Mark Antony's Power of Persuasion in Julius Caesar In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, although Mark Antony is allowed to give a speech at Caesar's funeral, he does not have to speak ill of neither the conspirators nor Caesar. Antony was enraged by Caesar's assassination and wants to take revenge on his murderers and gain power in the government of Rome. He must persuade the assembled crowd that Caesar's murder was unjust and turn them against Brutus and Cassius. He tries to arouse the anger of his listeners, moving them to action and yet say nothing negative about his enemies. Marc Antony uses several persuasive devices in his speech, which allow him to successfully convince the citizens of Rome to turn against the conspirators. The first of these expedients, a specific test, allows Antony to counter Brutus's explanation for the assassination and demonstrate that Caesar was a good ruler. He says, “He brought many prisoners back to Rome, / whose ransoms filled the general coffers” (III.ii.97-98). He continues with: “When the poor cried, Caesar cried” (III.ii.100). Marc Antony uses these examples to show the crowd that Caesar cared deeply about Rome and its citizens and to remind them of the contributions he made. Caesar risked his life to take prisoners and then gave the ransom money to the public. Marc Antony says that Caesar was compassionate, felt the sadness of his citizens and cried with them. The public remembers what a good ruler Caesar was and regrets that he is gone. Brutus had told the citizens that he killed Caesar because of his ambition, but Antony denies him. He says: "You all saw that on the Lupercal/I presented him with a royal crown three times,/which he did three... in the middle of the paper... to hear the opposite of what he is sayingA "Honourable Men"1 . The tone of voice tells his feelings-sarcastic tone1. Repetition-forgets the real messageB. "No mutiny"2 ' sadness, then angerA. Shows his own pain1 (135)V. Props: Maintaining interest and appealing to the painA. Appealing to the audience's emotions2. Showing personal pain1. Maintaining the audience's interesta (155)1 speech