The Assassination Of Marc Antony In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

“Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.” (3.1.212-213). Marc Antony, of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, outwits Brutus after stating to Cassius above that he himself was as close to Caesar as his enemies persuaded only by modesty, but in actuality Antony has devised a scheme to power. Marc Antony develops dramatically first being seen as a simple, obedient, high-class Roman ending the play within the Second Triumvirate power hungry and vengeful waging war upon his new opposition. Through William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the ‘foolish’ reveler of the Second Triumvirate, Marc Antony, embodies the aspects of a criminal, a heroic figure seeking justice, and political opportunist acclimating himself to take power given the circumstances of Caesar’s assassination. …show more content…
Antony’s villainous behavior occurs when he uses the wealth from Caesar’s will for his own purposes and who should die: “He shall not live. Look, with a spot /I damn him… we shall determine /How to cut off some charge in legacies.” (4.1.6-9). Also Antony’s brutal manor advances when he speaks against Lepidus, a Roman patrician a part of the Second Triumvirate, to Octavius about how Lepidus is unworthy to share the power of ‘the three world divided’: “This is a slight unmeritable man, /Meet to be sent on errands… The threefold world divided, he should stand /One of the three to share it?” (4.1.12-15). Furthermore, Antony’s lack of grace occurs after Octavius defends Lepidus expressing him as a ‘tried and valiant soldier’: “So is my horse, Octavius, and for that /I do appoint him store of provender… A barren-spirited fellow… Do not talk of him /But as a property.” (4.1.29-40). Much of Antony’s cold-hearted, nefarious character has ultimately been conceived by his sense of political