(83-30 B.C.)
[Illustration: Marc Antony.]
Marcus Antonius, or Marc Antony, grandson of Antonius the orator, and
son of Antonius Creticus, seems to have been born about 83 B.C. While
still a child he lost his father, whose example however, had he been
spared, would have done little for the improvement of his character.
Brought up under the influence of the disreputable Cornelius Lentulus
Sura, whom his mother had married, Antony spent his youth in
profligacy and extravagance. For a time he co-operated with the
reprobate Clodius in his political plans, chiefly, it is supposed,
through hostility to Cicero, who had caused Lentulus, his stepfather,
to be put to death as one of the Catiline conspirators; but he soon
withdrew from the connection, on account of a disagreement which,
appropriately enough, arose in regard to his relations to his
associate's wife, Flavia. Not long after, in 58 B.C., he fled to
Greece, to escape the importunity of his creditors; and at length,
after a short time spent in attendance on the philosophers at Athens,
found an occasion for displaying some of the better features of his
character, in the wars that were being carried on by Gabinius against
Aristobulus in Palestine, and in support of Ptolemy Auletes in Egypt.
A new chapter in his life was opened by the visit which he made to
Julius Caesar in Gaul (54 B.C.). Welcomed by the victorious general as
a valuable assistant in his ambitious designs, and raised by his
influence to the offices of quaestor, augur, and tribune of the plebes,
he displayed admirable boldness and activity in the maintenance of his
patron's cause, in opposition to the violence and intrigues of the
oligarchical party. At length his antagonists prevailed, and expelled
him from the curia; and the political contest became a civil war. The
Rubicon was crossed; Caesar was victorious, and Antony shared in his
triumph. Deputy-governor of Italy during Caesar's absence in Spain
(49), second in command in the decisive battle of Pharsalia (48), and
again deputy-governor of Italy while Caesar was in Africa (47), Antony
was now inferior in power only to the dictator himself, and eagerly
seized the opportunity of indulging in the most extravagant excesses
of luxurious licentiousness--excesses which Cicero depicted in the
"Philippics" with all the elaborate eloquence of political hatred. In
46 he seems to have taken offence at Caesar, because he insisted on
payment for the property of Pompey which Antony professedly had
purchased, but had merely appropriated. But the estrangement was not
of long continuance, for we find Antony meeting the dictator at Narbo
the following year, and rejecting the advances of Trebonius, who
endeavored to discover if there was any hope of getting Antony to join
in the conspiracy that was already on foot. In 44 he was consul along
with Caesar, and seconded his ambition by the famous offer of the crown
on the 15th of February, thus unconsciously preparing the way for the
tragedy on the 15th of March. To the sincerity of his adherence to
Caesar, the conspirators themselves bore witness on that memorable day,
by the care which they took to keep him engaged without, while the
daggers were doing their work within.
This was the second great epoch in Antony's life. A brighter prospect
than ever was then opened to his ambition. By his eloquence--a
hereditary gift--he managed to stir up the minds of the populace
against the assassins of Caesar, and drove them from the city. He made
peace with the remaining representatives of the senatorial party, and
seemed almost to have succeeded to the power and position of his
unfortunate patron. But the youthful Octavius, whom Caesar had adopted
as his son, arrived from Illyria, and claimed the inheritance of his
"father." Agreement was impossible, and war ensued. Octavius obtained
the support of the Senate and of Cicero; and the veteran troops of the
dictator flocked to his standard. Antony was denounced as a public
enemy; and the city gave its loudest applause to the tirades of his
most eloquent accuser. His cause gradually lost ground, and seemed to
be totally ruined when his army was defeated in the siege of Mutina
(43 B.C.). But escaping to Cisalpine Gaul, he formed a junction with
Lepidus, and they marched toward Rome with 17 legions and 10,000
cavalry.
The wily Octavius now betrayed his party, and entered into terms with
Antony and Lepidus. It was agreed that they three should adopt the
title--so beautifully ironical--of _Triumviri reipublicae
constituendae_, and share the power and the provinces among them. Gaul
was to be Antony's; Spain fell to the lot of Lepidus, and Africa,
Sardinia, and Sicily were to belong to Octavius. A conjunct
proscription followed, each of the partners in the villanous design
bartering the life of his friends, for the pleasure of destroying his
foes. The detested author of the "Philippics" was given up to Antony's
revenge; and, according to Appian, the number of the victims amounted
to 300 senators and 2,000 knights. In the following year Antony and
Octavius proceeded against the conspirators, Cassius and Brutus, who
still maintained themselves in Macedonia; and, in the battles of
Philippi, stamped out the last embers of republican Rome.
While Octavius returned to Italy, Antony proceeded to Greece, and
thence to Asia Minor, for the sake of recruiting his funds, completing
the subjugation of the Eastern provinces, and obtaining satisfaction
about the conduct of the Egyptian queen during the recent contest. On
his passage through Cilicia, in 41, he was visited by Cleopatra, who
came to answer the charges in person. She sailed up the Cydnus in a
gorgeous bark, with a fantastic and brilliant equipage, and brought
all her allurements to bear on the heart of the voluptuous Roman. Her
success was complete; and he who was to have been her judge, was led
captive to Alexandria as her slave. All was forgotten in the
fascination and delight of the passing hour; and feasting and revelry
found perpetual and ever-varying renewal.
At length Antony was aroused by the Parthian invasion of Syria, and
the report of an outbreak between Fulvia, his wife, and Lucius, his
brother, on the one hand, and Octavius on the other. On arriving in
Italy he found that the war was over, and Octavius the victor; and the
chief cause of disagreement being soon after removed by the death of
Fulvia, a reconciliation was speedily effected between the triumvirs,
and cemented by the marriage of Antony with Octavia, the sister of his
colleague. A new division of the Roman world was agreed on at
Brundusium, Lepidus receiving Africa, Octavius the West, and Antony
the East.
Returning to his province, Antony was for a time successful; his
general, Ventidius, beating the Parthians, and Socius capturing
Jerusalem and conquering Antigonus. But after another visit to Italy,
during which the triumvirate was prolonged for five years, Antony sent
away his wife, yielded himself completely to the evil influence of
Cleopatra, indulged not only in licentiousness, but in tyranny, and
allowed his affairs to be neglected or delayed. An expedition against
the Parthians was a failure; but for this, his success against
Artavasdes, the Armenian king, in some measure compensated. Octavius
at length determined to get rid of Antony, and had little need of
invention to bring charges sufficient against him. About two years
were spent in preparations and delays on both sides, and it was not
till the year 31 that the fate of Antony was decided by the battle of
Actium.
Defeated and deserted, he once more sought refuge and repose in the
society of Cleopatra, but was followed even there by his relentless
rival. At first he made a gallant effort to defend himself, and
partially succeeded. But convinced of the hopelessness of his
position, and assured of the suicide of his mistress, he followed the
example which he was falsely informed she had given (30 B.C.). Antony
had been married in succession to Fadia, Antonia, Fulvia, and Octavia,
and left behind him a number of children. A short but vivid sketch of
Antony is given by De Quincey in his "Essay on the Caesars."