Synopsis:
Antony has Thidias whipped for kissing Cleopatra’s hand, then makes plans to renew his battle with Caesar. Enobarbus decides to find a way to leave Antony.
Antony and CleopatraAntony and Cleopatra
Contents
Characters in the Play
Entire Play
Antony and Cleopatra tells the story of a romance between two powerful lovers: Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, and Mark Antony,…
Act 1, scene 1
Antony refuses to hear the messengers from Rome and declares that nothing matters but his love for Cleopatra.
Act 1, scene 2
Antony learns that Fulvia, his wife, has died. That and other news, especially news of Pompey’s threat to Caesar, make…
Act 1, scene 3
Cleopatra, after accusing Antony of hypocrisy and betrayal, gives him leave to depart from Egypt.
Act 1, scene 4
Octavius Caesar condemns Antony’s behavior in Egypt, and, in the face of attacks by Pompey, Menas, and Menecrates, he wishes…
Act 1, scene 5
Cleopatra receives a pearl and a message from Antony and resolves to send him a letter each day that he’s…
Act 2, scene 1
Pompey learns that Antony has left Egypt for Rome, and fears that Antony and Caesar will unite against him.
Act 2, scene 2
Antony agrees to marry Caesar’s sister Octavia as a way of cementing the newly reestablished bond between the men. Enobarbus…
Act 2, scene 3
Antony promises Octavia that he will henceforth live according to the rule. A Soothsayer advises Antony to keep his distance…
Act 2, scene 4
Lepidus sets off to do battle with Pompey, urging Maecenas and Agrippa to hasten the departures of Antony and Caesar.
Act 2, scene 5
Cleopatra learns of Antony’s marriage and, in her fury, beats the messenger who brought the news.
Act 2, scene 6
In a prebattle conference, Pompey is offered terms by Caesar, Antony, and Lepidus. After Antony thanks Pompey for his earlier…
Act 2, scene 7
At the feast on Pompey’s galley, Pompey refuses the suggestion that he kill his guests and thus become “lord of…
Act 3, scene 1
Having won a victory for Antony, Ventidius explains why it would be politically unwise to achieve further success. We learn…
Act 3, scene 2
Caesar and Octavia take a tearful farewell of each other, and Antony and Octavia depart for Athens.
Act 3, scene 3
Cleopatra is reassured by further description of Octavia.
Act 3, scene 4
At the news of Caesar’s hostile actions, Antony begins to prepare for war, but gives Octavia permission to go to…
Act 3, scene 5
With Caesar having imprisoned Lepidus, Caesar and Antony now divide the rulership of their world. Antony’s navy is prepared to…
Act 3, scene 6
Octavia arrives in Rome, to be told that Antony has left Athens for Egypt.
Act 3, scene 7
Over the pleading of his soldiers and officers and encouraged by Cleopatra, Antony decides to fight Caesar by sea.
Act 3, scene 8
Caesar orders his army to provoke no battle by land.
Act 3, scene 9
Antony sets his squadrons.
Act 3, scene 10
Antony turns his ship in mid-battle to follow Cleopatra’s flight. His officers begin to desert.
Act 3, scene 11
Antony, in despair over his action, accuses Cleopatra but then forgives her.
Act 3, scene 12
Caesar refuses to grant Antony’s petition for clemency, but he agrees to hear Cleopatra’s suit if she will banish or…
Act 3, scene 13
Antony has Thidias whipped for kissing Cleopatra’s hand, then makes plans to renew his battle with Caesar. Enobarbus decides to…
Act 4, scene 1
Caesar mocks Antony’s challenge to single combat and prepares for battle.
Act 4, scene 2
Antony asks his servants to tend him for a few more hours.
Act 4, scene 3
Antony’s soldiers standing guard hear music indicating that the god Hercules is leaving Antony.
Act 4, scene 4
Cleopatra and Eros arm Antony for battle.
Act 4, scene 5
Antony learns that Enobarbus has left, and sends Enobarbus’ chest and treasure to him in Caesar’s camp.
Act 4, scene 6
Enobarbus, faced with Caesar’s callousness and Antony’s generosity, realizes the magnitude of his fault in deserting Antony.
Act 4, scene 7
Antony and his soldiers rejoice in a victory.
Act 4, scene 8
Antony orders a march through Alexandria to celebrate their victory.
Act 4, scene 9
Enobarbus dies expressing his remorse for turning his back on Antony.
Act 4, scene 10
Antony places himself so that he can watch his galleys doing battle at sea.
Act 4, scene 11
Caesar orders his land forces to remain quiet unless attacked.
Act 4, scene 12
Antony watches as his ships desert him and join Caesar’s. He vows to kill Cleopatra, on whom he blames this…
Act 4, scene 13
Cleopatra, in terror, flees to her monument and sends Antony word that she is dead.
Act 4, scene 14
Antony, receiving the news that Cleopatra has taken her own life, orders Eros to kill him. Eros instead kills himself….
