hstry

Antony's last words, as Plutarch tells it

30 BCE, Alexandria. As Plutarch tells it, over a century later.

Where and when

30 BCEAlexandria

2,055 years ago

Explore
Mark Antony, 83 – 30 BCE3000 BCE2900 BCE2800 BCE2700 BCE2600 BCE2500 BCE2400 BCE2300 BCE2200 BCE2100 BCE2000 BCE1900 BCE1800 BCE1700 BCE1600 BCE1500 BCE1400 BCE1300 BCE1200 BCE1100 BCE1000 BCE900 BCE800 BCE700 BCE600 BCE500 BCE400 BCE300 BCE200 BCE100 BCE1 CE100 CE200 CE300 CE400 CE500 CE600 CE700 CE800 CE900 CE1000 CE1100 CE1200 CE1300 CE1400 CE1500 CE1600 CE1700 CE1800 CE1900 CE2000 CEGreat Pyramid of Giza built, c. 2600 BCERome founded (traditional date), 753 BCELast western Roman emperor deposed, 476 CEGutenberg's printing press, c. 1440 CEColumbus reaches the Americas, 1492 CEFirst people on the Moon, 1969 CEToday, 2026

Swipe the line. Bars: entries. Dots: events.

Mark Antony

, AlexandriaAs Plutarch tells it, over a century later

In plain words, ours

He told her to look after her own safety and not mourn him: he had been great and powerful, and was beaten honourably, a Roman by a Roman.

When he had drunk, he advised her to consult her own safety, if she could do it without disgrace, and among all the companions of Caesar to put most confidence in Proculeius, and not to lament him for his last reverses, but to count him happy for the good things that had been his, since he had become most illustrious of men, had won greatest power, and now had been not ignobly conquered, a Roman by a Roman.

Plutarch, Life of Antony 77.4Translated by Bernadotte Perrin (1920)Read the full passage (Plutarch, Life of Antony 77.4, opens scaife.perseus.org)

What was going on, our summary

Alexandria, 30 BCE: a year after losing to Octavian at Actium, Antony has fallen on his sword. As Plutarch tells it, Cleopatra and her women hauled him up to her on a rope, and, dying, he asked for wine before speaking to her.

Checked claim by claim against: Antony and Cleopatra take their own lives, Octavian's fleet beats Antony and Cleopatra at Actium, the passage around the quote.

Why it matters

With Antony's death, Octavian became the uncontested ruler of Rome.

Based on Wikipedia: Mark Antony

When Antony died, Octavian became uncontested ruler of Rome.

Wikipedia, Mark Antony (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-09-17. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. 31 BCE1 year earlier Octavian's fleet beats Antony and Cleopatra at Actium The event behind it
  2. 31 BCE1 year earlier Antony after Actium, as Plutarch tells it More from Mark Antony
  3. c. 31–30 BCEDuring it The Partners in Death, as Plutarch tells it More from Mark Antony
  4. 30 BCESame year Antony and Cleopatra take their own lives The event behind itAlso in AlexandriaAlso about death
  5. 30 BCEThis momentAntony's last words, as Plutarch tells it
  6. 30 BCESame year Antony on his courage, per Plutarch Same passageMore from Mark Antony
  7. 30 BCESame year Cleopatra at Antony's tomb, in Plutarch Also in AlexandriaAlso about death
  8. by 30 BCEBy this year Plutarch on Cleopatra's many languages Same years
  9. 30 BCESame year Cleopatra and the asp, as Plutarch tells it Also in Alexandria
  10. 27 BCE3 years later Octavian takes the name Augustus Same years

Just before and after

The text around the quote, word for word from the same translation.

Show the passageHide the passage

Never, as those who were present tell us, was there a more piteous sight. Smeared with blood and struggling with death he was drawn up, stretching out his hands to her even as he dangled in the air. For the task was not an easy one for women, and scarcely could Cleopatra, with clinging hands and strained face, pull up the rope, while those below called out encouragement to her and shared her agony. And when she had thus got him in and laid him down, she rent her garments over him, beat and tore her breasts with her hands, wiped off some of his blood upon her face, and called him master, husband, and imperator; indeed, she almost forgot her own ills in her pity for his. But Antony stopped her lamentations and asked for a drink of wine, either because he was thirsty, or in the hope of a speedier release.

The quote: When he had drunk, he advised her to consult her own safety, if she could do it without disgrace, and among all the companions of Caesar to put most confidence in Proculeius, and not to lament him for his last reverses, but to count him happy for the good things that had been his, since he had become most illustrious of men, had won greatest power, and now had been not ignobly conquered, a Roman by a Roman.

Scarcely was he dead, when Proculeius came from Caesar. For after Antony had smitten himself and while he was being carried to Cleopatra, Dercetaeus, one of his body-guard, seized Antony’s sword, concealed it, and stole away with it; and running to Caesar, he was the first to tell him of Antony’s death, and showed him the sword all smeared with blood. When Caesar heard these tidings, he retired within his tent and wept for a man who had been his relation by marriage, his colleague in office and command, and his partner in many undertakings and struggles.

Plutarch, Life of Antony 77.2–78.2Translated by Bernadotte Perrin (1920)Read the full passage (opens scaife.perseus.org)

When, and whose words

Date
30 BCE. His death in Alexandria, 30 BCE; Plutarch wrote c. 100–120 CE.
Whose words
As Plutarch tells it, over a century later.
How this post was checked
  • The plain-words line was read against the quote alone by a second, independent pass, which found it adds no claim the quote does not make (2026-10-03).
  • Each claim in the summary was checked by an independent pass against only the material it cites.
  • The quote itself is checked by the build: word for word, once, at the cited section of the stored translation.

See it among its momentsMore from Mark AntonySee it in the feed