What_Does_the_Passage_Tell_Us_About_Plutarch’S_View_of_the_Relationship_Between_Antony_and_Cleopatra_

In this passage Plutarch takes us in a number of directions. At first he describes a relationship both loving and playful, Cleopatra was a constant source of ‘fresh delight and charm’ he reports. He also comments on what appears as a mutual love of mischief and danger expressed through their nocturnal escapades masquerading as common servants. Plutarch emphasises a marked difference between her roles of participation and observation. Cleopatra accompanies him in the masculine pursuits of gambling, drinking and hunting. In contrast, when he practices fighting skills she displays a distinct deference as she merely watches, undoubtedly with a sense of admiration. In each of these descriptions Plutarch portrays a relationship that is Other to the Roman paradigm, these are all areas of life that decent Roman women would never usually participate in. The question refers directly to ‘Plutarch’s view’ which deserves examination in itself. A ‘view’ is generally used in reference to that which has been seen, an alternative meaning though is an opinion, and this is what we get here, Plutarch’s opinion. As a secondary source, he would have had to rely on previous writers for his information. He probably would have referenced Horace, who was contemporaneous with Antony and Cleopatra. Of course, Horace writes in the style of poetic history which can never be thought of as an accurate narrative, ancient historical writing is never a true account of events. We get a better understanding by considering surrounding influences deemed evidentially factual. This Ode, where she is described as a ‘mad queen’, ‘crazed with hope unlimited’, was set against the historical backdrop of the period when the Roman Republic flexed its muscles as it matured into the Roman Empire. Plutarch’s view hinges on his concept of ‘constant tutelage’, by implying this master/slave dynamic he paints a picture of a deeply manipulative relationship. This is best illustrated in his telling of the story of the fishing trip and the trick that ‘the Egyptian’ plays on ‘her lover’. After humiliating Antony in front of the assembled crowd Cleopatra reveals her true motive when she restores his cracked ego with the words, reported as a direct quote, ‘thy sport is the hunting of cities, realms, and continents.’ Writing approximately one hundred and fifty years after the event, can we trust Plutarch to accurately put words in the mouth of Cleopatra' Should we believe this portrayal of Antony as a helpless pawn controlled by the hand of the temptress, without even considering the possibility of his full compliance in their liaison' At the time of this writing the Empire had developed further issues concerning questions of religion and belief, the growing movement toward monotheism was in conflict with old pagan ways. At this time it was important to try to win the hearts and minds of your people as more of them became forced into choosing their own direction. Plutarch’s view seems to be pointing people away from that primitive past and toward the completely new model of empirical authority. Bibliography: Horace, Ode 1.37, quoted from West, D. (trans.) (2004) Horace: The Complete Odes and Epodes, Oxford, Oxford University Press Plutarch, Life of Antony, 29-30; reprinted in AA100 Assignment Booklet (October 2011), Milton Keynes, The Open University, p. 18