Act 2 of Antony and Cleopatra shows Antony and Caesar settling their quarrel in Rome and sealing their peace with a political marriage. The act also contains Enobarbus’s famous description of Cleopatra, Cleopatra’s furious reaction to the news of the marriage, and the truce with Pompey that ends in a feast on his ship. This page gives a scene-by-scene summary of Act 2, an analysis of its main ideas and the key quotes to remember. If you have not read the first act, begin with the Act 1 summary.

Act 2 Summary by Scene

Scene 1: Messina, Pompey’s House

Pompey talks with his officers Menecrates and Menas. He believes the people support him and that his strength at sea is growing. He also hopes that Antony will stay in Egypt with Cleopatra. Then a messenger arrives with news that Caesar and Lepidus are gathering forces and that Antony is on his way to Rome. Pompey worries, because Antony is a far more dangerous soldier than the others.

Scene 2: Rome, Lepidus’s House

Lepidus asks Enobarbus to persuade Antony to speak gently to Caesar. Antony and Caesar then meet, and each accuses the other of wrongs. Caesar blames Antony for the war that Fulvia and Antony’s brother started, and for treating his messenger badly. Antony defends himself and admits only a small part of the blame. Lepidus keeps the peace between them. Agrippa then suggests that Antony marry Caesar’s sister, Octavia, to bind the two men together. Both men agree, and Caesar gives his sister to Antony.

After they leave, Agrippa and Maecenas ask Enobarbus about Egypt. Enobarbus describes Cleopatra’s first meeting with Antony, when she arrived on a shining barge with silver oars and purple sails. He says that Antony will never give her up, because age cannot wither her and habit cannot make her dull.

Scene 3: Rome, Caesar’s House

Antony speaks gently to Octavia and promises to be a good husband. Alone, Antony meets a soothsayer from Egypt. The man warns him that his fortune shrinks whenever he stands near Caesar, because Caesar’s luck is stronger. He advises Antony to leave Rome. Antony privately agrees. He decides to return to Egypt, and he admits that although he makes this marriage for peace, his pleasure lies in the East.

Scene 4: A Street in Rome

This short scene shows Lepidus hurrying Maecenas and Agrippa. They must meet Antony and Caesar at Mount Misenum, where the leaders will talk with Pompey.

Scene 5: Alexandria, Cleopatra’s Palace

Cleopatra asks for music and billiards to pass the time. A messenger arrives from Rome. She first expects good news, but he tells her that Antony has married Octavia. Cleopatra hits the man, pulls him around by the hair and draws a knife. When he runs away, she calls him back and asks him questions about Octavia. He describes her as shorter than Cleopatra, quiet and dull in speech, with a low forehead. Cleopatra feels comforted and decides that Antony will not stay with such a woman.

Scene 6: Near Misenum

The three triumvirs meet Pompey, and each side states its complaints. They reach an agreement: Pompey will rule Sicily and Sardinia, clear the sea of pirates and send grain to Rome. In return, the triumvirs will not attack him. Enobarbus and Menas talk aside. Menas feels that Pompey has made a poor bargain, and the two men joke about the fortunes of the leaders.

Scene 7: On Pompey’s Ship

The leaders feast on Pompey’s galley. Servants gossip about Lepidus, who becomes drunk. Menas takes Pompey aside and offers to cut the ship’s cables and kill the three rulers, which would make Pompey master of the world. Pompey refuses. He says Menas should have acted without telling him, because honour will not let him order the deed. Menas decides to leave Pompey’s cause. The company drinks, sings and dances, and then everyone goes ashore.

Analysis of Act 2

Politics before feelings

Act 2 shows that the triumvirs are partners because they need each other, and not because they trust each other. Antony and Caesar agree to a marriage as a political tool, and Octavia becomes a bargaining piece between her brother and her husband. The soothsayer’s warning and Antony’s own private words show that the peace will not last. Look at the themes page for more on power and politics.

Enobarbus as an observer

Enobarbus acts almost like a commentator. His description of Cleopatra is one of the most celebrated speeches in Shakespeare, and it shows that even a plain soldier cannot resist her. He also predicts that Antony will leave Octavia, so the audience knows the marriage will fail before Antony himself admits it.

Cleopatra’s jealousy

Cleopatra’s reaction to the messenger shows both her temper and her love. She cares so much that she loses control, yet she soon uses reason to calm herself. The scene mixes comedy with real feeling, and it reminds the audience that Egypt is not far from Antony’s mind.

Honour against advantage

Pompey’s refusal to murder his guests is the moral centre of the feast. He wants the result, but he will not carry out a dishonourable act himself. His choice makes him seem noble, and it also shows why he loses against Caesar, who is more willing to use any means.

Language and Style in Act 2

The act moves between rich poetry and plain political talk. Enobarbus’s barge speech uses glowing images of gold, silver, perfume and wind to make Egypt feel almost magical. The Roman meetings, on the other hand, use short, sharp exchanges full of accusations and bargains. The feast scene adds comedy, song and drunkenness, which hide the real danger beneath the celebration. This contrast helps the audience feel the difference between the two worlds.

Key Quotes from Act 2

• “The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne, burned on the water” (Enobarbus, Scene 2): Cleopatra’s wealth and beauty.
• “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety” (Enobarbus, Scene 2): why Antony cannot leave her.
• “I’ the East my pleasure lies” (Antony, Scene 3): he already plans to return to Egypt.

Read the full explanations on the famous quotes and meanings page.

Exam Questions on Act 2

• Why do Antony and Caesar agree that Antony should marry Octavia?
• How does Enobarbus’s speech about Cleopatra shape our view of her?
• Describe Cleopatra’s reaction to the news of Antony’s marriage.
• Why does Pompey refuse Menas’s offer on the ship?

Continue Reading

• Antony and Cleopatra Act 3 Summary and Analysis
• Antony and Cleopatra Act 1 Summary and Analysis
• Antony and Cleopatra Characters and Character Analysis
• Antony and Cleopatra Study Guide and Essay Questions