Summary It is early morning on the day of the great battle, and Cleopatra and some servants are helping Antony prepare for battle. Cleopatra urges him to sleep a bit longer, but Antony refuses; he calls for Eros, a servant, to bring him his armor. In a brief comic scene, […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 4Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 3
Summary Antony’s soldiers stand guard before Cleopatra’s palace; all of them are aware that this is the night before the final battle that shall determine Antony’s fate. Suddenly they hear strange noises and eerie music, and one soldier claims that this is an ill omen from the god Hercules, from […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 3Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 2
Summary The scene now shifts to Cleopatra’s palace and focuses on Antony’s reaction to Caesar’s refusal to fight in “personal combat.” Antony is surprised at Caesar’s refusal, but he vows that he will beat him in battle. He then calls for a meal to be served, and he compliments his […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 2Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 1
Summary At Caesar’s camp outside Alexandria, Agrippa and Maecenas attend their general. He is reading an insulting letter from Antony, and after he finishes, he considers its contents. “He calls me boy,” Caesar says, and he adds that Antony challenges him to “personal combat.” Prudently, Caesar refuses to accept the […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act IV: Scene 1Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 13
Summary In Alexandria, Cleopatra and her servants (including Antony’s cynical officer Enobarbus) discuss their plight. Cleopatra asks Enobarbus if the defeat was truly Antony’s fault or if it was the fault of the Egyptians. Enobarbus answers that Antony was solely at fault, but not only for his retreat. He also […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 13Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 12
Summary In his camp in Egypt, Caesar is meeting with some of his officers and also with Antony’s ambassador, Euphronius. Euphronius presents Antony’s requests to Caesar: Antony requests to be allowed to remain in Egypt, but if that is impossible, he asks that he at least be allowed to live […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 12Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 11
Summary Instead of staying to battle Caesar’s forces, Antony is defeated in battle when he follows Cleopatra’s sudden retreat. He is despondent and is not comforted even when Cleopatra enters and tries to soothe him. On the contrary, he is so ashamed of his cowardice that to some extent he […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 11Summary and Analysis Act III: Scenes 8–10
Summary This brief scene reveals the exchange between Caesar and his trusted lieutenant Taurus and establishes the fact that Caesar’s army will indeed attack by sea, and that Caesar believes that this move will prove advantageous to his side: “Our fortune lies upon this jump,” he boasts. Antony and Enobarbus […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act III: Scenes 8–10Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 7
Summary Shakespeare next focuses on several battle scenes. The first opens at Antony’s camp, where Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus are planning their strategy. The main issue concerns whether or not they will fight Caesar on land or on sea. Against his better judgment, Antony chooses to fight Caesar on the […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 7Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 6
Summary The scene opens in Rome. Antony has now returned to Egypt, and Caesar tells two of his officers, Maecenas and Agrippa, about Antony’s recent activities there. Antony has formally appointed Cleopatra to be Queen of Egypt, lower Syria, Cyprus, and Lydia, and he has also made his two small […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Act III: Scene 6