Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… in the Roman Empire, right after the assassination of Julius Caesar. A supporter of Caesar, Antony has now taken up many of his former leader's duties, including care of the Empire.
Visiting... the rest of the Roman Empire. As a famed Roman general, Antony's duties bring him from Syria to Athens to Parthia – anywhere battles need to be fought and won. His heart, however, belongs to Egypt, home of the beautiful queen Cleopatra.
Profession… co-ruler of Rome, along with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus. In theory, the three share power and make decisions together as equal members of the of the Roman Triumvirate. In reality, however, Octavius and Antony are locked in a bitter battle for power, with Lepidus unwittingly caught between their competing ambitions.
Interests… battle, but also love. Antony is known in Rome as a brave and stalwart soldier, but that doesn't mean he's immune to the temptations of fine wine and beautiful women. And in Egypt, far from the eyes of his countrymen, these are temptations Antony feels free to indulge in.
Relationship Status… married to Fulvia, but passionately involved with Cleopatra. For Antony, marriage is a matter of political necessity while his relationship with Cleopatra is one of unbridled passion. They may fight, but as Antony declares to her, "Egypt, thou knew'st too well/My heart was to thy rudder tied."
Challenge… balancing his role as a ruler with his role as a lover. Antony might call Cleopatra "the armourer of my heart," but his fellow Romans see their relationship quite differently. To them, Antony's passion for Cleopatra compromises his role as a ruler, and many fear that the queen has him in her power. Antony, of course, knows differently – but with Octavius plotting against him and Rome losing trust in its general, Antony may be forced to choose between Egypt or Rome.
Personality… brave and noble, but conflicted. A powerful general and a passionate lover, Antony struggles to reconcile the two aspects of his personality. He takes pride in being a respected soldier, and is consequently rankled by the thought that others would think less of him for loving Cleopatra. At the same time, however, Antony's equally devoted to Cleopatra, and would not hesitate to sacrifice all – country, power, and even life – for his lover.
Get to Know him in...
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Historical epic. The triumphs and tragedy of the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.The winner of four Oscars, this epic saga of love, greed and betrayal stars Elizabeth Taylor as the passionate and ambitious Egyptian queen who's determined to hold on to the throne and seduces the Roman emperor Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison). When Caesar is murdered, she redirects her attentions to his general, Marc Antony (Richard Burton), who vows to take power -- but Caesar's successor (Roddy McDowall) has other plans.
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The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnets, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world. She was married twice, each time to a brother. She waged a brutal civil war against the first when both were teenagers. She poisoned the second. Ultimately she dispensed with an ambitious sister as well; incest and assassination were family specialties. Cleopatra appears to have had sex with only two men. They happen, however, to have been Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, among the most prominent Romans of the day. Both were married to other women. Cleopatra had a child with Caesar and--after his murder--three more with his protégé. Already she was the wealthiest ruler in the Mediterranean; the relationship with Antony confirmed her status as the most influential woman of the age. The two would together attempt to forge a new empire, in an alliance that spelled their ends. Cleopatra has lodged herself in our imaginations ever since. Famous long before she was notorious, Cleopatra has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons. Shakespeare and Shaw put words in her mouth. Michelangelo, Tiepolo, and Elizabeth Taylor put a face to her name. Along the way, Cleopatra's supple personality and the drama of her circumstances have been lost. In a masterly return to the classical sources, Stacy Schiff here boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. Rich in detail, epic in scope, Schiff 's is a luminous, deeply original reconstruction of a dazzling life.
