Antony and Cleopatra · Chapter
Scene XII explained
Caesar receives Antony's ambassador Euphronius, who delivers Antony's request to live in Egypt or as a private man in Athens, and Cleopatra's submission to Caesar's might.
What happens
Caesar receives Antony's ambassador Euphronius, who delivers Antony's request to live in Egypt or as a private man in Athens, and Cleopatra's submission to Caesar's might. Caesar rejects Antony's plea but offers Cleopatra leniency if she betrays Antony. Caesar then dispatches Thyreus to win Cleopatra over with promises.
Themes in this chapter
Power and Ambition
Caesar consolidates power by rejecting Antony's requests and manipulating Cleopatra's allegiance.
Betrayal and Trust
Caesar seeks to exploit Cleopatra's loyalty, urging her to betray Antony for her own gain.
Characters to notice
- Octavius Caesar
Receives Antony's ambassador and rejects his request; plots to win Cleopatra from Antony.
- Dolabella
Identifies Euphronius as Antony's schoolmaster and comments on Antony's diminished state.
- Thyreus
Dispatched by Caesar to use his eloquence to win Cleopatra from Antony.
- Euphronius
Serves as Antony's ambassador, delivering his and Cleopatra's requests to Caesar.
Key passages
“An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither He sends so poor a pinion off his wing, Which had superfluous kings for messengers Not many moons gone by.”
This shows Antony is diminished, since he now sends a lowly schoolmaster as messenger when he once had many kings at his service.
Dolabella comments on Antony's fall from power.
“From Antony win Cleopatra: promise, And in our name, what she requires; add more, From thine invention, offers: women are not In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure The ne'er-touch'd vestal: try thy cunning, Thyreus;”
Go and persuade Cleopatra to abandon Antony: promise her whatever she wants, and even invent extra offers, because women are weak in good fortune and poverty can corrupt even the purest.
Caesar instructs Thyreus on how to manipulate Cleopatra.