Antony learns that Octavius Caesar’s troops have retreated back to their ships; and, so, the fighting that day will be a naval battle. Antony feels confident that he can defeat Octavius at sea: “I would they’d fight i’th’ fire or i’th’ air; we’d fight there too” (Scene 11: 3-4). There were only four elements according to medieval accounts: earth, water, air, and fire. Antony has already defeated Octavius by land (earth), and he feels confident that he can defeat him on the sea (water). Yet, Antony’s line suggests that he is, perhaps, too confident. He believes he is invincible (unbeatable) no matter where he fights. However, the last time Antony fought at sea he was not so successful.
Scene 12 contains only four lines – spoken by
Octavius. He is planning his sea strategy carefully. This is also a contrast to Antony. Where Antony is eager and overconfident, Octavius is coolly rational and thoughtful.
Some time has passed, and the sea battle is nearly over. On land Antony speaks to Scarus and then moves to a higher position so that he can observe the fighting out at sea. Scarus then delivers a brief soliloquy. He states, “Swallows have built in Cleopatra’s sails their nests” (3-4). A swallow (or any bird) can only build a nest on the top of a ship’s mast if the ship is standing still. (In fact, the small lookout platform built on top of the mast is called a crow’s nest because birds did indeed sometimes build their nests in them.) Scarus is speaking metaphorically to suggest that Cleopatra’s ships remained idle during the sea battle. Cleopatra’s ships did not help Antony in the fighting. And, so, Antony is losing the sea battle. Scarus describes Antony as a man of “fretted fortunes” (8). He is suggesting that Antony is someone who is recently getting an alternating mix of good luck and bad luck. Destiny is not completely on the side of Antony any longer. Now destiny or fortune has turned against him once again.
Antony blames Cleopatra for his loss and refers to her as a “triple-turned whore” (14). He is suggesting that Cleopatra has been disloyal to three men: Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Antony himself. When Cleopatra appears, Antony shouts at her and threatens her. So, she quickly exits. Antony now believes that he should have killed Cleopatra. He asserts that many lives would have been saved (referring to his men killed in the battle) if she had been killed first (lines 41-42).
Antony tells Eros, “The shirt of Nessus is upon me” (43). In Greek mythology Nessus was a centaur killed by Hercules because Nessus tried to rape Deianira, the wife of Hercules. Before he dies, Nessus tells Deianira that his blood could be used as a love potion. So, unknown to Hercules, Deianira saves some of the blood. Years later, Deianira fears that Hercules is unfaithful to her, so she smears some of the blood on a shirt and sends it to Hercules. When Hercules puts on the shirt, the blood burns his skin and poisons him, slowly killing him. In despair, Deianira then commits suicide. Antony also makes a reference to Lichas, whom Antony would like to hang on the horns of the moon (line 45). In the Greek story, Lichas is a young servant who brings Hercules the poisonous shirt. The Greek myth thus becomes a short allegory (metaphorical tale) for Antony’s situation:
Antony is suggesting that although Octavius directly causes his fall (and, later, death), Cleopatra is the one who is really responsible. Ironically, the Greek myth indicates that Deianira truly loved Hercules and did not intend his death. Similarly, Cleopatra truly loves Antony and does not wish his ruin. But Antony is too angry and full of despair to realize that. Also like Deianira of the Greek tale, Cleopatra will commit suicide after Antony himself dies. She, like Deianira, no longer will desire to live once the man she loves is gone. Thus, the reference to this Greek myth also serves to foreshadow the outcome of the play.