Mark Antony, one of the triumvirs of the Roman Republic alongside Octavius and Lepidus, has forsaken his military responsibilities, captivated by the allure of Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt. Ignoring the pressing issues in Rome, including his deceased third wife Fulvia’s rebellion against Octavius, Antony finds himself enthralled by Cleopatra’s charms.
Octavius summons Antony back to Rome from Alexandria to aid in the battle against notorious Mediterranean pirates—Sextus Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas. Cleopatra pleads with Antony not to depart, and though he professes his profound love for her, he eventually departs.
The triumvirs convene in Rome, temporarily setting aside their differences. Octavius’s general, Agrippa, proposes that Antony marry Octavia, Octavius’s sister, to strengthen the bond between the two men. Antony agrees to the union. However, his loyal lieutenant Enobarbus knows that Octavia can never satisfy him after experiencing the enchantment of Cleopatra. Enobarbus vividly describes Cleopatra’s irresistible allure, highlighting her timeless beauty and captivating nature.
A soothsayer warns Antony that he is destined to lose should he ever engage in battle against Octavius. In Egypt, Cleopatra learns of Antony’s marriage to Octavia and reacts with furious vengeance toward the messenger who delivers the news. She finds solace only when assured by her courtiers that Octavia is unattractive, describing her physical flaws.
Prior to the battle, the triumvirs negotiate with Sextus Pompey, offering him a truce that allows him to retain control over Sicily and Sardinia in exchange for his assistance in eradicating piracy and providing tribute. After initial hesitation, Sextus agrees. The triumvirs engage in a boisterous celebration aboard Sextus’s galley, with Octavius departing early, exhibiting his austere nature. Menas suggests to Sextus that they eliminate the three triumvirs and allow Sextus to rule the Roman Republic, but he declines, deeming it dishonorable. However, Antony becomes infuriated when he discovers that Octavius and Lepidus have violated their truce with Sextus and declared war against him without his consent.
Antony returns to Alexandria, the heart of Hellenistic Egypt, and proclaims himself and Cleopatra as rulers of Egypt and the eastern portion of the Roman Republic, his share as one of the triumvirs. He accuses Octavius of withholding his rightful share of Sextus’s territories and is angered by Lepidus’s imprisonment, which leads to his exclusion from the triumvirate. Octavius concedes to Antony’s demands regarding Sextus’s lands but expresses his displeasure with Antony’s actions.
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Antony prepares for a confrontation with Octavius. Enobarbus urges him to engage in a land battle, capitalizing on his advantage, instead of engaging in a naval battle where Octavius’s navy is more agile and better manned. However, Antony refuses, compelled by Octavius’s challenge to fight at sea. Cleopatra pledges her fleet to support Antony.
During the Battle of Actium off the coast of Greece, Cleopatra unexpectedly flees with her sixty ships, and Antony, consumed by his love for her, abandons his forces to follow her. Overwhelmed by guilt for his actions driven by his affection for Cleopatra, Antony chastises her for turning him into a coward. Yet, he also places his profound love for her above all else, saying, “Give me a kiss; even this repays me.”
Octavius dispatches a messenger to convince Cleopatra to betray Antony and align with him. Cleopatra hesitates and indulges in playful flirtation with the messenger, prompting Antony’s furious confrontation. He orders the messenger to be punished. Eventually, he forgives Cleopatra and vows to fight another battle for her, this time on land.
On the eve of the battle, strange omens trouble Antony’s soldiers, interpreting them as a sign that the god Hercules has abandoned his protection of Antony. Moreover, Enobarbus, Antony’s loyal lieutenant, deserts him and joins Octavius’s side. Instead of confiscating Enobarbus’s belongings, which he left behind upon his departure, Antony orders them to be sent to him.
Enobarbus, deeply moved by Antony’s generosity and consumed by remorse for his disloyalty, dies from a broken heart.
Antony faces defeat as his troops desert en masse, leading him to denounce Cleopatra as a traitor. He resolves to kill her for her treachery. In response, Cleopatra devises a plan to win back Antony’s love. She sends word to him, falsely claiming that she has taken her own life, dying with his name on her lips. Cleopatra locks herself in her monument, awaiting Antony’s return.
However, Antony’s response differs from Cleopatra’s expectations. Instead of rushing back in remorse to see the “dead” Cleopatra, Antony concludes that his life is no longer worth living. He implores his aide, Eros, to run him through with a sword, but Eros, unable to carry out the act, takes his own life. Antony admires Eros’s bravery and attempts to end his own life, but only manages to wound himself severely. In agonizing pain, he learns that Cleopatra is indeed alive. Antony is hoisted up to her in the monument, where he dies in her embrace.
Octavius approaches Cleopatra, attempting to persuade her to surrender. Furious and resolute, Cleopatra refuses, dreading the prospect of being paraded through the streets of Rome in chains, forever branded as a villain. She envisions a future where actors reenact their lives, portraying their lavish and dramatic experiences. Cleopatra’s speech contains dramatic irony, as during Shakespeare’s time, male actors often portrayed Cleopatra, and the play itself depicts Antony’s drunken revelries.
Cleopatra is betrayed and captured by the Romans. She presents Octavius with what she claims is a full account of her wealth, but her treasurer accuses her of withholding some treasures. Octavius reassures her that he has no interest in her riches, but Dolabella warns her that Octavius intends to display her at his triumph.
In her desperation, Cleopatra takes her own life, using the venomous bite of an asp. She imagines a reunion with Antony in the afterlife. Her loyal serving maids, Iras and Charmian, also meet their demise, one succumbing to heartbreak and the other by the asp’s venom. Octavius discovers their lifeless bodies and experiences conflicting emotions—although Antony’s and Cleopatra’s deaths pave the way for his ascent to becoming the first Roman Emperor, he also harbors some sympathy for them. He orders a grand military funeral to honor them.
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