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Antony and Cleopatra Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Antony and Cleopatra Quizzes, Trivia

Antony and Cleopatra Trivia

Antony and Cleopatra Trivia Quizzes

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"Antony and Cleopatra" has elements of multiple genres - it has been described as a history (it is based on historical characters), as a romance (definitely a lot of that) and as a tragedy (they both die).
2 quizzes and 40 trivia questions.
1.
  Antony and Cleopatra   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
A quiz on Shakespeare's great historical love story; one of his greatest tragedies and a play of tremendous historical scope. Enjoy!
Tough, 20 Qns, jouen58, Jun 12 05
Tough
jouen58
1347 plays
2.
  "Antony and Cleopatra"    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
Put on my robe, give me my crown, I have immortal longings in me...
Tough, 20 Qns, marx_faraway, Apr 03 10
Tough
marx_faraway
676 plays
trivia question Quick Question
How many times is Antony defeated at sea?

From Quiz ""Antony and Cleopatra""





Antony and Cleopatra Trivia Questions
1. Who is Antony's wife at the beginning of the play?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Fulvia

You never meet Fulvia, news of her death being delivered in Act I.

2. "Antony and Cleopatra" might be regarded as a sequel to what other Shakespearean play?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Julius Caesar

The play deals with events shortly following the defeat of Brutus and Cassius in "Julius Caesar".

3. Mark Antony and Octavius Caesar are two Triumvirs. Who is the third?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Lepidus

Lepidus has the unenviable task of reconciling Antony and Caesar. His efforts get him arrested later in the play.

4. What ancient source did Shakespeare primarily use for this play (as well as "Julius Caesar" and "Coriolanus")?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Plutarch

Plutarch's "Life of Antonius" was the principal source.

5. What is one of the soothsayer's predictions to Charmian?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: That she will outlive her mistress

She does outlive her mistress, but only for about a minute.

6. This play is unique among Shakespeare's works for its enormous scope of location. What locations are featured in the play?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Alexandria, Rome, Messina, Misenum, Syria, Actium, and Athens.

There are numerous battle scenes and scenes aboard ship.

7. Who rules the Roman empire when the play begins?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus

After the death of Julius Caesar, Rome was ruled by the triumverate of Octavian (Caesar's son), Mark Antony, and Lepidus. By the end of the play, Lepidus has been put to death, Antony has comitted suicide, and Octavian alone is emperor.

8. Off what place does Pompey's galley lie?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Misenum

Much boozing and partying occurs here in Act II, Scene VII.

9. Shortly after the play begins, Antony learns that his wife Fulvia, whom he has neglected for Cleopatra, has died. What is his reaction?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: He is saddened (though not grief-stricken) and decides to leave Cleopatra.

Antony was clearly not in love with Fulvia, however upon hearing of her death, he remarks "There's a great spirit gone!" and regrets that he had wished her out of the way. He also decides "I must from this enchanting queen (Cleopatra, of course) break off." He is unable to resist Cleopatra for long, however.

10. Who is Caesar's Lieutenant-general?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Taurus

Rather a bull of a man...sorry.

11. Which character makes the famous quote "My salad days, when I was green in judgement, cold in blood to say as I said then."?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Cleopatra

She says this in response to Charmian's recollection of her youthful idolization of Caesar.

12. What does Octavius Caesar call Octavia when she meets him in Act III, Scene VI?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: castaway

He calls her this because he knows Antony has returned to Cleopatra.

13. Act II, scene 2 contains the famous speech about Cleopatra which begins "The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, burn'd on the water.", which contains the line "Age cannot wither, nor custom stale her infinite variety." Who makes this speech?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Enobarbus

Enobarbus, Antony's closest friend (until he betrays him later in the play) delivers this speech to Maecenas and Agrippa.

14. Whilst telling Agrippa and Maecenas of Cleopatra's barge, what does Enobarbus liken her gentlewomen to?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: nereides

This arrival by barge was the first time Cleopatra and Antony saw each other.

