# Of the Drawing Forth of Antony from the Timonium Back to Cleopatra; Of the Feast Made by Cleopatra; and of the Manner of the Death of Eudosius the Steward explained — Cleopatra > Chapter companion for Cleopatra by H. Rider Haggard. ## What happens Charmion and Harmachis (as Olympus) draw Antony from his self-imposed exile in the Timonium back to Cleopatra. At a feast, Cleopatra tests a poisoned wreath on the traitorous steward Eudosius, demonstrating her power and proving her loyalty to Antony. ## Themes in this chapter ### Love and Betrayal Antony's despair and Cleopatra's manipulation highlight the intertwining of love and treachery, as she uses a deadly test to prove her fidelity. ### Power and Corruption Cleopatra's ruthless execution of Eudosius demonstrates the corrupting influence of power and the lengths she will go to maintain control. ### Jealousy and Revenge Cleopatra's vengeance against the traitorous steward reflects her jealousy of any threat to her authority and her desire for retribution. ## Character check-ins ### Harmachis Disguised as Olympus the physician, he accompanies Charmion to retrieve Antony and later prepares the poison for Cleopatra's test. ### Cleopatra Devises a plan to test Antony's trust by poisoning the steward Eudosius, revealing her cunning and ruthless nature. ### Charmion Leads the effort to bring Antony back to Cleopatra and orchestrates the poison preparation with Harmachis. ### Antony Found in despair at the Timonium, he is persuaded to return to Cleopatra and witnesses the death of Eudosius. ### Atoua Assists Harmachis in preparing the deadly poison for the wreath. ### Eudosius The treacherous steward who attempts to flee with treasure and is poisoned by Cleopatra as a lesson. ## Key lines > I come! I come! Shame upon me, that I dared to doubt her! Slave, bring water, and a purple robe: not thus can I be seen of Cleopatra. Antony, ashamed of his doubt, calls for water and a purple robe to present himself properly to Cleopatra. _Antony's return to Cleopatra marks a pivotal moment of renewed loyalty._ > Drink! thou slave; drink! ... By Serapis! so surely as I yet shall sit in the Capitol at Rome, if thou dost thus flout the Lord Antony, I’ll have thee scourged to the bones, and the red wine poured upon thy open wounds to heal them! Cleopatra threatens Eudosius with brutal torture if he refuses to drink the poisoned wine. _Cleopatra's fierce command reveals her cruelty and determination to expose the traitor._ > Thou wanton! ... thou hast poisoned me! Thus mayst thou also perish! Eudosius, dying, curses Cleopatra and wishes a similar death upon her. _The steward's final words foreshadow Cleopatra's own eventual demise by poison._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/cleopatra_se/chapters/v-of-the-drawing-forth-of-antony-from-the-timonium-back-to-cleopatra-of-the-feast-made-by-cleopatra-and-of-the-manner-of-the-death-of-eudosius-the-steward - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/cleopatra_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/cleopatra_se/chapters