Julius Caesar- Fame and Fate Part Five

Mark Antony was born in 83 BC to a good but poor family. In his youth, Antony showed little interest in politics. His main interests at that time seem to have been bedding women and running up huge debts. The muscular, bull-necked youth was also rumored to have been the "kept man" of a wealthy young aristocrat around the time he was sixteen years old. In his early twenties Mark Antony realized it was time to settle down. In the tradition of many ambitious, young Romans he went on a "grand tour" to finish his education by studying public speaking in Athens or perhaps another of the great cities of Asia Minor. Antony had a flair for what was called the Asiatic style of oratory. This style of speaking was expansive, boastful and swashbuckling-"in common with Antony's own mode of life." as Plutarch commented. Antony also had military training and quickly showed an aptitude for soldiering. He was brave, tough and had a gift for leadership. In 55 BC, when he would have been in his mid-twenties he played a small role in the Roman invasion of Egypt to re-install the previously mentioned Ptolemy XII Auletes (Cleopatra's father) to the throne. During the time he was in Alexandria he met Cleopatra for the first time and according to Appian he was "provoked by the sight of her."

From 54-50 BC he served under Julius Caesar, and became one of his most trusted officers, fighting bravely with him in Gaul. Mark Antony's appearance has been described as bold and masculine. He reminded people of traditional sculptures of Hercules, with his broad forehead and full grown beard. Antony decided to cultivate this image and would wear his tunic low over his hips with a large sword by his side and a heavy cloak. He was close to his soldiers and liked rough talk and getting drunk in public. He used to sit down and eat with his soldiers and they loved him for it. He so much enjoyed the pleasures of the opposite sex that it was known as a "weakness" for him and won him much sympathy, quoting Plutarch, "for he often helped others in their love affairs and always accepted with good humor the jokes they made about his own." When Antony had money he was very generous with both friends and soldiers under his command.

I will be mentioning Antony much more in future posts, just thought it would be good to give a little background on him. There were few senators or people in Rome for that matter with any appetite for civil war. In December, 50 BC, the Senate voted by a huge majority that Pompey and Caesar should demobilize their armies. It looked for a brief time that there might be peace. This was a prospect that Marcellus, Octavia's husband did not want. he believed that Julius Caesar could be easily defeated on the battlefield and wanted to see him dead. Marcellus decided to take a bold intiative. Without the other consul's consent, he put a sword in Pompey's hand and asked him to defend the Republic. In mentioning that Marcellus was Octavia's husband I wanted to bring up some matters about future posts for this story. Octavia was the sister of Gaius Octavius-the man who would become Rome's first emperor, she was born in 64 BC-a year prior to him. Gaius Octavius-Octavian will be mentioned many more times both before and after our immediate story here. I have held back mentioning him for two reasons-1) He doesn't figure prominently in our storyline yet. 2) I would like to examine his life in much greater depth after the "What If " questions.

An unexpected visitor had come calling at Pompey's door in 55 BC. It was none other than the premier guardian of the constitution of Rome itself-Cato. There was definitely no love lost between the two men, although Pompey would have loved to have Cato's approval. If there is one thing Pompey seemed to not understand is how anyone could not love him. He is a man who seems to have needed the roars of approval from his fellow citizens. In fact, in January of that year Cato had been badly beaten up by Pompey's men as he was attempting to block the second consulship of Pompey and Crassus. After this, Cato had continued to courageously campaign against the granting of five year commands to the two consuls. Cato considered this attempt to open Cato's eyes to the dangers of Julius Caesar well worth swallowing his pride for. For now Pompey wanted Caesar to have a five year command also. Cato begged Pompey to reconsider. Couldn't Pompey see he was playing with fire? Couldn't he see that the day would come when he wouldn't be strong enough to fight Caesar or to bear his father-in-laws weight on his shoulders? Surely if Pompey and Caesar ever came to loggerheads the Republic would be destroyed underneath the two giant men. Pompey rejected Cato's appeal. Perhaps the reason for this is that Pompey saw his father-in-law as an understudy. He was justifiably proud of his triumphs-but that was all. Pompey could not imagine a day when Caesar's power and glory would equal-much less eclipse his own. The image is of a Roman aureus (gold coin) struck in 41 BC. It shows a profile of Mark Antony on the left and Octavian on the right. For anyone reading or following this blog-thanks for sticking with me! I think I am finally to the point when the various threads of the story will start to come together and not jump around so much. I hope to have the next post here soon.