ANTONY E CLOPATRA
The play starts into Clopatra's palace in Alexandria, where the two protagonists live their love story. Antonio is away from the duties himself as triumvir of the Roman empire.
The balance is disrupted when Antony receives news from Rome
scene 1
The scene starts with the apparance of a Antony's follower, Philo, who tells about how Antony governs the empire. Philo says that Antony blinded by the love of Cleopatra and now, he doesn't govern more like in past his reign. Philo says that Antony formerly had "goodly eyes" and now to descrive his eyes the poet uses "bend and turn".
Shortly afer the speech of Philo, Antony, Cleopatra, her ladies Charmian and Iras enter in the scene. The two protagonists immediately exhibit their passional love; Shakespeare uses expression like "love that can be reckoned" to underline the passio of this love.
Right now a messanger enters in the scene and he brings news from Rome.
Antony isn't interest by news while Cleopatra order him to listen the messanger because news could is about Fulvia, the wife of Antony or Caesar. But Antony doesn't listen the messanger and focuses his attention only on Cleopatra. This behaviour underlines the "madness" of the protagonist; the love for Cleopatra is more important that his political tasks.
Antony and Cleopatra come out of the scene.
Demetrius, another follower of Antony, enters in the scene and starts to tell with Philo about Antony. Demetius asks itself if Caesar is so littlr respected by Antony and Philo tells Demetrius that Antony doesn't follow duties that should be respected; Demetrius underlines that people from Rome haven't a good opinion of Antony.
This underlines once again the "madness" of Antony and the bad opinion of popole about him and the cause of all is his lover, Cleopatra.
The scene ending with the exit of Demetrius and Philo.
scene 2
The second scene is set in another hall of the palace; it starts with the entrance of Charmian, Iras and Alexas, Cleopatra's attendants.
Immediately also a soothsayer enters in the scene; the Cleopatra's attendants ask him to read the future. Cleopatra's attendants dreaming a life as the queen with love, wealth and power.
While Cleopatra's attendants dreaming a new life, Enobardus, a follower of Antony, enters in the scene who order to prepare a well-laid table for the queen Cleopatra but Cleopatra's attendants continue to listen the soothsayer until the queen of Egypt enters in the scene.
Cleopatra asks about Antony but no one have seen him; she says that she has seen him very upset.
Antony enters in the scene with others messangers and attendants while Cleopatra exits.
The messanger tells Antony that his wife Fulvia fought against Antont's brother, Lucius, but both became friends; after Fulvia and Lucius fought against Caesar and he droved them from Italy.
Another messanger announces to Antony that his wife Fulvia is dead in Sicyon why she was complotting against Octavian; the messanger also says that the empire is threatened by the allies of Brutus, Cassius and Pompeo Magno.
Antony confesses to Enobardus that he must return to Rome because Cleopatra is a distraction and this has consegun on the empire.
For the first time Antony realizes that love for Clopatra is an obstacle for political power.
Antony and Enobardus exits from the scene.