Antony's love for Cleopatra meant that on many occasions he neglected his life in Rome. We find out the true Roman view of Antony's behaviour from Caesar and Lepidus in Act 1 sc. 4. The comments from Caesar, Antony's great rival, show his disgust when he says, "You shall find there a man who is the abstract of all faults that all men follow," meaning that Antony is seen as a role model to all young Roman men due to his previous acheivments;"Antony…when thou once was beaten from Modena, where thou slew'st Hirtius and Pansa." Caesar making such fond remarks of Antony would almost shock the audience because it is so unexpected from him. Both Lepidus and Caesar are saying that Antony is being dishonourable to himself and others by not living up to the reputation he has built for himself.
Evidence to suggest that Cleopatra has a hold of Antony is in Act 3 sc. 7 when Antony decides to fight by sea in full knowledge that his army is so much weaker than Caesar's. Shakespeare puts across to the audience that this decision is made whilst he is in a trance of Cleopatra's spell and it is almost as though she encourages him: "I have sixty sails, Caesar none better," which is slightly ironic because despite that fact that she appears to have great ships, at the time of war they retreat. Canidius shows his worries and his disapproval of Antony's decision by saying, "So our leader's led, and we are women's men," and later on Scarus says, "We have kissed away Kingdoms and provinces." All of Antony's loyal subjects feel that Cleopatra has a bad influence on his Romanity and honourable reputation. They go on to later say that "Antony…like a doting mallard…flies after her" because of his loyalty to the one he loves. The fact that Antony can change from a man deep in self pity, "despair" and regret from following Cleopatra from the battle, to a man who has forgiven from one kiss, shows the overpowering enchanted hold Cleopatra has on him. Cleopatra in defence of her actions, tries to sway Antony by saying, "I little thought you would have followed," when she knew very well how much Antony loves her, and that he would do whatever she did. "Give me a kiss. Even this repays me," shows his weakness to her.
The start of Antony's decline comes in Act 3 sc. 13 when he says to Cleopatra, "Alack, our terrene moon is now eclipsed and it portends alone the fall of Antony," and he says this in a very melancholy way. His language is foreshadowing what is to come because, not to his knowledge at this time, he does die first out of the two. The word "Cold" appears several times in this scene to reiterate the fact that he is so miserable and unhappy. In the whole of Act 4, Antony seems to be more determined than he has been throughout the play, and this determination to win what he sees as his last battle, means that he also becomes more emotive in what he says to his "friends," for example, for the first time in the whole play, Antony uses Enobarbus' first name, Domitius suggesting a growing intimacy between them which is highly ironic seeing as Enobarbus is about to leave him.
His language becomes very dignified: "Perchance tomorrow you'll serve another master…I turn you not away, but, like a master married to your good service stay till death."
At the last battle between Caesar and Antony, Cleopatra again fails to help him in his battle, which makes Antony not only angry with her but also disheartened. He realises at this point that his unquestionable love for her has lost him his reputation and his self-respect. He uses language that had previously been used by Philo in the very first scene of the play, for example, "like a right gypsy hath fast and loose beguiled me to the very heart of loss."
Cleopatra toys with Antony's emotions and to test his love for her and simply to see the reaction it would receive, she sends a messenger to tell him of her death. In his rage you would imagine he would be happy because of all the dark death language he was using. Antony holds himself and his outburst of rage towards Cleopatra responsible for her death, and because of this decides to take his own life so he can be with her. He imagines that their "sprightly port make the ghosts gaze" at their beauty as a couple. "I will be a bridegroom in my death and run into't as to a lovers bed," shows that Antony is using very strong language. He then finds out, after he has stabbed himself, that Cleopatra is in fact alive. As his last request, he wants to be with his Cleopatra and so is carried to her monument where she has locked herself.
Cleopatra, amongst all her dishonesty, did not believe that he would take his own life and react in the way that he did. It is because of Antony's death that Cleopatra decides to do the same, "after the high Roman fashion and make death proud to take us," showing that she wants both hers and Antony's death to be seen as honourable in Roman eyes. Caesar's reaction to his death is one of remembrance of his greatness. The language used is much like that of at the start of the play when he is talking with Lepidus.
Cleopatra, at the end, wants to die in a painless way and so sends for some asps, which have poisonous venom. She gets herself dressed in her best clothes so that she looks nice for her Antony. Her jealousy is shown when she thinks that because Iras died first, she would be able to get to Antony before her, "If she first meet the Curled Antony, he'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss which is my heaven to have," and with that she applies an asp to her breast, beginning the death process.
I feel that Cleopatra's manipulation and decption help Antony in his downfall, but there were other key elements such as his situation with Rome and the other triumvirs.
