Mark Antony: The Orator Who Turns a Crowd with One Speech

Antony says almost nothing in the first two acts. He is present at the Lupercalia as Caesar's companion, briefly there at the assassination in Act 3, Scene 1, but Cassius wanted to kill him that day and Brutus refused. That refusal determines everything that follows.

Left alone with Caesar's body after the conspirators leave, he delivers a speech over the corpse that ends with 'Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war.' Then, given permission to speak at the funeral, he dismantles everything Brutus built in front of the same Roman crowd. His speech is a lesson in how to persuade people: he appears to honour the agreement not to blame the conspirators, then turns the crowd to fury with every repeated phrase 'Brutus is an honourable man,' each repetition more ironic than the last.

He wins the political battle and becomes one of Rome's three rulers. He is not a better man than Brutus. He is simply more willing to use every tool available.