Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare, c. 1606

Shakespeare’s tragedy of the Roman triumvir Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, whose love draws him away from Rome and into conflict with Octavius Caesar.

Start reading42 scenes, about 26,000 words

Famous quotes

There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.
Act I, Scene I, spoken by AntonyIn context
- Love
In nature’s infinite book of secrecy
A little I can read.
Act I, Scene II, spoken by SoothsayerIn context
- Knowledge
- Nature
In time we hate that which we often fear.
Act I, scene 3, line 12.In context
- Anger
- Fear
Eternity was in our lips and eyes
Act I, Scene III, spoken by CleopatraIn context
- Love
My salad days,
When I was green in judgment, cold in blood,
To say as I said then.
Act I, Scene V, spoken by CleopatraIn context
- Maturity
- Youth
The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne,
Burned on the water. The poop was beaten gold;
Purple the sails, and so perfumed that
The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver,
Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water which they beat to follow faster,
As amorous of their strokes.
Act II, Scene II, spoken by EnobarbusIn context
- Beauty
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety.
Act II, Scene II, spoken by EnobarbusIn context
- Age
- Beauty
If I lose mine honour, I lose myself.
Act III, scene 4, line 22.In context
- Honor
To business that we love we rise betime
And go to’t with delight.
Act IV, Scene IV, spoken by AntonyIn context
- Motivation & Goals
- Work
O, withered is the garland of the war,
The soldier’s pole is fallen; young boys and girls
Are level now with men. The odds is gone,
And there is nothing left remarkable
Beneath the visiting moon.
Act IV, Scene XV, spoken by CleopatraIn context
- Life & Death
- War & Peace
Give me my robe. Put on my crown. I have
Immortal longings in me.
Act V, Scene II, spoken by CleopatraIn context
- Life & Death
I am fire and air; my other elements
I give to baser life.
Act V, Scene II, spoken by CleopatraIn context
- Life & Death

Act I

Scene IAlexandria. A Room in Cleopatra’s palace
Scene IIAlexandria. Another Room in Cleopatra’s palace
Scene IIIAlexandria. A Room in Cleopatra’s palace
Scene IVRome. An Apartment in Caesar’s House
Scene VAlexandria. A Room in the Palace

Act II

Scene IMessina. A Room in Pompey’s house
Scene IIRome. A Room in the House of Lepidus
Scene IIIRome. A Room in Caesar’s House
Scene IVRome. A street
Scene VAlexandria. A Room in the Palace
Scene VINear Misenum
Scene VIIOn board Pompey’s Galley, lying near Misenum

Act III

Scene IA plain in Syria
Scene IIRome. An Ante-chamber in Caesar’s house
Scene IIIAlexandria. A Room in the Palace
Scene IVAthens. A Room in Antony’s House
Scene VAthens. Another Room in Antony’s House
Scene VIRome. A Room in Caesar’s House
Scene VIIAntony’s Camp near the Promontory of Actium
Scene VIIIA plain near Actium
Scene IXAnother part of the Plain
Scene XAnother part of the Plain
Scene XIAlexandria. A Room in the Palace
Scene XIICaesar’s camp in Egypt
Scene XIIIAlexandria. A Room in the Palace

Act IV

Scene ICaesar’s Camp at Alexandria
Scene IIAlexandria. A Room in the Palace
Scene IIIAlexandria. Before the Palace
Scene IVAlexandria. A Room in the Palace
Scene VAntony’s camp near Alexandria
Scene VIAlexandria. Caesar’s camp
Scene VIIField of battle between the Camps
Scene VIIIUnder the Walls of Alexandria
Scene IXCaesar’s camp
Scene XGround between the two Camps
Scene XIAnother part of the Ground
Scene XIIAnother part of the Ground
Scene XIIIAlexandria. A Room in the Palace
Scene XIVAlexandria. Another Room
Scene XVAlexandria. A monument

Act V

Scene ICaesar’s Camp before Alexandria
Scene IIAlexandria. A Room in the Monument