Mark Antony is nearest to Caesar’s heart. He is a true friend and confidant of Caesar. It is Mark Antony who offers the crown to Caesar thrice on the Lupercal. He loves sports, music and revelry. He is genuinely grieved at Caesar’s death. Antony’s greatest traits are his manipulative and oratorial skills. He is shrewd enough to make peace with the conspirators. He was not in a position to challenge them. He grabs the opportunity that the idealist Brutus gifts away to him. Left alone with the Roman mob, he creates pity for Caesar after showing his wounds. He then creates sympathy for him. He is successful in proving that Caesar was not ambitious.
Mark Antony can feel the pulse of the people. He knows that the mob is swayed not by the cold logic but by arousing their basic passions. He turns the table against the conspirators by directing the anger and hatred of the mob against them.
