Antony makes a funeral speech that moves the crowd to a
murderous frenzy against the conspirators. He mentions that Caesar had left all the
people in his will. Marc Antony points out that Caesar loved the people. He keeps
mentioning the will.
Also, Antony mentions that Caesar
loved Brutus. He states that Brutus was Caesar's angel. This moves the people against
Brutus:
For
Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel. Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,(195) Quite vanquish'd him. Then burst his
mighty heart,
Antony begins
listing all of Caesar's attributes. He mentions that Caesar did weep when the poor
cried. With this statement, Antony adds that ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Act 3, Scene 2 gives the details of Antony's speech. He mentions that Caesar refused to
be crowned three times. In this, Antony is trying to disprove the conspirator's theory
that Caesar was ambitious. His speech is quite
effective:
readability="16">Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. He was my
friend, faithful and just to me; But Brutus says he was ambitious, And Brutus is an
honorable man.(95) He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the
general coffers fill. Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried,
Caesar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.(100) Yet Brutus says he was
ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable man. You all did see that, on the Lupercal, I
thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse. Was this
ambition?(105)Antony uses
strong rhetoric to convince the people that Caesar was not ambitious. His rhetoric moves
the crowd. A civil war breaks out as Antony leads a force against Brutus and the
conspirators.
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