Antony and Cleopatra

Characters:

• Mark Antony
• one of the 3 rulers of the Roman Empire
• neglects his duties as a ruler to live in Egypt
• Cleopatra
• Egyptian queen
• Octavius Caesar
• one of the 3 rulers of the Roman Empire
• nephew of Julius Caesar
• Lepidus
• weakest of the 3 rulers of the Roman Empire
• Pompey
•  son of a general who was once one of Julius Caesar's partners in power
• Enobarbus
• supporter of Antony who later abandons him
• Octavia
• Octavius' sister 
• marries Antony in order to cement an alliance between Octavius and Antony

Plot summary:

• Antony receives news while in Egypt that his wife, Fulvia, is dead and that Pompey is raising an army against the triumvirate
• Antony returns to Rome and Caesar condemns him for neglecting his duties in order to live with Cleopatra
• Antony and Caesar decide that Antony will marry Octavia in order to consolidate their alliance with each other
• Cleopatra flies into a rage when she finds out that Antony married Octavia but is soothed when she learns that Octavia is plain
• Antony, Lepidus and Caesar meet Pompey and settle their differences without going to battle
• Once Antony and Octavia leave for Athens, Caesar wages war against Pompey and defeats him with Lepidus's army.
• Caesar then accuses Lepidus of treason and imprisons him, confiscating his land and possessions
• Octavia pleads Antony to avoid a fight with her brother. He sends her to Rome to make peace.
• Antony returns to Egypt and raises a large army. He fights Caesar at sea and lets Cleopatra command a ship. However, Antony loses and both of them flee.
• Antony requests Caesar to allow him to live in Egypt, and Cleopatra asks that her kingdom go to her rightful heirs. 
• Caesar promises to think about Cleopatra's request if she betrays Antony. Antony discovers this and curses her treachery. 
• Enobarbus defects to Caesar's camp when Antony forgives Cleopatra. However, he feels extremely guilty and dies.
• The Egyptian fleet proves treacherous to Antony and he is convinced Cleopatra has betrayed him.
• To protect herself, Cleopatra locks herself in her monument and sends out word that she has committed suicide. 
• Antony, grief-stricken, tries to kill himself with his sword. When he is dying, he is carried to Cleopatra's monument, where the lovers are briefly reunited.
• Cleopatra learns of Caesar's plan to take her prisoner so she kills herself with poisonous snakes. 
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