[Prev Page][Contents][Next Page]

The Roman Revolution

Antony Moves to the Fore

Caesar was dead and no one knew what to do, except Marc Antony. He had been playing politics on his friends behalf for years and he knew the temper of both the Senate and the people. On his own authority he called the Senate into session. He asked that the conspirators be pardoned and that his friend be granted a public funeral.

Bust of Marc Antony
Marcus Antonius

Both moves were brilliant. Antony was in no position to prosecute Brutus and Cassius. Had he tried, he would have precipitated a bloody civil war. So instead, he pardoned them, and in so doing he quite disarmed the fears that Antony would avenge Caesar's death in a bloodbath.

The second move was even cleverer. Caesar's funeral would be the perfect opportunity for rousing the rabble of Rome. The senators knew this, of course, so Antony promised that he would do nothing of the sort. He would, he said, speak no ill of the conspirators and would not eulogize Caesar. He merely wanted his friend to have the respect due him as a great public figure. Reassured, the Senate agreed.

They played directly into Antony's hands. In a single move, Antony had seized effective leadership of the state and needed only to conduct himself well to make it permanent.

The funeral was a great success. Antony displayed Caesar's body, still wrapped in its blood-stained toga, the knife holes visible. He made a moving speech, memorably wrought by Shakespeare. Unknown to the Senate, Antony had seized Caesar's will and he read it to the crowd. Among the provisions was the creation of a number of gardens in the city for the poor, and a grant of money to every Roman citizen in gratitude for their loyalty to him. Not exactly the last wishes of a cruel tyrant.

The infuriated mob rioted. Brutus and Cassius feared for their lives and chose to flee Rome. They wandered Italy, forlorn and friendless, unable to understand what they did wrong. Eventually they went to Greece, where they were better received.

Antony ruled wisely over the course of the summer, but his vanity and greed began to show. He spent money profligately and embezzled shamelessly to finance his excesses. He treated the Senate with contempt and made even more enemies than he had before.