Ruthless Mark Antony

Ruthless Antony

Bill Long

"Their names are prick'd"--4.1.1

1) Antony as Wild and Crazy Guy

When we first meet Antony, he is a literally a "runner" for Caesar, one who will participate in the annual Lupercalian race and touch people along the course. (1.2) The superstition at the time, recorded by the ancient biographer Plutarch and picked up by Shakespeare, is that barren women touched by a Lupercalian runner would become pregnant. Caesar wants to make sure that Antony touches his barren wife Calphurnia. Shakespeare's sources do not mention that she was barren; Shakespeare might have added this touch to hint further at the vulnerability of the great man. Caesar might rule the world but he cannot impregnate his wife.

Antony's athleticism and love of parties is further mentioned or hinted at in Cassius' conversation with Brutus (1.2.28-29) and Caesar's remark in mock surprise that Antony is up early and at his house: "See, Antony, that revels long a-nights,/ Is notwithstanding up (2.2.115-116)." Indeed, it is Antony's spirited nature that makes Brutus think that he is not dangerous to the conspirators. After Caesar's death, Brutus thinks, Antony will either become melancholy and die or go back to his pleasures (2.1.185-190).

2) Antony as Cunning Manipulator

His "true colors" begin to surface after Caesar's assassination. He first sends his servant to the conspirators asking for safe passage and an explanation for Caesar's death. Brutus, feeling magnanimous, agrees to give both. When Antony arrives, he grasps their bloody hands as if to say he is one with them in their conspiratorial project (3.1.184). It is only after he is alone on stage that Antony shares both his sense of inner guilt for acting this way as well as his prophecy thal all hell will soon break forth (3.1.254-275). His speech in 3.2 then is a clever (and successful) attempt to manipulate the people to do the work he wanted to do when he first met with the conspirators but was unable to do himself. Once the crowd is enflamed with passion, Antony stokes it further. As if praying to some god, he says, "Mischief, thou art afoot,/ Take thou what course thou wilt (3.2.260-261)."

3) Full Ruthlessness

Even with all this we are surprised at three further expressions of pitilessness in 4.1 First is the immediate reference to people who will have to be "pricked down" (i.e., killed) by the triumvirs. Though Octavian suggests that Lepidus' brother must die, and Lepidus meekly agrees, Lepidus then suggests that Antony's nephew Publius must die (4.1.4). Antony's only response is, "He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him (4.1.6)." Second is Antony's intention to undermine the intention of Caesar's will. He had used the will in 3.2 to engender sympathy for Caeesar among the people, saying that in his testament Caesar left "75 drachmaes" for every man and also bequeathed his orchards and lands for public parks (3.2.240-252). Now, he says matter of factly, "Fetch the will hither, and we shall determine/ How to cut off some charge in legacies (i.e., how to reduce the terms of the will--4.1.8-9)." Money is needed to fight battles. Too bad for the people. Too bad, also, for Caesar.

Third is his rant against Lepidus. He doesn't consider Lepidus worthy to join the triumvirate, and he probably has a point there. Lepidus was selected to mediate between the egos and enormous ambitions of both Antony and Octavian. But Antony's language to describe him is over-the-top. Lepidus is a "slight unmeritable man,/ Meet to be sent on errands (4.3.12-13)." When Octavian tries to inject a more moderate and appreciative assessment of Lepidus, by saying that Lepidus is a "tried and valiant soldier," Antony whines, "So, is my horse, Octavius, and for that/ I do appoint him store of provender (4.1.29-30)." Lepidus only has derivative thoughts and derivative ambitions: "He must be taught, and train'd, and bid go forth;/ A barren-spirited fellow; one that feeds/ On objects, arts, and imitations (4.1.35-37)." Part of Antony's ruthlessness is his conclusion that Lepidus is worthless.

While Antony's final evaluation of Brutus as "the noblest Roman of them all (5.5.68)" might elevate Brutus in some peoples' minds, it does little to repair the image of Antony as a vigorous political opportunist who will use any method he can, including murder of a relative and tampering with his hero's will, to further his political ambition.