Plutarch · c. AD 46-after 119
Life of Antony
ἈντώνιοςPlutarch's Life of Antony follows Mark Antony, the Roman general and associate of Julius Caesar, from his family and youth through the civil wars, the triumvirate, his disastrous Parthian campaign and his love for Cleopatra, to the defeat at Actium and his death at Alexandria. Antony's descent from Heracles, his role as the New Dionysus, the omens before the war and his imitation of Timon recur through the Life, which ends with the death of Cleopatra and the descendants of Antony down to Nero. The Life is paired with the Life of Demetrius, and Plutarch's comparison of the two men follows it.
Contents · 24 passages
- 1.1–4.4Antony's youth, Curio's debts, the Egyptian campaign and his descent from Heracles1341 words
- 5.1–8.3Antony joins Caesar: the senate, the civil war and Pharsalus1284 words
- 9.1–11.3Antony as Master of Horse: Dolabella, Fulvia and the consulships1076 words
- 12.1–15.3The Lupercalia diadem and the death of Caesar976 words
- 16.1–21.4Antony and the young Caesar; Mutina, the triumvirate and the murder of Cicero1669 words
- 22.1–24.8Antony defeats Cassius and sees Brutus die; Antony in Greece and Asia, hailed as Dionysus at Ephesus1142 words
- 25.1–27.4Cleopatra sails up the Cydnus to meet Antony845 words
- 28.1–29.4Antony and Cleopatra in Alexandria: the Inimitable Livers and the fishing jest956 words
- 30.1–32.5Fulvia's death, Antony's marriage to Octavia, and the pact at Misenum882 words
- 33.1–36.4Ventidius beats the Parthians; Octavia at Tarentum; Cleopatra's gifts1425 words
- 37.1–39.7Antony invades Parthia and besieges Phraata1180 words
- 40.1–43.3Antony's retreat from Phraata: the Mardian guide and Flavius Gallus1541 words
- 44.1–47.4The retreat continues: the shield roof, hunger and the warning of Mithridates1430 words
- 48.1–52.2The night march, the river Araxes and Antony's losses in Armenia1243 words
- 53.1–55.2Octavia and Cleopatra; the royal gifts at Alexandria; the quarrel with Caesar1151 words
- 56.1–59.4Ephesus, Samos and Athens; Antony's will and Geminius1367 words
- 60.1–64.2Omens before the war; the fleets; Antony prepares for Actium1456 words
- 65.1–68.5The battle of Actium and Antony's flight after Cleopatra1655 words
- 69.1–73.3Antony the Timon of Pharos; Cleopatra tests poisons; the last embassy1509 words
- 74.1–76.5Antony's last battle; the Bacchic revel leaves the city; Antony stabs himself934 words
- 77.1–79.3Antony dies in Cleopatra's tomb; Proculeius takes Cleopatra800 words
- 80.1–83.5Caesar enters the city; the fate of Antyllus and Caesarion; Cleopatra's interview940 words
- 84.1–87.4The death of Cleopatra and the descendants of Antony down to Nero1312 words
- comp.1.1–comp.6.2Comparison of Demetrius and Antony1274 words
More by Plutarch
English translation by Bernadotte Perrin (1920). Original text: Bernadotte Perrin (ed. and trans.), Plutarch's Lives, vol. 9, Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1920 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus).
Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.
Cite This Text