{"product_id":"antony-and-cleopatra-shakespeare","title":"Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eBy William Shakespeare\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe authoritative edition of Antony and Cleopatra from The Folger Shakespeare Library  the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers.  Antony and Cleopatra dramatizes a major event in world history: the founding of the Roman Empire. The future first emperor  Octavius Caesar (later called Augustus Caesar)  cold-bloodedly manipulates other characters and exercises iron control over himself.   At first  he shares power with Mark Antony  Rome's preeminent military leader  and the weaker Lepidus. Caesar needs Antony to fend off other Roman strongmen like Pompey; he even offers his sister Octavia to him as a bride  despite Antony's reputation as a libertine and his past rivalry with Caesar. Once Caesar defeats Pompey  however  he needs no allies. He brings charges against Lepidus  denies Antony his spoils from Pompey's defeat  and seizes cities in the eastern Roman colonies that Antony rules.   The play's emphasis  however  is on those whom Caesar defeats: Antony and his wealthy Egyptian ally  Queen Cleopatra. The play does not sugarcoat Antony and Cleopatra's famous love affair  including her calculated attempts to seduce Antony from his duties and his rage when he thinks she has betrayed him to Caesar. Nonetheless  the lovers find such sensual and emotional satisfaction that Caesar's world conquest seems smaller than what they find in each other.","brand":"Lushena Books","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK","offer_id":52798777557272,"sku":"9798890966650","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"HARDCOVER","offer_id":52798777590040,"sku":"9798890966759","price":40.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0787\/8203\/8296\/files\/9798890966650.jpg?v=1790924328","url":"https:\/\/lushenabooksinc.com\/products\/antony-and-cleopatra-shakespeare","provider":"Lushena","version":"1.0","type":"link"}