Antony and Cleopatra abbreviated

Synopsis


The storied assassination of Julius Caesar in 30 BC, the stabbing heard ‘round the world, may have been the moment that best represents the beginning of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by the Conspirators on the ides of March, the fifteenth of March, there on the steps of the Roman Senate. His death created a political vacuum in Rome; a vacuum that was soon filled by Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus. The three of them were known as the triumvirate. Then, the beginning of the Roman Empire may best be identified with the defeat of Cassius and Brutus by Antony, Octavius and Lepidus, the triumvirate, on the Plains of Philippi. Cassius and Brutus had been the Conspirators’ leaders. That battle was an historic event played out so well in the play Julius Caesar; the battle won by the triumvirate. The three of them had no competition following their win at Philippi.

Pompey the Great, who died in 48 BC, had by reference an important role in the very beginning of Julius Caesar. He also by reference plays an important role in this play, having around 50 BC fled to Egypt after losing a battle. He was murdered there. Egypt to a considerable extent is important in this period of Roman history because Roman leaders were spending a good amount of time there, often with Cleopatra, Pompey the Great having been one of them. In this play Sextus Pompeius, one of Pompey the Great’s sons, known here as just plain 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, a central theme of this play.

Soon after the play begins, Antony, there in Alexandria to be with Cleopatra, learns that his wife Fulvia has died. He also learns that Pompey, who controls the seas along with help from the pirates Menecrates and Menas, is challenging Antony’s tri-leader Octavius Caesar. (Reflection, Act 1, Scene 2) As a result of Fulvia’s death and the threat posed by Pompey, Antony feels he must return to Rome, but 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) She’s quite the woman.

Antony does return to Rome and does meet 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 that perhaps Antony marry Octavia, Caesar’s newly-widowed sister. Antony and Caesar promptly agree to the suggestion; Octavia unaware of what her future holds; Antony not having plans to not continue to see Cleopatra. When the principal’s 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 when the two of them were first together, captivating him totally. (Enchantment, Act 2, Scene 2)

Back in Alexandria, Cleopatra berates the messenger when she learns Antony has married Octavia. We also learn that Enobarbus (Antony’s chief aide) believes that Antony’s marriage to Octavia will lead to more stress between Antony and Caesar.

Meanwhile 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 on the ship, Pompey rejects Menas’ suggestion that they cut the throats of the “three world-sharers.”

While on the ship Lepidus has too much to drink, the party going on for some time, and is later carried off. The other principals, including Pompey, leave the galley aware that they too are feeling the effects of the wine.

As a side issue and to make a point, Shakespeare has one of Antony’s officers suggest to the other that he put “garlands on his head” and that he ride his chariot proudly through Mesopotamia, the two soldiers having led Antony’s army in a far off land to a convincing victory over the Parthians. To make his point, Shakespeare has the other officer wisely note that “’tis better to leave undone than by our deed acquire too high a fame when him we serve is away.” (Insight, Act 3, Scene 1)

Antony and Octavia leave for Athens, Antony being a little miffed with Caesar, feeling he does not treat him with enough respect. Caesar and his sister Octavia have a very nice relationship. Octavia soon leaves Athens for Rome to see her brother and to see if she can help mend the rift. Caesar and Lepidus engage Pompey in a battle. Pompey is killed, rumored to be the result of action by one of Antony’s officers. Consolidating his power, Caesar has Lepidus imprisoned, accusing him of having been too close to Pompey. Octavius 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, but he also wants to redeem himself at sea. 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. His thoughts promptly turn to another sea battle. As the sea 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 betrayed him. He lashes out at her. (Anger, Act 4, Scene 12) Believing he is mad, Cleopatra rushes to her tomb to hide. Falsely, Antony is told that Cleopatra has died. Antony demands Eros kill him, Eros having been his slave, now being his servant. When Antony turns his head, Eros denies him, stabbing and killing himself. A distraught Antony then tries to kill himself, and fails, but in the suicide attempt 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 and upset that Cleopatra has denied his interests in her, Caesar decides to parade 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, Caesar unable to convince her that he will provide her with a safe haven. Cleopatra then famously has a countryman from the Nile provide her with a basket of poisonous snakes. 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 dying promptly. With some beautiful comments to Dolabella, as Shakespeare can seemingly so easily do, Caesar honors Antony and Cleopatra. (Honor, Act 5, Scene 2)


Principal Characters


Antony
Mark Antony has real talents and a fascination 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 break with Cleopatra, when he jealously and wrongly believes she has left him for Caesar. He dies from a self inflicted wound. As an historic footnote, with help from Octavius and Lepidus, Antony had defeated Brutus and Cassius on the Plains of Philippi in 32 B.C., they having killed Julius, Octavius’ adoptive father.

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 in this story 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
Shakespeare shows us through Enobarbus 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 senses 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 dies, enormously disappointed with himself.

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 successor to the triumvirate, in part because Lepidus drank too much and Antony spent too much time in Alexandria with Cleopatra. As a footnote, in 27 B.C. Octavius became Augustus Caesar, Rome’s first emperor.

 A portrait of William Shakespeare