The Powerful Persuasion Of Plebeians

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accept him and what he did.

Antony begins his speech with an innocent eulogy, but instead incites his
audience into a riot, looking for Brutus's death and wrongfully killing
Cinna the Poet. He does this by appealing to their emotions. Bringing
Caesar's body for everyone to see made them see for themselves the reality
of Caesar's death. Pointing out the stab wounds that the conspirators
inflicted drove them further into anger. He also used a couple of sneaky
tactics to help his mission of revenge. First was the repetition of the
phrase “honorable men,” referring to the conspirators and Brutus. Then he
teased the audience with the will, saying “It is not meet you know how
Caesar loved you,” (III, ii, 142), but waiting until the audience was riled
up enough to go against his own word and read the part of the will that
left Caesar’s possessions to the people. Antony was clever in his approach,
turning the crowd to take his revenge, yet staying directly out if the
action.

Although both ...

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