Paying Mark Antony's Money To Fund His Army

Humanity has become the most dominant species on Earth due to our high intelligence and communication skills but our communication can also be used to easily manipulate and convince. This manipulation is shown when, Mark Antony delivered a deeply passionate and articulate speech at Caesar’s funeral, altering the political dynamics of the Rome in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. Antony uses his words to influence the Roman people. He effectively uses rhetorical devices to prove his point and gain the support of the citizens. Antony also uses the rhetorical device of Pathos to invoke emotion in the crowd and Ethos to use Brutus’ and the conspirator’s reputation against them.

Both Mark Antony and Marcus Brutus are great at using people’s emotions to grab their attention. In Brutus’s speech, he used the feeling of slavery: “Would you rather have Caesar alive and all die slaves, than Caesar dead to all live free men?” Nobody wants to be a slave and would feel angry if they were. Brutus is using this feeling to make it sound like Caesar would have made them all into slaves but because he is dead, they are all free. If one thinks about it some more, the people were like slaves under Caesar’s power. They weren’t free to do as they liked due to the fact that if it upset Caesar, you’d be executed. After Caesar was dead, the people were free to do as they pleased. Brutus used the emotion of anger to show that he killed Caesar so the people could be free of his controlling power.

Many people know that Julius Caesar was betrayed and killed by many people who he had thought to be his friends. Some less common knowledge is that he did still have friends and others who stayed loyal to him. One man named Mark Antony was the most loyal of them all, even after Caesar’s death. When he found out Caesar had been killed, he began plotting to get on the traitor’s good sides and make it seem as if he had joined them so that he could convince the citizens to fight against them with him. He deceived the traitors and convinced them to let him speak at Caesar’s funeral, and in this speech he turned the citizens against them using very powerful rhetorical skills. After he had drove the traitors from the city, he took control of the city and led them to victory in a war against the conspirator’s armies. These are three telling examples that prove Antony’s skill and potential as a leader.

Mark Antony, in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, was a brave, intelligent, pleasure-loving, and cunning man. He was loyal to his friend, Caesar, whom he considered a true friend. He looked at life as a game in which he had a signified part to play, and played that part with excellent refinement and skill.

Mark Antony says, “Yet Brutus says he [Caesar] was ambitious.” This quote was used a grand total of three times in act 1 scene 2 on lines 95, 107, and 102. This excerpt is used to show that Caesar was not determined to take the crown and rule Rome. Each time this quote was used, Antony gave examples of how Caesar really wasn’t ambitious, such as when he says, “I thrice presented him the kingly crown, which he did thrice refuse” (3.2.105-106). This quote shows that if Caesar really was ambitious, then he would have taken the crown and become king, but instead he refused. Not only did he refuse once, but three times. These examples shows many examples as to why Caesar was not ambitious did not want to be king. Antony repeats the phrase, “And Brutus is an honorable man.” This quote was repeated in act one scene two in lines 96, 103, and 108. Each time this quote is said, Antony had recently described why Brutus is honorable, such as when he says, “He hath brought many captives home to Rome” (3.2.97). This quote paints Brutus as a hero for bringing Roman people held in foreign lands home. The quote also brings to question Brutus’s own motives, questioning if he performed these gallant acts because he himself is ambitious. The quote also questions why Brutus conspired against his best friend if he is so honorable. Antony talks a lot about “Honorable men” or “Honorable man.” He uses the quotes for a collective total of seven times. The quotes are used in act one scene two in lines 91, 92, 103, 108, 136, 149, 163. Antony was given a set of specific rules before giving his speech, one of which was that he can not talk bad about the conspirators. Antony uses the word honorable to make it seem as though the truthful and possibly bad things he says about the conspirators was not as bad since they were still honorable, but none the less, Antony got

In his speech Antony asks, “ Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?”(Shakespeare. 3.2.18). Antony asks the people whether or not Caesar and Brutus’ definition of ambition are the same. He allows the audience to decide who was the real ambitious man in the situation and whether or not that man’s ambition was used for the good of the people. Antony questions the people, “You all did love him once, not without cause; What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?” (Shakespeare. 3.2.30-31). Antony tells the people that they all loved Caesar and now, after his murdered, they do not grieve for their leader. His real question in this quote is why the people allow the conspirators to feed them lies about Caesar and then turn their back on him after his death. Mark Antony’s questions in his speech allow the people to question themselves about the things they believed about Caesar and the

As a result, he was sent east to become a cavalry officer, where he won noted victories against Palestine and Egypt. He ended up joining the military staff of Julius Caesar for the Roman conquest of central and northern Gaul. This showed that he was a loyal man to a military officer of higher rank. In 51 BC, he became a ¨quaestor¨ which is an official who had charge of public revenue and expenditure. This meant that he was in an office, dealing with financial matters for the city. This gave Antonius membership and security in the Roman Senate. During Julius Caesar’s first year-long dictatorship, he ¨chose Mark Antony to be his second-in-command¨ (Mark Antony). He served as his helpful sidekick for five of his consulships. As the Ides of March approached quickly, Antony could not warn Caesar in time. Caesar was killed and Antony was sent away as a slave from Rome. He later came back to take care of his friend’s will and also say a chilling apology to his fallen leader. In 41 BC, Mark Antony began an affair with the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. At the near end of his life, she was the last love of his life. She conceived twins during the time that they were together. Even though Antony was already married to Octavia, this did not stop the two people’s love. In 32 BC, Antony divorced Octavia and she declared war on Cleopatra in western Greece. This led to a lengthy war between the two armies and Cleopatra’s ships had to flee Greece with Mark Antony. As Octavia fled into

