The mood of Antony and Cleopatra is foreboding as it winds its way toward Antony's demise. Other characters frequently comment on how Antony's affinity for Egypt and love for Cleopatra will ruin him, priming the reader to anticipate a tragic end for that character.
The character of the Soothsayer will most often address statements to other characters that hint at some future event. In the historical time period during which Antony and Cleopatra takes place, soothsayers were often consulted as legitimate political advisors; their prophecies and statements about the future were highly regarded by political and military leaders alike.
In Act 2, Scene 4, the Soothsayer foreshadows Antony's eventual demise, warning him that if he stays close to Caesar and plays games with him, he is sure to meet his downfall:
To none but thee; no more but when to thee.
If thou dost play with him at any game,
Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck
He beats thee ’gainst the odds. Thy luster thickens
When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But he away, ’tis noble.
Caesar, the Soothsayer warns, has been gifted by the universe with incredible luck; if Antony challenges him in any situation where the machinations of fate and chance could come into play, the Soothsayer states that he will fail. Antony writes the Soothsayer off, not regarding this interaction as important, little knowing the fate that will befall him. This is the sort of ominous moment that adds to the play's somewhat tense, foreboding mood.