15. What is the name of Antony's sword (after a famous battle fought in "Julius Caesar")?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Phillipan

This was the sword with which he fought the battle of Phillipi against Brutus and Cassius. In Act II, scene 5, Cleopatra recalls their love-making: "E're the ninth hour I drunk him to his bed, then put my tires {attires} and mantles on him whilst I wore his sword Phillipan." Kinky!

16. When does Enobarbus first make plans to defect to Caesar?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: At the end of Act III

Enobarbus makes plans to defect to Caesar at the end of Act III.

17. In Act II, scene 5, a messenger delivers to Cleopatra the unwelcome news that Antony has (for political reasons) married Octavia. What does Cleopatra threaten to do?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Kill the messenger.

She repeatedly strikes the poor messenger, vowing "Thou shall be whipp'd with wire and stew'd in brine, smarting in ling'ring pickle." (one of my favorite lines in the play), then draws a knife against him, (whereupon he flees) but she is stopped by Charmian. She later apologizes.

18. How does Domitius Enobarbus die?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Not specified

Consumed with guilt over abandoning Antony, Enobarbus dies in Caesar's camp, possibly of grief.

19. Where does the final scene of Act II take place?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: On board Pompey's galley, off Misenum.

This scene ends with all seemingly well between the triumvirs; it doesn't last long.

20. What does Antony do when Egypt's ships retreat during the first sea battle?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Follows them in retreat

Antony is so ashamed of this that he rages against Cleopatra, who, strangely, offers no reason for her desertion, merely stating shock that Antony followed her.

21. In Act III, scene 3, Cleopatra gets the dirt on Octavia from the formerly much abused messenger. How does he describe Octavia?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Thirty, widowed, with brown hair, an overly round face, and low forehead.

Cleopatra seems especially gratified to hear that Octavia is widowed and that she has a too-round face, because "For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so." She asks the messenger's pardon for her former abuse and gives him gold.

22. Not chronological. What does the Clown say is in the basket which contains Cleopatra's asps?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Figs

This Clown is very well spoken for a peasant...

23. After twice abandoning Antony in battle against Octavian, Cleopatra flees the wrath of her insanely angry lover. Where does she eventually flee to (appropriately, as it turns out)?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Her monument (tomb).

She sends word from her eunuch, Mardian, that she has killed herself in remorse.

24. Believing that Cleopatra is dead, Antony asks his devoted friend Eros to run him through with his sword. What does Eros do?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Kills himself instead.

Eros asks Antony to turn away from him and, when his back is turned, falls on his sword, declaring "Thus I do escape the sorrow of Antony's death." Antony then tries to kill himself; he grievously wounds himself, but does not die immediately.

25. How many times is Antony defeated at sea?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Twice

Both times he is betrayed by his Egyptian allies. He stabs himself after the second defeat.

26. As Antony lies wounded, Diomedes arrives with new tidings about Cleopatra. What does he tell Antony?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: That Cleopatra is alive.

Fearing, upon reflection, that Antony might react rashly to the news of her death, Cleopatra sends Diomedes to tell him the truth, alas, too late.

27. Whom does Cleopatra send to tell Antony she is not in fact dead?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Diomedes

Unfortunately, Diomedes wasn't the speediest of men, and he arrived too late to prevent Antony from dealing the fatal stroke.

28. What does Antony order Eros to do?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Kill him (Antony)

Antony orders Eros to stab him in the back, but Eros instead uses this brief interlude to kill himself. Shrewd!

29. As he is leaving, what does the "clown" warn Cleopatra not to do for the serpent?

From Quiz Antony and Cleopatra

Answer: Feed it.

He cautions "Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding", whereupon she sarcastically asks "Will it eat me?"

30. Whom did Alexas convince to side with Caesar, when he should have been carrying a message from Antony?

From Quiz "Antony and Cleopatra"

Answer: Herod of Jewry

Alexas gets his just desserts however. Caesar orders him hanged, for no apparent reason.

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