Firstly, Mark Antony uses ethical appeal to establish himself as an honorable individual among the plebeians. In the play, Mark Antony opens his speech by saying “Friends, Romans,

As he stands among them, he begins his powerful and mind changing speech. (Movie clip) Antony confronts the plebeians for their carelessness. He states that they loved Caesar when he was alive, why not now? (Act III Scene II Lines 103-105) Antony shows his internal emotions by crying for Caesar, (Act III Scene II Lines 108-110) and calling out the plebeians for their unloyalty. (Act III Scene II Lines 118-120) He states that when Caesar fell, Rome also fell, implying Caesars importance to the country. (Act III Scene II Lines 190-192) The Romans agree with Antony, (Act III Scene II Lines 105-110) but he ignores their wishes by reminiscing Caesar. He begins to remember the images of the first time Caesar put on his cloak. (Act III Scene II Lines 171-174) As he is over Caesar's body, giving his speech, he points out all of his wounds. (Act III Scene II Lines 175-189) Antony reveals the will, intriguing the attention of the plebeians. With the plebeians excited to hear the will, Antony refuses to read it. (Act III, Scene II, Lines 141-147) Once the crowd finally convinces Mark to read it, the will reveals 75 drachmas and all public recreations to the people of Rome. (Act III Scene II Lines 241-249) By the end of Antony's speech, the plebeians want

Octavian was a grandson of the sister of Julius Caesar and was named in Caesar's will as his got kid and beneficiary. Octavian was only 18 at the time of Caesar's passing (44 B.c.). In the wake of arriving in Rome to expect the legacy, he found that Mark Antony had appropriated Caesar's fortune. He then united with the Senate in driving Antony from Rome. Augustus soon comprehended that the Senate did not want to repel the enemies of Caesar.

The final reason behind Mark Antony’s motivation is that he wanted to avenge Caesar’s death. When Caesar was assassinated, Mark Antony was not there by him, but he returned later to find Caesar dead. He said if the conspirators want to kill him then he wants to die by Caesar. He supposedly sides with the conspirators but when left alone with Caesar’s body Antony reveals his true feelings about Caesar’s death. “Oh, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, / That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! / Thou art the ruins of the noblest man / That ever lived in the tide of times. / Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!” (III.i.256-260). Mark Antony is apologizing that he is siding with the conspirators for some time. Though this helps Mark Antony be able to speak at Caesar’s funeral. Later after his speech the crowd is ready to avenge Caesar’s death thanks to Antony the crowd agrees that “Most noble Caesar! We’ll avenge his death.” (III.ii.244). Later when Mark Antony sees that he has convinced the crowd to kill the conspirators and avenge Caesar’s death he with a crooked grin says “Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot. / Take thou what course thou wilt.” (III.ii.260-261). Mark Antony is satisfied that the conspirators will die and Caesar’s death shall be avenged.

Antony’s hunger for power is revealed during his conversation with Octavius about Lepidus and his plans to take over Rome. Although he may have once been thought of as a noble and caring individual, there is a hidden side of him where he respects certain people and secretly denounces the rest. During the conversation with Octavius, he speaks of Lepidus as a “creature that I teach to fight, To win, to stop, to run directly on” (4.1.31-32). Antony persuades himself that Lepidus is just a resource that can be used to further his own personal motives and bring himself to power. Once this purpose has been met, Antony plans to rid of him so he can hold more power, which he justifies by framing Lepidus as a “slight unmeritable man” (4.1.12), one that feeds on “objects, arts and imitations” (4.1.37).

The Triumvirate stealing from the public’s fortune shows their lack of morals and concern for Rome. Before the war against the conspirators started, Mark Antony commanded Lepidus to “fetch the will” (4.1.11) in order to see how they would “cut some charge in legacies” (4.1.12). Some may say Antony took the money to help protect the people of Rome. However, Mark Antony used the poor, naive, confused public to ensure he got revenge on Brutus and the conspirators. Antony sparked the fire to start this war in order to get revenge and will use the people’s money to get revenge, not to protect.

On a slightly different note, Antony later expresses an opinion that causes the reader to question the validity of his earlier statements. “This is a slight unmeritable man, / meant to be sent on errands” (JC 4.1.13-14). While speaking directly to Lepidus, Antony seems to be remotely kind and friendly. However, once Lepidus leaves the room to complete Antony’s requests, Antony complains about him endlessly to Octavius... If he is capable of being that secretive of his true opinions about Lepidus, who is to say that he is not doing something of a similar manner whilst speaking of Julius Caesar? How can he be sure that his cover, word and plot manipulation, will keep everybody happy forever? There seems to be no one-hundred percent certainty that Mark Antony is truly a whole, good, and honest man.