Doc Sherwood's Antony and Cleopatra, Act Two

SCENE 6

Rome, the council chamber.

CAESAR, AGRIPPA and LEPIDUS, discussing the Egyptian threat.

CAESAR: So much for our visions of averting this. Seems Cleopatra's more than capable of waging war on us, without any help from Antony.

AGRIPPA: We Romans are more than capable of resisting her, Caesar.

Enter OCTAVIA, running and tearful.

CAESAR: What, weeping? That's no way for the Emperor's sister to behave!

OCTAVIA: Caesar, my lord and my noble brother! It's Antony. He's gone. Gone from Rome, without a word to me!

CAESAR: [Furious] Cleopatra!

LEPIDUS: Say it isn't so, Sire!

CAESAR: It's certain. One nod of that Egyptian head, and Antony's hers all over again. [To OCTAVIA] My dearest sister, it seems Cleopatra already wants a war. Now, for your sake, I'll make sure she gets one!

Exit all but OCTAVIA.

OCTAVIA: But war between such powers will crack our world in two, and slain men without number will tumble into the rift. When my brother and my love are at odds, my heart's the victim of both! An unhappier lady never stood between two such opposing extremes, no middle ground to be claimed at all.

OCTAVIA sinks to her knees at centre-stage, weeping.

Cue battle-noise. Once again, stage-hands stretch blue cloths across the breadth of the stage, this time shaking them fiercely to suggest a raging sea.

Enter the ROMAN SOLDIERS from one side of the stage, and the EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS from the other, the weeping form of OCTAVIA in between them.

Then, the stage-hands lower the cloths level with the stage-boards, still shaking them to suggest water.

The two groups of SOLDIERS break formation, draw their swords and charge at each other. They fight, weaving around OCTAVIA who remains kneeling and in tears at centre-stage.

Enter NARRATOR, who speaks while the fight goes on:

NARRATOR: And so it was that the war laid waste the ancient world. Antony fled to Egypt and the arms of his beloved Cleopatra, but his subsequent attempts at leadership proved what Caesar had already affirmed - that drink and decadence had robbed him not only of the heart of a General, but even that of a man.

The ROMAN SOLDIERS defeat the EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS, and chase them offstage.

NARRATOR: With defeat for Egypt certain, Cleopatra sought out Caesar and begged him to show mercy. Caesar however would not be appeased, and determined to avenge in full the insult to Octavia's honour, pressed on. Antony meanwhile, receiving word of this, flew into a rage and was convinced Cleopatra had turned against him...

Exit NARRATOR and OCTAVIA.

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

ANTONY: All is lost. She to whom I willingly pledged my love has betrayed me. All that's left for me to do is challenge Caesar to lay his many legions aside and meet me in single combat, sword against sword, man against man. Enobarbus, follow me!

Exit ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

Enter CLEOPATRA, IRAS and CHARMIAN.

CLEOPATRA: Help me, my women! Antony's gone mad, and Caesar won't rest until he's conquered Egypt. Everywhere I look, I'm doomed!

CHARMIAN: Quick, Your Majesty, let's barricade ourselves in your monument at Alexandria. There at least we'll be safe for a while.

IRAS: This is the rise and fall of Antony's own personal empire, and he's taking all of us down with him.

CLEOPATRA: The monument then, and hurry.

Exit CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN and IRAS, with haste.

SCENE 7

Actium, the battlefield.

ANTONY and ENOBARBUS waiting at one side of the stage.

Enter CAESAR, OCTAVIA and ROMAN SOLDIERS, from the other side of the stage.

ANTONY, on seeing OCTAVIA, is broken-hearted. He starts towards her.

ANTONY: What have I done? To think I might have married one so faithful and true, to raise sons and daughters who'd have been the pride of Rome! Why did I cast you off, Octavia, for a false-hearted self-serving Queen?

CAESAR thrusts OCTAVIA firmly behind him, keeping her away from ANTONY.

CAESAR: What's done is done, Antony! Do you think I'm ever going to let you near my sister again?

ANTONY: What is this? By all the gods and devils, who do you think you're talking to? I am Antony!

CAESAR: Wrong. Maybe you were once, but now you're just another old ruffian. So you're here to challenge me to a duel? I may not know how I'm going to die, but I'll tell you this - it won't be by your hand. I laugh at your ludicrous dare!

ANTONY: Laugh at this! I'll fight, and I'll live! The greatness in me that you believe dead is about to be reborn in your blood!

ANTONY runs at CASEAR and they fight. ANTONY loses.

CAESAR: Oh, Antony! Poor Antony! Friend, then brother, and then enemy. Who knows what else you might have been, if you'd only stood by your Emperor? A man of such potential ought to have made a better end. You were the closest I ever had to an equal. To think you should have fallen so far, as to be reduced to this!

ANTONY: Save me, Enobarbus! Get me out of here!

ENOBARBUS helps Antony to escape.

ENOBARBUS: Heroic last stands sometimes work in the theatre, but you don't find them in the history books.

Exit ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

SCENE 8

Actium, on board the Egyptian flagship.

Enter ANTONY, helped by ENOBARBUS.

ANTONY: The war's over, Enobarbus. Now it's time to sleep.

ENOBARBUS: What are you asking of me?

ANTONY : You already know, because you're a good Roman. Do what you're sworn to do. The time has come for you to kill me.

ANTONY kneels before ENOBARBUS, who draws his sword and holds it over ANTONY’s neck.

ENOBARBUS: My sword is drawn.

