Synopsis: Antony and Cleopatra

In Cleopatra’s bedroom in Alexandria, Antony is hung over and barely recovered from the previous night’s festivities. She taunts him about his Roman wife, Fulvia, and needles him repeatedly about the much younger, “scarce-bearded” Caesar. Eros brings news that Fulvia has died. Realizing he must temporarily return to Rome, Antony affirms his love for her, to which she responds with scorn and self-pity.

In Rome, Caesar voices his disgust for Antony’s shirking of duties in Egypt while he, Caesar, has to deal with a mounting insurrection. Antony arrives, greeted by a chilly, annoyed Caesar. A heated argument ensues. Agrippa makes a surprise proposal: that Antony marry Octavia, Caesar’s sister. To everyone’s astonishment Antony agrees. Enobarbus describes the fantastic scene when Antony first met Cleopatra in Cydnus, her glamorous arrival, dressed as Aphrodite, on her barge with its perfumed, purple sails, and her irresistible magnetism. 

Back in Alexandria, Cleopatra lounges by the pool, pining away theatrically for Antony. Eros arrives with news of Antony’s marriage to Octavia. Cleopatra erupts in a rage. Unwilling to hear the truth she continues to ask the same question, “Is he married?” 

Caesar, having found Antony more trouble than help, has forced him to “drowsy Athens” in order to weaken his authority. Now officially Antony’s wife, Octavia voices her frustration at being caught in the middle of the two men she loves. She must decide between her husband and her brother. Antony chooses for her by breaking their marriage vow and returning to Cleopatra in Egypt. At the news of Cleopatra and Antony having wed, an infuriated Caesar curses their flagrant disregard of Rome. Having fled back from Rome, Octavia arrives, pregnant. Insulted now two-fold, Caesar declares war against Antony and Egypt.

Despite the fact that his navy is cobbled together from inexperienced sailors and outmoded vessels, Antony is exuberant, savoring the return of his military prowess. His pride is such that he believes he can win any contest. Cleopatra has provided sixty of her own Egyptian warships. The naval battle goes badly for Antony, and at a critical moment Cleopatra inexplicably recalls her ships. Worse still, Antony draws back his navy and flees, following hers. The result is catastrophic. Alone on the deck of his ship, Antony rues his fascination with Cleopatra and blames her as well as himself for the tragic outcome of the battle.

Having returned to Egypt, Antony and Cleopatra replay the devastating lost sea battle. She is contrite for having withdrawn her ships from the battle, never having suspected he would follow her. His military power, he says, has been neutered by his love for her. He will now have to send entreaties to the young Caesar, a galling humiliation for Antony, the once celebrated warrior. Agrippa, having been ordered by Caesar to go to Alexandria, attempts to convince Cleopatra to abandon Antony.  She responds ambiguously while Agrippa flamboyantly kisses her hand. Antony, in a fury at having observed this, orders Agrippa to be whipped. In a blistering diatribe, Antony unloads on Cleopatra—“the false soul of Egypt”—accusing her of duplicity and lack of faith in him. Charmian urges her queen to flee to safety in the monument. 

Caesar gives a rousing speech to the populace, proclaiming Rome’s absolute dominance over the known world. A chorus of “vox populi” hail his ascendance. This signals the end of the Republic and with it, the rise of the Roman Empire and Caesar’s transformation to Emperor Augustus. 

A solitary Antony watches shape-shifting clouds in the sky, likening their constant changes to the unpredictability of human fate. Iras, one of Cleopatra’s attendants, informs Antony that Cleopatra has committed suicide out of remorse. It is a ruse on her part, intended to recapture his attention. But Antony believes this falsehood and, in despair, attempts to kill himself. But he bungles the act. Charmian arrives, shocked to see him writhing in agony, and tells him that Cleopatra is indeed still alive. Cleopatra, up to now afraid to leave the security of the monument, is unable to resist running to aid Antony. She rushes to his side in a state of extreme desperation. With great effort, the women carry his nearly lifeless body up the stairs to the safety of the monument. He is failing, and she is beside herself. Antony dies in her arms. 

Caesar learns of Antony’s death and, despite their recent bitter enmity, grieves for his one-time close friend. Nonetheless, he is determined to make Cleopatra yield to him, “the universal landlord,” as Agrippa calls him. He once more sends Agrippa to convince her. But Roman soldiers suddenly seize Cleopatra, who reacts by attempting to stab herself. Agrippa orders them to release her, but not before he admits to Cleopatra that Caesar indeed will parade her in humiliation through the streets of Rome. Alone and having accepted her fate, Cleopatra commands her women to bring her finest clothes, her crown, and her jewels. A peasant brings a basket that contains poisonous asps. Cleopatra imagines she hears Antony call as she lays the snake on her breast. She dies.