Antony and Cleopatra Act Three – “Men’s judgments are a parcel of their fortunes…”

Antony and Cleopatra Act Three – “Men’s judgments are
 a parcel of their fortunes…”

We start Act Three of ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ on the plains of Syria where Ventidius, fighting for Antony, has defeated the Parthians and even killed the King of the Parthian’s own son. A soldier says that Ventidius should go further and do more for glory to which Ventidius calmly replies that soldiers should not try to do too much when their leaders are away as they may fall out of their commander’s favour and men should always stop while they are ahead:

“O Silius, Silius,

I have done enough; a lower place, note well,

May make too great an act: for learn this, Silius;

Better to leave undone, than by our deed

Acquire too high a fame when him we serve's away.

Caesar and Antony have ever won

More in their officer than person: Sossius,

One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,

For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he achieved by the minute, lost his favour.

Who does i' the wars more than his captain can

Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,

The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss,

Than gain which darkens him.

I could do more to do Antonius good,

But 'twould offend him; and in his offence

Should my performance perish.”

Ventidius decides to halt his army’s advances and write to Antony (who he thinks is in on his way to Athens) to inform him of this victory in Syria.

We cross the Mediterranean to Octavius Caesar’s house in Rome where Agrippa and Enobarbus converse about the latest news both domestic and political. Pompey has left, Caesar and his sister Octavia are upset at their impending separation and Lepidus is still has “green sickness” from his night of heavy drinking at Pompey’s feast. They mock Lepidus, who seems to be eager to ‘suck up’ to both Caesar and Antony. Then Caesar, Antony, Lepidus and Octavia enter. Caesar says his farewells to his sister Octavia and Antony, urging Antony to look after Octavia.

“You take from me a great part of myself;

Use me well in 't. Sister, prove such a wife

As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band

Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,

Let not the piece of virtue, which is set

Betwixt us as the cement of our love,

To keep it builded, be the ram to batter

The fortress of it; for better might we

Have loved without this mean, if on both parts

This be not cherish'd.”

Antony gives his assurances and Antony and Octavia depart.

“You shall not find,

Though you be therein curious, the least cause

For what you seem to fear: so, the gods keep you,

And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!

We will here part.”  

We move back to Alexandria in Egypt and to important matters. Cleopatra finds out from her messenger that Octavia is short, not particularly feminine, not filled with as much life as Cleopatra, about thirty, brown haired, round faced and with a low forehead. Cleopatra is pleased and thinks that Antony will soon tire of Octavia and that she will have Antony once more for herself.

Antony has indeed moved onto Athens, where he complains to Octavia that Caesar seems to have lost his appetite for war since Antony left Rome and that Caesar has also mocked Antony. Octavia tells Antony not to believe rumours and she urges him not to fight with her brother since she does not want to take sides. Antony reinforces that he must do what he can to preserve his own honour and that when the time comes she will have to choose sides:

“Gentle Octavia,

Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks

Best to preserve it: if I lose mine honour,

I lose myself: better I were not yours

Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,

Yourself shall go between 's: the mean time, lady,

I'll raise the preparation of a war

Shall stain your brother: make your soonest haste;

So your desires are yours…

When it appears to you where this begins,

Turn your displeasure that way: for our faults

Can never be so equal, that your love

Can equally move with them. Provide your going;

Choose your own company, and command what cost

Your heart has mind to. “

Still in Athens Enobarbus talks to Antony’s friend Eros, discussing Caesar’s defeat of Pompey’s army, the death of Pompey and how after their victory, Caesar backstabbed Lepidus, accused him of treachery and threw him in jail. Enobarbus then reports that Antony is ready to sail for Italy and Caesar.

We move a little into the future and back to Caesar’s house in Rome where Caesar is angry with Antony who has gone back to Egypt to become Cleopatra’s king.

“Contemning Rome, he has done all this, and more,

In Alexandria: here's the manner of 't:

I' the market-place, on a tribunal silver'd,

Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold

Were publicly enthroned: at the feet sat

Caesarion, whom they call my father's son,

And all the unlawful issue that their lust

Since then hath made between them. Unto her

He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her

Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,

Absolute queen…

His sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings:

Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia.

He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd

Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia: she

In the habiliments of the goddess Isis

That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,

As 'tis reported, so.”

Caesar further reports that Antony does not think that Caesar gave him a far proportion of the ‘war spoils’ from Pompey and Lepidus estates. He says he will give Antony more if Antony gives Caesar parts of Armenia and other lands Antony took. Maecenas says that Antony will not give in so easily. Then Octavia enters and it is revealed that hearing that Caesar had prepared for war, she had requested Antony to allow her to return to Rome. She reveals that she thinks that Antony is till in Athens. Caesar reveals the truth to her that her husband has joined with Cleopatra in Egypt and challenges Rome itself.

“No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra

Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire

Up to a whore; who now are levying

The kings o' the earth for war; he hath assembled

Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus,

Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king

Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;

King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;

Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king

Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,

The kings of Mede and Lycaonia,

With a more larger list of sceptres..”

Octavia is upset and she is comforted by Maecenas who tells her that all of Rome is behind her.

“Each heart in Rome does love and pity you:

Only the adulterous Antony, most large

In his abominations, turns you off;

And gives his potent regiment to a trull,

That noises it against us.”