ANTONY: Well then, don't stand there giving me a play-by-play.

ENOBARBUS: My dear Antony, please let me say a word or two before I do what has to be done.

ANTONY: No time for long goodbyes, old friend. Farewell.

ENOBARBUS: Farewell. I wouldn't have changed any of it for the world. Should I strike now?

ANTONY: Now.

ENOBARBUS: Then strike I shall!

ENOBARBUS stabs himself, and falls.

ENOBARBUS: Forgive me, Antony. Your death would have been the one sorrow I couldn't bear.

ENOBARBUS dies.

ANTONY: Oh, Enobarbus, why did you have to be so much nobler than I ever was? My teacher to the last. I've learned from you!

ANTONY takes the sword and stabs himself.

Enter the EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS.

FIRST SOLDIER: What’s all this noise?

ANTONY: Whoever's there, please finish what I've started! Let any man who was every loyal to me now strike me dead!

Enter ALEXAS.

ANTONY: Is that you, Alexas? There's a sword on the deck beside me. Use it to put me out of my misery!

ALEXAS: My lord, Cleopatra has sent me to you.

ANTONY: Cleopatra? Where is she?

ALEXAS: In her monument. She loves you still, Antony, and never betrayed you. Yet when she tried to bargain with Caesar for your life, you reacted with such wrath that she was afraid. Cleopatra wanted you to know the truth, but I fear I've come too late.

ANTONY: I'm inclined to agree, good Alexas. My friends, take me to Cleopatra now. It's the last duty I'll ever command of you.

The SOLDIERS carry ANTONY offstage.

Exit all.

SCENE 9

Egypt, the monument.

CLEOPATRA on her throne, which is in the same spot on the stage as it was in Scene 1. CHARMIAN and IRAS attending sadly on her.

CLEOPATRA: I'm never going to leave this place. My monument will also be my tomb.

CHARMIAN: Take heart, dear Majesty.

Enter ALEXAS and the EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS, carrying ANTONY. They lay him down, and CLEOPATRA rushes to his side.

CLEOPATRA: Oh Antony, Antony, Antony! Is he dead?

ALEXAS: Not quite yet, Your Majesty, but he hasn't long to live.

ANTONY: I am dying, Queen of Egypt, dying. But I lived well. I stood among the greatest and proudest men of Rome, and of all the world! Antony I was, and thus does Antony die.

ANTONY dies.

CLEOPATRA: I never wanted that Antony. Who could care for a mindless colossus, bestriding the Earth? Call me "Cleo" again. Say something stupid, like you always used to do. Don't you know that without the Antony I loved, nothing can ever be wonderful again?

CLEOPATRA breaks down and cries.

IRAS: [Weeping] Fie and alack! Woe is us! Alack the day!

CHARMIAN: [Weeping] Oh, Your Majesty!

CLEOPATRA: [Composing herself] Let's do as you suggested, Charmian, and try to take heart. Brave soldiers, I thank you for your service. Please bury him.

Exit the SOLDIERS, carrying the body of ANTONY.

CLEOPATRA: Alexas, it's time for the visitor I summoned earlier. I had a feeling I was going to need him, and now I do. The old man with the figs? Show him in.

Exit ALEXAS.

CLEOPATRA: Now, Charmian, Iras! I need to look a little more like a Queen. Go and fetch me my very best get-up. Soon I'll be setting off again for the River Cydnus, there to meet my Antony.

CHARMIAN and IRAS don't understand these words, but they obediently exit.

Re-enter ALEXAS, with the OLD MAN, who is carrying a basket.

ALEXAS: [Also rather puzzled] Er, here he is then, Your Majesty. With his figs.

CLEOPATRA: Let him come in.

Exit ALEXAS.

CLEOPATRA: Do you have the pretty worm that kills people without pain?

OLD MAN: Yep, indeed I do.

He gives CLEOPATRA his basket.

CLEOPATRA: Have you seen anyone die from it before?

OLD MAN: Hundreds, my girl. And I'll tell you something else, most of them never got better afterwards. The worm is an odd worm.

CLEOPATRA: Very good, you may go.

OLD MAN: You just keep your wits about you. You'll thank me for the advice. Because take it from me, there's no goodness in the worm.

CLEOPATRA: Then it's exactly what I need. Don't you worry about that.

OLD MAN: I wish you joy o'the worm.

Exit OLD MAN.

Re-enter CHARMIAN and IRAS, with CLEOPATRA’s robe and crown. CLEOPATRA sits down again in her throne, taking the basket with her.

CLEOPATRA: Give me my robe, and put on my crown. I can already hear Antony calling me.

CHARMIAN and IRAS dress CLEOPATRA in the robe and crown. Once this is done, CLEOPATRA takes a snake out of the basket and lays it on her body.

IRAS: Oh, by the eastern star!

CLEOPATRA: But its touch is sweet as the summer air, Iras. Just as soft, and just as gentle. Oh, Antony! Why should I stay?

CLEOPATRA dies.

CHARMIAN: Stay, in a world like this? No, Your Majesty. You're better off out of it. Now Death can boast he has in his possession a lass unparalleled.

Re-enter ALEXAS.

ALEXAS: What's going on here?

CHARMIAN: Speak softly. Cleopatra's sleeping. Don't wake her.

Enter NARRATOR.

NARRATOR: And as it was then, so is it written now. For the servant asked: “Is this well done?” And the maiden answered: “It is well done, and fitting for a princess descended of so many royal kings.”

Curtain.