Julius Caesar Essay

Marc Antony

“O 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.” (3.1, lines 254-257) This quote, given by Antony, displays his true feelings after Caesar has been killed. He is shocked that his beloved leader is now dead, and overwhelmed with his immense love for Caesar and his extreme hate for the “butchers”. From here on, Antony is driven by his loyalty to Caesar, and the revenge he wishes to get on the conspirators. These strong emotions cause Antony to initiate a horrible war throughout Italy, so that Julius Caesar’s death will be avenged.

Of all the Romans who loved and honored Caesar, Antony was the most loyal of them all. Antony loved and respected Caesar, and valued their friendship greatly. When Caesar died, Antony’s loyalty did not decrease, and so he still felt he was responsible for doing whatever he could to keep Caesar content. He will do anything that will allow him to stay close to and protect Caesar. When Antony first speaks to the conspirators, after they have killed Caesar, Antony begs them to kill him as well, so he can be with Caesar. “No place will please me so, no mean of death, as here by Caesar, and by you cut off, the choice and master spirits of this age.” (pg. 116) Though Antony may not want to die, he will if it means he can be with Caesar, and though he should be enemies with Caesar’s killers, he wants them to kill him too, as it will tie him and Caesar tighter together, to be killed by all the same men. It shows just how much Antony cares for and respects Caesar. Antony also values his loyalty to Caesar greatly, and is afraid that even by pretending to be friends with the enemies, his loyalty will be broken. “That I did love thee, Caesar, O, ‘tis true! If then thy spirit look upon us not, shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death, to see thy Antony making his peace, shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes…” (pg. 118) Antony wishes that if Caesar can see him now, he will not grieve to see him “befriending” the conspirators. Antony believes that his loyalty to Caesar is getting weaker, and because he values it so greatly, he prays Caesar will not think badly of him. Antony loved and respected Caesar immensely during life, and remains the same way, even in Caesar’s death.

As Caesar has been killed, Antony feels obligated to make sure he did not die in vain, and therefore, decides to get revenge. Antony is enraged with the conspirators for killing Caesar, who he admired deeply. He does not agree with their motives for Caesar’s death, and for that reason, believes they too should suffer. Antony begins to plan, and he wisely convinces many Romans to side with him, and start a war to avenge Caesar’s death. As Antony speaks to Caesar’s dead body, he tells him what he intends to do to justify the death. “Domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all the parts of Italy…” (pg. 124) Antony plans to destroy Italy, by ways of a civil war, and he will not leave a single part of the country untouched. Antony is clearly very upset by what has happened, and is confident that though it was a terrible deed, it will be repaid. Octavius has arrived in Rome, and he and Antony have an important discussing referring to their war plans. “These many then shall die; their names are prick’d.” (pg. 152) The men have constructed a list of the conspirators’ names, who must die, because they killed Caesar. This is evidence of how serious Antony is about giving the conspirators what they deserve: death. He will not stop until anyone who supported the conspirators and the conspirators themselves are dead, because their actions were unforgivable. Antony’s immense love for Caesar helps him in his ways of avenging the death and letting everyone know that Caesar should not have died.

Because of Antony’s loyalty and feelings of revenge, he was able to do justice for Caesar’s death. Antony’s goal was achieved in the end, because though he died not personally kill all the conspirators, they died in some way or another. The goal was a noble one, as Antony was Caesar’s friend, and remained so throughout everything that happened to them both.