Antony and Cleopatra

[Guru]

Antony and Cleopatra
by William Shakespeare

Octavius Caesar (later renamed to Augustus Caesar, son of the murdered Julius Caesar), Antony, and Lepidus form the Roman triumvirate that rules the Western world. Lepidus leaves the triumvirate, and Caesar and Antony are left to rule the world. Antony, though married to Fluvia, lives in Alexandria, Egypt with his mistress Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt. Fueled by a disgust at his lifestyle in Egypt and anger over the wars caused by Antony's relatives, Caesar calls Antony home to Rome. Antony agrees, but only after Fluvia dies of an illness. Once in Rome, Caesar and Antony try to make amends through the marriage of Antony to Caesar's sister Octavia.

Antony soon deserts Octavia, however, and returns to live with Cleopatra. Caesar, enraged, vows to attack and regain control of Egypt from Antony and Cleopatra. Caesar's army is more powerful and more skillful, and soon approaches defeat of Antony. Enobarbus, Antony's best friend, deserts him and joins Caesar's army. However, Enobarbus becomes overcome with regret and remorse for leaving Antony, and kills himself near Caesar's headquarters. Antony, facing defeat, asks Eros (another friend) to kill him. Eros cannot, and instead kills himself. Antony then kills himself by falling on his sword. Cleopatra, in grief over Antony's death and determined never to fall under Caesar's command commits suicide by allowing poisonous asps to bite her. Cleopatra's main attendant (Charmian) dies in the same manner, while her second attendant (Iras) dies from stress and grief over Cleopatra's death.

 

[Guru]

ACT I
SCENE I. Alexandria. A room in CLEOPATRA's palace.



Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO

 

[Guru]

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 glow'd 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, 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.

 

[Guru]

CLEOPATRA


If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

 

[Guru]

MARK ANTONY


There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.

 

[Eumenides]

Is this a quest for higher post counts? Or an online education?

 

[Guru]

CLEOPATRA


I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved.

 

[Guru]

Is this a quest for higher post counts? Or an online education?

Are you heckling Shakespeare? (Higher post count!)

 

[Guru]

MARK ANTONY


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

Enter an Attendant

 

[REDWAVE]

You really have waaay too much time on your hands.

 

[Eumenides]

I hate that you would use the bard for such means. It's sort of Machiavellian in a way. But I'll just unsubscribe and let you have your way.

 

[Guru]

MARK ANTONY


Grates me: the sum.

 

[Guru]

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.'

 

[Guru]

MARK ANTONY


How, my love!

 

[Eumenides]

*groundlings pelt rotten apples at cleopatra as they piss in the hay*

Okay, I'm outtie.

 

[Guru]

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!

 

[Guru]

MARK 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; when such a mutual pair

Embracing

And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet
We stand up peerless.

 

[Guru]

CLEOPATRA


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

 

[Guru]

MARK ANTONY


But stirr'd 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?

 

[Guru]

CLEOPATRA


Hear the ambassadors.

 

[Guru]

MARK ANTONY


Fie, wrangling queen!
Whom every thing 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
To-night 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 MARK ANTONY and CLEOPATRA with their train

 

[Guru]

DEMETRIUS


Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?

 

[Guru]

PHILO


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

 

[Guru]

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 to-morrow. Rest you happy!

Exeunt

 

[Guru]

SCENE II. The same. Another room.



Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer