What is the main idea in Antony's speech in Julias Caesar?

Answer 1

In the play, Julius Ceasar was killed by a mutiny of roman senators. Principal among them are Brutus, who was JC's best friend -- bright, charasmatic and naive, and Casius, who Shakespeare renders as heartless, ambitious and disingenuous.

Mark Antony was the leader of one of Ceasar's armies. It was assumed knowledge in the Elizabethan era that Roman generals could not legally lead their armies over the Rubicon river, into Rome, lest they foment insurrection (hence the phrase, "crossing the rubicon"). Antony's motives are not clearly examined until after JC's death. Up until then it is apparent that Marc Antony is a soldier, not exceptionally witty, not terribly formidible without his troops, but a dear friend to JC (but perhaps less so than Brutus).

To really grasp this part, you need to understand that this is a political drama of the highest order -- something Shakespeare loved to play with (consider his historical plays around the War of the Roses, Henry VI-1, Henry VI-2 and RIchard III). In Julius Ceasar, everyone has their own agenda and, in the end, perhaps only JC himself is guileless.

After the murder of Ceasar, Brutus and the cadre that rna the assassination (including Cassius) temporarily lead Rome. And at the beginning, the ROman populace is convinced that Ceasar was about to dissolve the democracy and take of the crown of an emperor. Hence, this rebellion is popular but shaky. We enter as Antony asks Brutus if he can speak at Ceasar's funeral, over his body.ANTONYThat's all I seek:

And am moreover suitor that I may

Produce his body to the market-place;

And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend,

Speak in the order of his funeral.

BRUTUSYou shall, Mark Antony.

Brutus, as we see, is actually sort of a noble spirit. He'll allow this. But Cassius, more cynical and a better politician, interjects:CASSIUSBrutus, a word with you.

Aside to BRUTUS You know not what you do: do not consent

That Antony speak in his funeral:

Know you how much the people may be moved

By that which he will utter?

Evil, cynical or political realist, Cassius senses that this may be more than just a eulogy (and it is -- it is perhaps one of the most famous soliloquies of all time). Brutus considers this and claims the right to speak first:CASSIUSI know not what may fall; I like it not.

BRUTUSMark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body.

You shall not in your funeral speech blame us,

But speak all good you can devise of Caesar,

And say you do't by our permission;

Else shall you not have any hand at all

About his funeral: and you shall speak

In the same pulpit whereto I am going,

After my speech is ended.

ANTONYBe it so.

I do desire no more.

BRUTUSPrepare the body then, and follow us.

Exeunt all but ANTONY

Shakespeare's appeal was to the masses and, as such, he felt a need to explain the subtleties of his plays to his not-too-noble audience. So we get to hear Antony's inner dialogue here. Antony truly does feel a loyalty to Ceasar and a heartfelt friendship, but he's going to be somewhat manipulative when he speaks to the crowd -- this, in order to preserve Ceasar's Rome -- and perhaps to elevate himself. So Antony, now alone with Ceasar's corpse, speaks to the body and explains:ANTONYO, 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.

Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood!

Over thy wounds now do I prophesy,--

Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips,

To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue--

A curse shall light upon the limbs of men;

Domestic fury and fierce civil strife

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy;

Blood and destruction shall be so in use

And dreadful objects so familiar

That mothers shall but smile when they behold

Their infants quarter'd with the hands of war;

All pity choked with custom of fell deeds:...

In short, Antony appologies to the corpse of Ceasar, and says his wounds will speak, and the reality of the assassination will cause a revolution so awful that "...mothers shall but smile when they behold their infants quarter'd (killed most horribly) with the hands of war..." In other words, Antony is going to cause hell. In fact, he anticiipates and will try and cause a war, and says so when, near the end of this lengthy speech, he says,"Cry Havoc! And let slip the dogs of war!"

Antony is so sure of himself, he calls Octavius Ceasar -- the next in line -- back to Rome, to prepare for the revoution that will overturn Brutus and company.

As you recall, the next day, Brutus will speak first. And his speech to the people of Rome is wonderful. He says he loved Ceasar, but could not let him overturn the democracy of Rome. And the crowd agrees with him, finally saying they'll appoint Brutus in Ceasar's place.

Then it's Antony's turn to speak. He has promised Brutus he won't say anything bad about Brutus's or his group's part in the assassination. Here then is what he says:ANTONYFriends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones;

So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--

For Brutus is an honourable man;

So are they all, all honourable men--

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 honourable man.

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:

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And, sure, he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once, not without cause:

What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?

O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,

And I must pause till it come back to me.

All through this speech Antony never says one bad thing about Brutus. However, he keeps repeating the phrase, "...and Brutus is an honorable man... ", each time more and more ironically, until it becomes more than an insult -- an accusation. And SURE He is an honorable man!...

Then, rather miraculously (and possibly dishonestly?) Antony produces Ceasar's last will and testiment:ANTONYBut yesterday the word of Caesar might

Have stood against the world; now lies he there.

And none so poor to do him reverence.

O masters, if I were disposed to stir

Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,

I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,

Who, you all know, are honourable men:

I will not do them wrong; I rather choose

To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,

Than I will wrong such honourable men.

But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar;

I found it in his closet, 'tis his will:

Let but the commons hear this testament--

Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read--

And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds

And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

And, dying, mention it within their wills,

Bequeathing it as a rich legacy

Unto their issue.

Antony now says, "If I tell you what's in the will, I'll break my word to Brutus and Cassius -- and stir you to revolution - because his will is going to break your hearts..." At this point, the mob has swayed from Brutus' standpoint and are now remembering Ceasar very kindly. And the will has them more than interested.

The citizens beg and beg to hear the will, and Antony refuses, saying it will drive them to rebellion -- and all the time repeating "...and Brutus is an honorable man..."...ANTONYWill you be patient? will you stay awhile?

I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:

I fear I wrong the honourable men

Whose daggers have stabb'd Caesar; I do fear it.

He's saying that he shouldn't even have mentioned the will. This is pure, overt manipulation of the mob, but they don't notice, rememebering the good in Ceasar now....

Now he "warns" the mob not to be swayed against Brutus, because the will is a heartbreaker. He carefully notes each cut in Ceasar's gown, and each wound. And the final stroke -- Brutus -- Ceasar's most loved. By now the mob is frothing.ANTONYIf you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle: I remember

The first time ever Caesar put it on;

'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,

That day he overcame the Nervii:

Look, in this place ran Cassius' dagger through:

See what a rent the envious Casca made:

Through this the well-beloved Brutus stabb'd;

And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,

Mark how the blood of Caesar follow'd it,

As rushing out of doors, to be resolved

If Brutus so unkindly knock'd, or no;

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,

Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;

And, in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey's statua,

Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.

O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,

Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.

O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel

The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.

Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold

Our Caesar's vesture wounded? Look you here,

Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors.

Then the will:ANTONYHere is the will, and under Caesar's seal.

To every Roman citizen he gives,

To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

Serious money! But there's more....ANTONYMoreover, he hath left you all his walks,

His private arbours and new-planted orchards,

On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,

And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures,

To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.

Here was a Caesar! when comes such another?

He leaves them land -- a huge deal because ownership of land, even as a populace, was very restricted. By this time, the mob has completely been won over and is ready to revolt.

The citizens are screaming for the blood of Brutus and Cassius now, and the mob takes to the street.

With Octavius on his way in, and the entire populace of Rome uprising against Brutus and Cassius, the power has swung completely to Antony. The crowd leaves and Antony is alone, when he reveals the fruits of his plan:ANTONYNow let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,

Take thou what course thou wilt!

Antony has turned the mob completely against Brutus' cadre and, together with Octavius, make war on Brutus and Cassius....

Thus ends the funeral scene :}

Answer 2

heres the answer: To persuade the people to go against Brutus and Cassius and the conspiritors. He made it look like they were thinking it was their own idea, but really it was Antony's. Here is the speech: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

I come to bury Casear, not to praise him!

The evil that men do lives after them.

The good oft interred with their bones,

so let it be with Caesar! The noble Brutus

hath told you Caesar was ambitious,

if theis were so, it was a grevious fault,

and greviously hath Caesar answered it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,

for Brutus is an honorably man,

so are they all, all honorably men!

Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral,

he was my friend, faithful and just to me.

But Brutus said he was ambitious,

and Brutus is an honorable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,

Whose ransomes did the general coffers fill,

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

When the poor had cried out, Caesar hath wept!

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff!

Yet Brutus said he was ambitios

and Brutus is and honorable man!

You all did see on the Lupercal.

I thrice presented him the kingly crown,

which he thrice refused! was this ambitious?

yet Brutus says he is ambitious,

and sure he is an honorable man!

I come not to disapprove of what Brutus said,

but come I to tell you what I do know,

you all did love him once, not without cause!

What cause witholds you to morn for him?

O Judgement, thou art fled to brutish beast!

And men hath lost their reason! Bear with me!

my heart is in the coffin there with Caesar!

and i must pause till it comes back to me! boy that took to long.

Answer 3

He say's that he will avenge Caesar's death, even if he has to destroy Rome to do it.

Answer 4

I suspect that your examiner wants you to choose one of a series of possible statements, in which case we obviously cannot help you, since we don't know what they are.