Antony and Cleopatra Act 1, Scene 3

Act 1, Scene 3.

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Another room in Cleopatra’s palace.

(Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas enter)

Cleopatra: Where is Antony?

Charmian: I haven’t seen him since before we left him.

Cleopatra (to Alexas): Find out where he is, who’s with him, and what he’s doing. And don’t tell him I sent you. If you find him and he’s sad, tell him I’m dancing. If he’s happy, tell him I’ve suddenly become very sick. Go quickly and then come back.

(Alexas exits)

Charmian: Madam, I think that if you really love him, you’re not going about making him love you in return the right way. 

Cleopatra: What should I be doing that I’m not doing?

Charmian: Let him have his way in everything. Don’t argue with him about anything.

Cleopatra: That’s foolish advice. That’s the way to lose him.

Charmian: Don’t push him too far. Be nicer to him. He’s afraid of you now, but in time he’ll start to hate you. Oh, here he comes.

(Mark Antony enters)

Cleopatra: (in self—pity) I am sick and depressed.

Mark Antony: I’m sorry to have to tell you…

Cleopatra: Help me out of here, dear Charmian. I’m about to fall. Nature won’t allow me to live much longer.

Mark Antony: Now, my dearest queen…

Cleopatra: Please, stand back.

Mark Antony: What’s the matter?

Cleopatra: What does your wife say? You may leave. I wish she had never let you come here! Don’t let her say that I kept you here. I have no power over you. You are hers.

Mark Antony: The gods only know…

Cleopatra: Never was there a queen who has been betrayed worse than I have. But I knew this would happen from the beginning.

Mark Antony: Cleopatra…

Cleopatra: Why did I think that you could be mine and be true to me? You betrayed your vows to Fulvia when you swore your love to me so how could I have believed you wouldn’t break your vows to me?

Mark Antony: Most sweet queen…

Cleopatra: No, when you wanted to stay was when you were allowed to say those things to me. Now that you’re going, just say goodbye. Eternity was on our lips and in our eyes. We were happy. When we left each other, we couldn’t wait to see each other again. It will be that way now or you, the greatest soldier in the world, have become the greatest liar.

Mark Antony: Why do you say that, my lady?

Cleopatra: If you were in my shoes, you would know how I feel.

Mark Antony: Listen to me, queen. I have important business to take care of, but my heart will stay with you. Italy is in civil war. Sextus Pompeius is sailing toward the port of Rome. He and Caesar are so equal in power that everyone’s choosing sides. Sextus, riding on his father’s name, is gathering the support of those people who have not done well under Caesar’s government. Besides that, and the reason why you shouldn’t worry about my leaving, is that Fulvia is dead.

Cleopatra: You’re supposed to get wiser as you get older, but here I’ve been acting like a child. Is Fulvia really dead?

Mark Antony: She’s dead, my queen. Look here and read the letter (hands her the letter). It tells when and where she died.

Cleopatra: Oh, you false lover! Why aren’t you crying? Now I see. If you’re not sad at Fulvia’s death, you wouldn’t be sad at mine either.

Mark Antony: Stop picking fights and listen to me. It is my plan to leave here.

Cleopatra: Come, Charmian. I was sick, but now I am well again. That’s how Antony loves – always going back and forth.

Mark Antony: My precious queen, wait, and let me prove my love.

Cleopatra: I have seen how well you love by how well you loved Fulvia. Please, make yourself cry for her and then say goodbye to me. Make me believe that your tears are because you are leaving Egypt.

Mark Antony: Oh how you make my blood boil!

Cleopatra: You can do better than that, can’t you?

Mark Antony: By my sword…

Cleopatra: He’s still going on, but he’s not doing his best yet. Look, Charmian, how this Herculean Roman is being carried along by his anger.

Mark Antony: I’ll leave you, lady.

Cleopatra: Sir, let me just say one more thing. You and I must part, but that’s not it. You and I have loved, but that’s not it. You know all that. What I want to say is that you have forgotten me. Your duty calls you away from here. So don’t listen to my foolishness. May the gods go with you! And may your sword bring you victory! And may you have an easy victory!

Mark Antony: Though you stay here, you are going with me. And though I am going, I remain with you. Goodbye! (Mark Antony exits)

Go to: Next scene (Act 1, Scene 4) or Antony and Cleopatra Table of Contents where you can also compare this scene to Shakespeare’s original.