Mark Antony

[Publius Nonius Severus]

Here is the relevant section of the article by Pelling:

 

Thanks for that mi Cato! That lends some weight to the idea that Plutarch used artistic license to increase drama in his life bios while still remaining mostly factual.

[dianamt54]

For many years, I thought MA was a hero. Dashing like Richard Burton, or handsome and loyal like James Purfoy My eyes have been opended. See what reading can do? Open your eyes and mind. Now I can't wait until I read more about MA. He was an oppurtunist and was out for himself. After many years, my eyes have been opened!

[Pompieus]

Well... he was an opportunist and out for himself, but he was a dashing hero too...they aren't mutually exclusive. All Roman aristocrats were out for wealth glory and honors- that's what they did. Nor were they constantly and unquestioningly loyal to any political alliance, these shifted with the situation and always had. Antonius acted like any Roman aristocrat would relative to his "party" leader - loyal - to a point. Regardless of the coin images, Antonius was a dashing cavalry commander and a great leader and general. He was apparently wild in his youth (many young Roman aristocrats were) and evidently didn't totally clean up his act as he aged, but one can hardly accept the characterizations of Cicero and Octavian - his political enemies. The charge that he gave Roman territory to Clepatra is also exagerated by Augustan propaganda. Most of the "Donations" were not Roman territory but "client kingdoms" that could be disposed of by a proconsul as he saw fit.

Edited January 6, 2009 by Pompieus