scene 11) An embarrassed and depressed Antony indirectly asks Caesar for a pardon. His request is denied. Caesar sends an agent to Cleopatra to determine if she is willing to leave Antony; to begin spending time with him. She isn’t. A jealous Antony learns of the request, is infuriated, and decides to regroup his and her navies and once again go after Caesar. Antony has a strong army. Cleopatra lauds his bravery. It’s her birthday. They party.

Antony writes a taunting letter to Caesar. Antony and Caesar prepare for land and sea battles. Antony’s long-time friend Enobarbus, thinking he sees the handwriting on the wall, leaves Antony for Caesar before the land battle begins. While the servants prepare a feast, Antony thanks those around him for their service. In the land battle, Caesar’s forces retreat and retire. (Capitulation, Act 4, Scene 12) Enobarbus dies, but not in the battle. Antony and his troops return victoriously to Alexandria. Their thoughts promptly turn to another sea battle. As the battle begins, Antony, from a distance, watches his and Egypt’s navies concede the battle to Caesar. Antony, having had little sleep, turns on Cleopatra, claiming she has turned on him. He lashes out at her. (Anger, Act 4, Scene 12) Believing him to be mad, she rushes to her tomb to hide. Falsely, Antony is told that Cleopatra has died. Antony demands Eros, his slave turned servant, to kill him. When Antony turns his head, Eros denies him and stabs and kills himself. A distraught Antony then tries to kill himself, and fails, but injures himself seriously. Learning that Cleopatra is not dead, Antony has his servants carry him to her, where he talks with her briefly and then dies. (Death, Act 4, Scene 15)

Learning of Antony’s death, Caesar decides to display Cleopatra through the streets of Rome as a spoil of war. Dolabella, an aide to Caesar, but having sympathy for Cleopatra, tells her of Caesar’s plan. (Love, Act 5, Scene 2) Caesar visits Cleopatra and tries to win her over, but she holds her own. Cleopatra famously has a countryman from the Nile provide her with a basket of poisonous snakes, Caesar unable to convince her that he will provide her with a safe haven. Caesar makes an attempt to capture her, but before he can get to her, stoic Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras let the snakes bite them, the three women dieing promptly. With some beautiful comments to Dolabella, Caesar honors Antony and Cleopatra. (Honor, Act 5, Scene 2)


Principal Characters


Antony
Mark Antony has strong talents, but a weak spot for Cleopatra. He’s one of the three “shared-leaders” of the world. He overplays his hand with the young Octavius Caesar. Antony is defeated by Caesar’s forces in a naval battle at Actium, in the Adriatic Sea, in 31 B.C., the time of his fatal break with Cleopatra, when he jealously and wrongly believes she has left him for Caesar. He dies from a self inflicted wound. With help form Octavius and Lepidus, Antony had defeated Brutus and Cassius on the Plains of Philippi in 32 B.C., they having killed Octavius’ adoptive father, Julius.

Cleopatra
She’s wonderful in many ways. Cleopatra had had a long affair with the late Julius Caesar, who had designated her Queen of Egypt, as well of Queen of Syria and Cyprus. The two of them had at least three sons, Caesarion the youngest. The two older boys, Alexander and Ptolemy, had been named kings of regions controlled by the Romans. Pompey the Great, who died in 48 B.C., also had had an affair with Cleopatra. But her heart was with Antony. Her hair had turned gray by the time she was with Antony. After Antony kills himself, she dies from a snake bite, legitimately afraid that Caesar would parade her through Rome. She sure thought the world of Antony, as Shakespeare beautifully lets her tell us.

Enobarbus
Through Enobarbus Shakespeare shows us how a clear and rational mind can remain focused in the most desperate of situations, mostly. For most of the play Enobarbus is Antony’s sober, close and loyal associate. But Enobarbus leaves Antony for Caesar on the eve of the land battle; leaves him while Antony and Cleopatra are celebrating her birthday. But true to his character, he soon believes he’s made a mistake. When he receives his treasure chest from Antony and witnesses Caesar’s land defeat, he knows he’s made a mistake, and, enormously dejected, dies.

Octavius Caesar
Octavius Caesar was one-third of Rome’s ruling triumvirate. He was Julius Caesar’s grandnephew. Actually, Julius Caesar had through his will adopted Octavius as his son, Octavius occasionally referring to Julius Caesar as his father. He came to be the individual successor to the triumvirate, in part because Lepidus drank too much and Antony spent too much time in Alexandria with Cleopatra. In 27 B.C. Octavius became Augustus Caesar, Rome’s first emperor.

 A portrait of William Shakespeare