The Argument.
After the ouerthrowe of Brutus and Cassius,
the libertie of Rome being now vtterly oppressed,
and the Empire setled in the hands
of Octauius Cæsar and Marcus Antonius,
(who for knitting a straiter bonde of amitie betweene
them, had taken to wife Octauia the sister of Cæsar)
Antonius vndertooke a iourney against the Parthians,
with intent to regaine on them the honor wonne by them
from the Romains, at the discomfiture and slaughter of
Crassus. But comming in his iourney into Siria, the places
renewed in his remembrance the long intermitted
loue of Cleopatra Queene of Aegipt: who before time
had both in Cilicia and at Alexandria, entertained him
with all the exquisite delightes and sumptuous pleasures,
which a great Prince and voluptuous Louer could to the
vttermost desire. Where upon omitting his enterprice, he
made his returne to Alexandria, againe falling to his former
loues, without any regard of his vertuous wife Octauia,
by whom neuertheles he had excellent Children. This
occasion Octauius tooke of taking armes against him:
and preparing a mighty fleet, encountred him at Actium,
who also had assembled to that place a great number of
Gallies of his own, besides 60 which Cleopatra brought
with her from Aegipt. But at the very beginning of the
battell Cleopatra with all her Gallies betooke her to
flight, which Antony seeing could not but follow; by his
departure leauing to Octauius the greatest victorye
which in any Sea Battell hath beene heard off. Which he
not negligent to pursue, followes them the next spring,
and besiedgeth them within Alexandria, where Antony
finding all that he trusted to faile him, beginneth to growe
iealouse and to suspect Cleopatra. She thereupon enclosed
her selfe with two of her women in a monument she had
before caused to be built, thence sends him woord she was
dead: which he beleeuing for truth, gaue himselfe with
his Swoord a deadly wound: but died not vntill a messenger
came from Cleopatra to haue him brought to her to
the tombe. Which she not daring to open least she should be
made a prisoner to the Romaines, and carried in Cæsars
triumph, cast downe a corde from an high window, by
the which (her women helping her) she trussed vp Antonius
halfe dead, and so got him into the monument.
The Stage supposed Alexandria: the Chorus, first Egiptians,
and after Romane Souldiors. The Historie to be read
at large in Plutarch in the life of Antonius.
