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Antony and Cleopatra

by William Shakespeare

Mark Antony, master of the eastern Roman world, loses everything to a love affair with the queen of Egypt. The most expansive of the tragedies — moving across the Mediterranean in 42 scenes — and the most adult.

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Chapters
  1. Chapter 1Act 1, Scene 1 — Alexandria. A Room in Cleopatra’s palace
  2. Chapter 2Act 1, Scene 2 — Alexandria. Another Room in Cleopatra’s palace
  3. Chapter 3Act 1, Scene 3 — Alexandria. A Room in Cleopatra’s palace
  4. Chapter 4Act 1, Scene 4 — Rome. An Apartment in Caesar’s House
  5. Chapter 5Act 1, Scene 5 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  6. Chapter 6Act 2, Scene 1 — Messina. A Room in Pompey’s house
  7. Chapter 7Act 2, Scene 2 — Rome. A Room in the House of Lepidus
  8. Chapter 8Act 2, Scene 3 — Rome. A Room in Caesar’s House
  9. Chapter 9Act 2, Scene 4 — Rome. A street
  10. Chapter 10Act 2, Scene 5 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  11. Chapter 11Act 2, Scene 6 — Near Misenum
  12. Chapter 12Act 2, Scene 7 — On board Pompey’s Galley, lying near Misenum
  13. Chapter 13Act 3, Scene 1 — A plain in Syria
  14. Chapter 14Act 3, Scene 2 — Rome. An Ante-chamber in Caesar’s house
  15. Chapter 15Act 3, Scene 3 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  16. Chapter 16Act 3, Scene 4 — Athens. A Room in Antony’s House
  17. Chapter 17Act 3, Scene 5 — Athens. Another Room in Antony’s House
  18. Chapter 18Act 3, Scene 6 — Rome. A Room in Caesar’s House
  19. Chapter 19Act 3, Scene 7 — Antony’s Camp near the Promontory of Actium
  20. Chapter 20Act 3, Scene 8 — A plain near Actium
  21. Chapter 21Act 3, Scene 9 — Another part of the Plain
  22. Chapter 22Act 3, Scene 10 — Another part of the Plain
  23. Chapter 23Act 3, Scene 0 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  24. Chapter 24Act 3, Scene 0 — Caesar’s camp in Egypt
  25. Chapter 25Act 3, Scene 0 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  26. Chapter 26Act 4, Scene 1 — Caesar’s Camp at Alexandria
  27. Chapter 27Act 4, Scene 2 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  28. Chapter 28Act 4, Scene 3 — Alexandria. Before the Palace
  29. Chapter 29Act 4, Scene 4 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  30. Chapter 30Act 4, Scene 5 — Antony’s camp near Alexandria
  31. Chapter 31Act 4, Scene 6 — Alexandria. Caesar’s camp
  32. Chapter 32Act 4, Scene 7 — Field of battle between the Camps
  33. Chapter 33Act 4, Scene 8 — Under the Walls of Alexandria
  34. Chapter 34Act 4, Scene 9 — Caesar’s camp
  35. Chapter 35Act 4, Scene 10 — Ground between the two Camps
  36. Chapter 36Act 4, Scene 0 — Another part of the Ground
  37. Chapter 37Act 4, Scene 0 — Another part of the Ground
  38. Chapter 38Act 4, Scene 0 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace
  39. Chapter 39Act 4, Scene 0 — Alexandria. Another Room
  40. Chapter 40Act 4, Scene 0 — Alexandria. A monument
  41. Chapter 41Act 5, Scene 1 — Caesar’s Camp before Alexandria
  42. Chapter 42Act 5, Scene 2 — Alexandria. A Room in the Monument

Act 1, Scene 1 — Alexandria. A Room in Cleopatra’s palace

Enter Demetrius and Philo.

PHILO. Nay, but this dotage of our general’s O’erflows the measure. Those his goodly eyes, That o’er the files and musters of the war Have glowed like plated Mars, now bend, now turn The office and devotion of their view Upon a tawny front. His captain’s heart, Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper And is become the bellows and the fan To cool a gipsy’s lust.

Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her.

Look where they come: Take but good note, and you shall see in him The triple pillar of the world transform’d Into a strumpet’s fool. Behold and see.

CLEOPATRA. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

ANTONY. There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.

CLEOPATRA. I’ll set a bourn how far to be beloved.

ANTONY. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Enter a Messenger.

MESSENGER. News, my good lord, from Rome.

ANTONY. Grates me, the sum.

CLEOPATRA. Nay, hear them, Antony. Fulvia perchance is angry; or who knows If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent His powerful mandate to you: “Do this or this; Take in that kingdom and enfranchise that. Perform’t, or else we damn thee.”

ANTONY. How, my love?

CLEOPATRA. Perchance! Nay, and most like. You must not stay here longer; your dismission Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony. Where’s Fulvia’s process?—Caesar’s I would say? Both? Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt’s queen, Thou blushest, Antony, and that blood of thine Is Caesar’s homager; else so thy cheek pays shame When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers!

ANTONY. Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space. Kingdoms are clay. Our dungy earth alike Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life Is to do thus [_Embracing_]; when such a mutual pair And such a twain can do’t, in which I bind, On pain of punishment, the world to weet We stand up peerless.

CLEOPATRA. Excellent falsehood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? I’ll seem the fool I am not. Antony Will be himself.

ANTONY. But stirred by Cleopatra. Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours, Let’s not confound the time with conference harsh. There’s not a minute of our lives should stretch Without some pleasure now. What sport tonight?

CLEOPATRA. Hear the ambassadors.

ANTONY. Fie, wrangling queen! Whom everything becomes—to chide, to laugh, To weep; whose every passion fully strives To make itself, in thee fair and admired! No messenger but thine, and all alone Tonight we’ll wander through the streets and note The qualities of people. Come, my queen, Last night you did desire it. Speak not to us.

[_Exeunt Antony and Cleopatra with the Train._]

DEMETRIUS. Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?

PHILO. Sir, sometimes when he is not Antony, He comes too short of that great property Which still should go with Antony.

DEMETRIUS. I am full sorry That he approves the common liar who Thus speaks of him at Rome, but I will hope Of better deeds tomorrow. Rest you happy!

[_Exeunt._]