Antony and Cleopatra

Roles

• Domitius Enobarbus - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Enobarbus tells Agrippa how Antony met Cleopatra

Summary

Mark Antony is one of the Roman triumvirates, that is one of the 3 rulers of the empire. In the beginning of the play he is living in Egypt and is having an affair with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. He neglects his duties, doesn't want to hear any news from Rome and is completely devoted to Cleopatra. This changes, however, when he learns from a messenger that Sextus Pompeius, a Roman general, is preparing to fight against the Romans, and that Antony's wife Fulvia is now dead. Antony feels guilty for what happened in his absence and decides to go back to Rome. There he confronts the other triumvirates, Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, who scold him for having neglected his duties. However, they decide to put their arguing aside and concentrate on defeating Pompey. Agrippa, one of Caesar's men, suggests that Antony marry Octavia, Caesar's sister. Antony accepts. In the end of the second scene of the second act, Enobarbus, Antony's follower, describes to Agrippa what Antony was doing when he was in Egypt. In this monologue he describes the first time Antony met Cleopatra.

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