Act 4, scene 15
Antony is pulled up into the monument, where he dies.
Act 5, scene 1
Caesar expresses grief for Antony’s death. Fearing that Cleopatra will kill herself and thus prevent his displaying her in his…
Act 5, scene 2
While Proculeius is delivering Caesar’s message of comfort to Cleopatra, other of Caesar’s soldiers surprise and capture her. Dolabella enters…
⌜Scene 13⌝
Enter Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian, and Iras.CLEOPATRA
What shall we do, Enobarbus?
ENOBARBUS Think, and die.
CLEOPATRA
Is Antony or we in fault for this?
ENOBARBUS
Antony only, that would make his will
5 Lord of his reason. What though you fled
From that great face of war, whose several ranges
Frighted each other? Why should he follow?
The itch of his affection should not then
Have nicked his captainship, at such a point,
10 When half to half the world opposed, he being
The merèd question. ’Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags
And leave his navy gazing.
CLEOPATRA Prithee, peace.
165
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
ANTONY 15Is that his answer?
AMBASSADOR Ay, my lord.
ANTONY
The Queen shall then have courtesy, so she
Will yield us up?
AMBASSADOR He says so.
ANTONY 20 Let her know ’t.—
To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head,
And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
With principalities.
CLEOPATRA That head, my lord?
ANTONY, ⌜to Ambassador⌝
25 To him again. Tell him he wears the rose
Of youth upon him, from which the world should
note
Something particular: his coin, ships, legions
May be a coward’s, whose ministers would prevail
30 Under the service of a child as soon
As i’ th’ command of Caesar. I dare him therefore
To lay his gay ⌜caparisons⌝ apart
And answer me declined, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone. I’ll write it. Follow me.
⌜Antony and Ambassador exit.⌝
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝
35 Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will
Unstate his happiness and be staged to th’ show
Against a sworder! I see men’s judgments are
A parcel of their fortunes, and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them
40 To suffer all alike. That he should dream,
Knowing all measures, the full Caesar will
Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdued
His judgment too.
167
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
SERVANT A messenger from Caesar.
CLEOPATRA
45 What, no more ceremony? See, my women,
Against the blown rose may they stop their nose
That kneeled unto the buds.—Admit him, sir.
⌜Servant exits.⌝
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝
Mine honesty and I begin to square.
The loyalty well held to fools does make
50 Our faith mere folly. Yet he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fall’n lord
Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
And earns a place i’ th’ story.
Enter Thidias.
CLEOPATRA Caesar’s will?
THIDIAS
55 Hear it apart.
CLEOPATRA None but friends. Say boldly.
THIDIAS
So haply are they friends to Antony.
ENOBARBUS
He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has,
Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master
60 Will leap to be his friend. For us, you know
Whose he is we are, and that is Caesar’s.
THIDIAS So.—
Thus then, thou most renowned: Caesar entreats
Not to consider in what case thou stand’st
65 Further than he is ⌜Caesar.⌝
CLEOPATRA Go on; right royal.
THIDIAS
He knows that you embrace not Antony
As you did love, but as you feared him.
169
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
THIDIAS
70 The scars upon your honor therefore he
Does pity as constrainèd blemishes,
Not as deserved.
CLEOPATRA He is a god and knows
What is most right. Mine honor was not yielded,
75 But conquered merely.
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝ To be sure of that,
I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou art so leaky
That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for
Thy dearest quit thee.Enobarbus exits.
THIDIAS 80 Shall I say to Caesar
What you require of him? For he partly begs
To be desired to give. It much would please him
That of his fortunes you should make a staff
To lean upon. But it would warm his spirits
85 To hear from me you had left Antony
And put yourself under his shroud,
The universal landlord.
CLEOPATRA What’s your name?
THIDIAS
My name is Thidias.
CLEOPATRA 90 Most kind messenger,
Say to great Caesar this in ⌜deputation:⌝
I kiss his conqu’ring hand. Tell him I am prompt
To lay my crown at ’s feet, and there to kneel.
Tell him, from his all-obeying breath I hear
95 The doom of Egypt.
THIDIAS ’Tis your noblest course.
Wisdom and fortune combating together,
If that the former dare but what it can,
No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay
100 My duty on your hand.
⌜She gives him her hand to kiss.⌝
171
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in,
Bestowed his lips on that unworthy place
As it rained kisses.
Enter Antony and Enobarbus.
ANTONY 105 Favors? By Jove that thunders!
What art thou, fellow?
THIDIAS One that but performs
The bidding of the fullest man and worthiest
To have command obeyed.
ENOBARBUS 110 You will be whipped.
ANTONY, ⌜calling for Servants⌝
Approach there!—Ah, you kite!—Now, gods and
devils,
Authority melts from me. Of late when I cried “Ho!”
Like boys unto a muss kings would start forth
115 And cry “Your will?” Have you no ears? I am
Antony yet.
Enter ⌜Servants.⌝
Take hence this jack and whip him.
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝
’Tis better playing with a lion’s whelp
Than with an old one dying.
ANTONY 120 Moon and stars!
Whip him! Were ’t twenty of the greatest tributaries
That do acknowledge Caesar, should I find them
So saucy with the hand of she here—what’s her
name
125 Since she was Cleopatra? Whip him, fellows,
Till like a boy you see him cringe his face
And whine aloud for mercy. Take him hence.
THIDIAS
Mark Antony—
173
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
130 Bring him again. ⌜This⌝ jack of Caesar’s shall
Bear us an errand to him.
⌜Servants⌝ exit with Thidias.
⌜To Cleopatra.⌝ You were half blasted ere I knew you.
Ha!
Have I my pillow left unpressed in Rome,
135 Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
And by a gem of women, to be abused
By one that looks on feeders?
CLEOPATRA Good my lord—
ANTONY You have been a boggler ever.
140 But when we in our viciousness grow hard—
O, misery on ’t!—the wise gods seel our eyes,
In our own filth drop our clear judgments, make us
Adore our errors, laugh at ’s while we strut
To our confusion.
CLEOPATRA 145 O, is ’t come to this?
ANTONY
I found you as a morsel cold upon
Dead Caesar’s trencher; nay, you were a fragment
Of Gneius Pompey’s, besides what hotter hours,
Unregistered in vulgar fame, you have
150 Luxuriously picked out. For I am sure,
Though you can guess what temperance should be,
You know not what it is.
CLEOPATRA Wherefore is this?
ANTONY
To let a fellow that will take rewards
155 And say “God quit you!” be familiar with
My playfellow, your hand, this kingly seal
And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were
Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar
The hornèd herd! For I have savage cause,
160 And to proclaim it civilly were like
175
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
For being yare about him.
Enter a Servant with Thidias.
Is he whipped?
SERVANT Soundly, my lord.
ANTONY 165Cried he? And begged he pardon?
SERVANT He did ask favor.
ANTONY, ⌜to Thidias⌝
If that thy father live, let him repent
Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry
To follow Caesar in his triumph, since
170 Thou hast been whipped for following him.
Henceforth
The white hand of a lady fever thee;
Shake thou to look on ’t. Get thee back to Caesar.
Tell him thy entertainment. Look thou say
175 He makes me angry with him; for he seems
Proud and disdainful, harping on what I am,
Not what he knew I was. He makes me angry,
And at this time most easy ’tis to do ’t,
When my good stars that were my former guides
180 Have empty left their orbs and shot their fires
Into th’ abysm of hell. If he mislike
My speech and what is done, tell him he has
Hipparchus, my enfranchèd bondman, whom
He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
185 As he shall like to quit me. Urge it thou.
Hence with thy stripes, begone!Thidias exits.
CLEOPATRA Have you done yet?
ANTONY
Alack, our terrene moon is now eclipsed,
And it portends alone the fall of Antony.
CLEOPATRA 190I must stay his time.
177
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes
With one that ties his points?
CLEOPATRA Not know me yet?
ANTONY
Coldhearted toward me?
CLEOPATRA 195 Ah, dear, if I be so,
From my cold heart let heaven engender hail
And poison it in the source, and the first stone
Drop in my neck; as it determines, so
Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion ⌜smite,⌝
200 Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm
Lie graveless till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey!
ANTONY 205 I am satisfied.
Caesar ⌜sits⌝ down in Alexandria, where
I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held; our severed navy too
Have knit again, and fleet, threatening most sealike.
210 Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear,
lady?
If from the field I shall return once more
To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood.
I and my sword will earn our chronicle.
215 There’s hope in ’t yet.
CLEOPATRA That’s my brave lord!
ANTONY
I will be treble-sinewed, -hearted, -breathed,
And fight maliciously; for when mine hours
Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives
220 Of me for jests. But now I’ll set my teeth
And send to darkness all that stop me. Come,
Let’s have one other gaudy night. Call to me
179
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT 3. SC. 13
Let’s mock the midnight bell.
CLEOPATRA 225 It is my birthday.
I had thought t’ have held it poor. But since my lord
Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.
ANTONY We will yet do well.
CLEOPATRA
Call all his noble captains to my lord.
ANTONY
230 Do so; we’ll speak to them, and tonight I’ll force
The wine peep through their scars.—Come on, my
queen,
There’s sap in ’t yet. The next time I do fight
I’ll make Death love me, for I will contend
235 Even with his pestilent scythe.
⌜All but Enobarbus⌝ exit.
ENOBARBUS
Now he’ll outstare the lightning. To be furious
Is to be frighted out of fear, and in that mood
The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still
A diminution in our captain’s brain
240 Restores his heart. When valor preys ⌜on⌝ reason,
It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
Some way to leave him.
⌜He⌝ exits.