Near the city of Actium in Greece which is under Roman control, Cleopatra wants to stay with Antony as they prepare for the battle. Antony and Enobarbus try to convince Cleopatra to leave but she will not stay behind: “Sink Rome, and their tongues rot

That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war,

And, as the president of my kingdom, will

Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:

I will not stay behind.”

Antony asserts that he will meet Caesar at sea but Camidius and Enobarbus say that a land battle would be better since Caesar seems to have naval superiority and their ships are manned by peasants, “muleters” and “reapers”. Antony is supported by Cleopatra who says her sixty ships can win at sea. Antony is determined to fight at sea and as he and Cleopatra exit, Camidius laments that they are all “women’s men” under Cleopatra’s control.

We cross to Caesar on a plain near Actium who wants to not attack by land until the sea battle is decided.

“Strike not by land; keep whole: provoke not battle,

Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed

The prescript of this scroll: our fortune lies

Upon this jump.”

On the other side of the stage we hear Antony tell Enobarbus to put his army on the hillside to watch the sea battle.

“Set we our squadrons on yond side o' the hill,

In eye of Caesar's battle; from which place

We may the number of the ships behold,

And so proceed accordingly.”

Enobarbus, Scarus and Canidius tell of the sea battle where Antony’s forces were initially winning the battle until Cleopatra’s ship turned and fled and Antony followed her. Then panic and confusion set in and Caesar’s forces won. The land army were appalled by this cowardace and Camidius says he will now side with Caesar. Enobarbus, decides to stay aligned to Antony.

“I'll yet follow

The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason

Sits in the wind against me.”

Back in Alexandria in Egypt, Antony is ashamed at his cowardice and orders his servants to abandon him because he has abandoned himself: “Hark! the land bids me tread no more upon't;

It is ashamed to bear me! Friends, come hither:

I am so lated in the world, that I

Have lost my way for ever: I have a ship

Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,

And make your peace with Caesar…

I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards

To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone;

I have myself resolved upon a course

Which has no need of you; be gone:

My treasure's in the harbour, take it. O,

I follow'd that I blush to look upon:

My very hairs do mutiny; for the white

Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them

For fear and doting. Friends, be gone: you shall

Have letters from me to some friends that will

Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad,

Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint

Which my despair proclaims; let that be left

Which leaves itself: to the sea-side straightway:

I will possess you of that ship and treasure.

Leave me, I pray, a little: pray you now:

Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command,

Therefore I pray you: I'll see you by and by.”

Cleopatra enters and tries to sooth Antony by reminding him of his honorable past exploits. He blames Cleopatra for leaving the battle and she says that she never dreamed that he would follow her. Antony says he must now seek Caesar’s forgiveness. Antony asks Cleopatra not to cry and he kisses her:

“Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates

All that is won and lost: give me a kiss;

Even this repays me. We sent our schoolmaster;

Is he come back? Love, I am full of lead.

Some wine, within there, and our viands! Fortune knows

We scorn her most when most she offers blows.”

Caesar has moved his forces to a camp in Egypt. Caesar is with Dolabella when an ambassador arrives from Antony asking that Antony asks to be allowed to live in Egypt or move to solitude in Athens. Caesar disregards Antony’s requests and wants Cleopatra to betray her lover and expel Antony or execute him.

“For Antony,

I have no ears to his request. The queen

Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she

From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,

Or take his life there: this if she perform,

She shall not sue unheard. So to them both…

From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,

And in our name, what she requires; add more,

From thine invention, offers: women are not

In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure

The ne'er touch'd vestal: try thy cunning, Thyreus;

Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we

Will answer as a law…

Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,

And what thou think'st his very action speaks

In every power that moves.”

We cross back to Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria where Enobarbus tells Cleopatra that a man like Antony should have known to followed reason rather than the “itch of his affection”. Mark Antony and the ambassador enter with Caesar’s reply. Antony wants challenge Caesar to man on man, sword on sword single combat. Antony exits. Enobarbus thinks about his options if such combat eventuates. Then Thidias arrives to tell Cleopatra mercy will be granted by Caesar to her if she hands over Antony. Cleopatra replies that she will concede to Caesar:

“Most kind messenger,

Say to great Caesar this: in deputation

I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt

To lay my crown at 's feet, and there to kneel:

Tell him from his all-obeying breath I hear

The doom of Egypt.”

Antony enters and in furious that Cleopatra would betray him.

“You have been a boggler ever:

But when we in our viciousness grow hard--

O misery on't!--the wise gods seel our eyes;

In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us

Adore our errors; laugh at's, while we strut

To our confusion…

I found you as a morsel cold upon

Dead Caesar's trencher; nay, you were a fragment

Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours,

Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have

Luxuriously pick'd out: for, I am sure,

Though you can guess what temperance should be,

You know not what it is…

To let a fellow that will take rewards

And say 'God quit you!' be familiar with

My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal

And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were

Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar

The horned herd! for I have savage cause;

And to proclaim it civilly, were like

A halter'd neck which does the hangman thank

For being yare about him.”

Antony claims that he is reassembling his forces to fight Caesar once more. Cleopatra is pleased that Antony seems himself again and she declares that he is her lord and they are reconciled and exit. Enobarbus is left alone and decides the time is ripe to leave Antony:

“Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious,

Is to be frighted out of fear; and in that mood

The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still,

A diminution in our captain's brain

Restores his heart: when valour preys on reason,

It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek

Some way to leave him.”