When Caesar learns of her death he orders that she be buried with honor next to Antony’s grave.Antony decides to return to Rome after learning that his wife and brother have unsuccessfully raised a rebellion against Caesar, resulting in his wife’s death.Cleopatra’s messenger returns and Cleopatra is delighted to learn that Octavia is short and lifeless. Octavia is heartbroken to learn that Antony has returned to Cleopatra. Cleopatra decides to kill herself.Agrippa calls for his troops to retreat, declaring that the power of Antony’s forces has exceeded his expectations.After a soothsayer advises Antony to put some distance between Antony and Caesar, Antony decides to launch a military campaign in the eastern land of Parthia.Antony’s soldiers hear strange music that they believe is the music of Hercules, the god after whom Antony modeled himself and who they believe now abandons him.Cleopatra decides to betray Antony.
Antony accepts. Antony commands that the wealth be returned to Enobarbus to shame him for his departure.Enobarbus describes the sea battle between Antony and Caesar. Read Antony and Cleopatra here, with side-by-side No Fear translations into modern English.
Antony becomes furious with Cleopatra and threatens to kill her.Ventidius is victorious in Parthia, but decides not to press his victory lest he become too successful, and fall out of favor with Antony.Cleopatra is captured by Caesar’s men, but rather than let herself be paraded through the streets of Rome as a trophy, she kills herself with poisonous snakes. She hesitates, and flirts with the messenger, when Antony walks in and angrily denounces her behavior. The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see. Cleopatra sends the messenger to go look at Octavia and report back what she is like.Antony instructs Enobarbus to set their squadrons on a hillside, which will allow them to view the battle at sea.Upon hearing news of Cleopatra’s death, Antony asks Eros to kill him, although Eros refuses and kills himself instead. He begs one of his aides, Eros, to run him through with a sword, but Eros cannot bear to do it and kills himself. Caesar reveals that he does not intend to harm Cleopatra, but plans to take her back to Rome as a trophy for his victory in Egypt.Caesar orders his army to hold off its attack until the sea battle ends.Pompey and the triumvirate meet before battle.
In a famous passage, he describes Cleopatra's charms: "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety: other women cloy / The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry / Where most she satisfies." Antony is becoming irrational and Enobarbus realizes it’s time to leave Antony’s army.Antony, deeply ashamed for abandoning the battle, tells Cleopatra that he was once noble and reliable. Cleopatra believes that Antony will return to her side.Caesar receives messengers from Antony and Cleopatra asking for mercy. Scene 1. Perhaps the most famous dichotomy is that of the manipulative seductress versus the skilled leader. The bellows and fan being commonly used for contrary purposes, were probably opposed by the author, who might perhaps have written, Antony and Cleopatra is a tragic play by William Shakespeare first performed in 1606. Antony. Antony encourages everyone to enjoy this evening before the battle.Caesar confidently prepares to begin the battle with Antony’s defected soldiers at the front of his army, while Enobarbus receives his possessions from Antony and declares himself a villain.A messenger tells Cleopatra that Antony has married Octavia. Both articles indicate the lovers' awareness of each other's quests for power.
Antony admires Eros' courage and attempts to do the same, but only succeeds in wounding himself. It looked like Antony was winning but then Cleopatra fled the fight and Antony followed behind her, leaving Caesar to win.Cleopatra is worried by Antony’s departure for Rome but is relieved after he sends her a gift, which prompts her to vow to stay in touch with Antony through messengers.Antony watches the naval battle as Cleopatra’s fleet betrays him and joins Caesar’s side. However, Pompey learns that Antony is returning.Caesar learns of Antony’s death and declares that Antony was ultimately an honorable man who deserves to be mourned. Flourish. He is hoisted up to her in her monument and dies in her arms.These criticisms are only a few examples of how the critical views of Egypt's "femininity" and Rome's "masculinity" have changed over time and how the development of feminist theory has helped in widening the discussion.Enobarbus could have made this error because he was used to seeing Antony in the queen's garments. CLEOPATRA If it be love indeed, tell me how much. Since Cleopatra died, I have lived in such dishonour, that the gods Detest my …