Antony and Cleopatra

Roles

• Cleopatra
• Messenger

About this piece

Cleopatra mistreats a messenger who brings news of Antony's marriage to Octavia

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 this scene a messenger brings news to Cleopatra about Antony's marriage to Octavia. Cleopatra comically scolds her messenger for bringing bad news and even draws out a knife.

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