Act I, scene I

Serapion and myris, priest of the temple of isis, narrate the ominous portents that they saw such as the unseasonal flooding of the nile and the emergency of dead ptolemies from their graves. Cleopatra's eunuch alexas advises the priests not to disturb people with their ill prognostics'. Antony's sincere liteutenant ventidius is determined to put an end to Cleopatra's envervating hold on antony. He assures antony that there are thousands of soldiers in lower syria who will follow him if he gives up cleopatra. Antony flares up on hearing this hard condition but cools down soon and agrees to fight against octavius caesar once more, with the eagerness which he once exhibited in his fight against cassius and brutus at philippi. 

Act II, scene I

We meet celopatra for the first time in this scene. Cleopatra is very sad because antony is going to leave her for battle without meeting her. With her eunch Alexas's help, she meets Antony. Antony levels a series of charges against her. She allowed herself to be enjoyed by julius caesar. She summoned Antony from his newly married wife Octavia. Finally, at actium, she abandoned Antony and fled from the battlefield. Though upset by Antony's charges, cleopatra patiently answers them all. She says that julius caesar enjoyed her body only and not her love. It was only Antony she loved with all her heart. As for Antony leaving octavia, cleopatra says that  she is not responsible for it. It was because octavia was a dull and insipid ‘thing’ that Antony left her.Regarding her flight from Actium, she says that she was motivated by fear, the weakness of all women. To prove her deep attachment to Antony, she shows him octaviu's tempting letter to her, offering her Egypt and syria if she abandoned him. That she has rejected this offer outright is a sure proof of her loyalty to him. She says that she is prepared to die for his sake. Touched, Antony embraces her and says that she is far more valuable to him than the vast Roman Empire which he dismisses as a mere rattle and a geegaw. The boy Octavius would be delighted with such toys, but not he. 

      Ventidius is disgusted at this sudden change and leaves. After he goes away, Antony reveals his plan. He proposes to lunch a surprise attack on Octavius caesar's camp by secretly opening the gate that leads to the place where octavius's army is resting. After routing Octavius, Antony hopes to spend the night with Cleopatra. 

The story continues………… .