In politics, “there is no tenet” is the only tenet, for the end always justifies the means. When the dust settles at the end of William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Mark Antony stands in triumph. Carried out by eloquent speeches, his elaborate scheme defeats his political enemy Brutus, and secures him a leadership position in imperial Rome. In the first three acts, Shakespeare establishes Antony as a successful demagogue who leads the people of Rome against Brutus and into riots. In the last two acts, Shakespeare continues to portray Antony as a ruthless, manipulative and adaptable politician, suggesting that extreme and even immoral pragmatism is advantageous in politics. 

Antony’s ruthlessness builds his political ethos on his path to power. After securing the city of Rome, the Octavius administration has to rid it of dissenters. In the execution process, Lepidus presents Antony a seeming conundrum. “Upon this condition Publius shall not live, / who is your sister’s son, Mark Antony” (4.1.6-7). Although most would deem it immoral to kill their own close relative, Antony delivers the order to kill without hesitation, “He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him” (4.1.8). By taking the life of his own family members without suffering any emotional burden whatsoever, Antony destroys his political enemies in Rome, and establishes his authority as an impartial ruler. His cold-blooded character pushes him to sacrifice even his family in order to seize power. Furthermore, Antony bears no affection toward his comrade in battle Lepidus, and uses him as a tool. In describing him to Octavius, Antony states:

And, though we lay these honors on this man 

to ease ourselves of diverse sland’rous loads, 

he shall but bear them as the ass bears gold, 

to groan and sweat under the business, 

either led or driven, as we point the way; 

and having brought our treasure where we will, 

then take we down his load and turn him off 

(like to the empty ass) to shake his ears

and graze in commons (4.1.22-30).

Through his vicious words and denigrating metaphor, Antony shows his ruthlessness and disregard of camaraderie or genuine friendship. He thinks no more of his collaborator Lepidus than an “ass bear[ing] gold,” and only allies with him to “ease [himself] of diverse sland’rous loads.” In other words, Antony intentionally shares his honor with Lepidus, and uses him as a shield against slanders that would have targeted himself. With all critics focused against Lepidus, Antony in contrast appears as a moral and noble leader to the people of Rome. While Lepidus’ ethos shatters, his remains intact.

Antony uses his speech to manipulate people’s minds, thus commanding them to his advantage. In Act 3, he successfully denies Brutus’s attempt to justify the assasination of Caesar. Similarly, at the battle of Philippi, he deploys his inflammatory language to condemn Brutus and Cassius. In front of both armies, he continues to denigrate their intentions, 

Villians, you did not so when your vile daggers

hacked one another in the sides of Caesar. 

You showed your [teeth] like apes and fawned like 

hounds

and bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar’s feet,

whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur, behind

struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers! (5.1.42-48).

Antony tries to stimulate the soldiers on his side so they would fight valiantly in the battle. Hence, he carefully selects his anecdote and diction to invoke pathos from his audience. Much like his speech to the commoners in Act 3, Antony first vividly depicts the scene of Caesar’s death as an immoral ambush where “Casca, like a cur, behind struck Caesar on the neck.” Moving on, he addresses Brutus’s company as undignified “bondmen”, savage “apes” and “vile” “flatterers.” The negative connotations of these descriptive words, combined with the portrayal of Caesar’s pitiful death, deal heavy damage to Brutus and Cassius’ ethos, and justifies Octavius’ vengeance of Caesar. Hence, the soldiers on Octavius’s side are persuaded that they fight for justice, while Brutus’ forces doubt the integrity of their commanders. This delicate yet vitally important change in the dueling aemies’ emotions right before the battle ultimately contributes to Antony’s utter military victory in the Battle of Philippi, completing his climb to power.

Antony’s extreme adaptability reinforces his power and authority. Contrary to Brutus, who believes in a strict honor dogma, Antony never castigates people who hold different values; he is willing to bend his belief to his advantage. During the battle, Antony’s force captures Lucilius, who is impersonating Brutus to assist his escape. Antony can easily execute Lucilius, a leader of the enemy force, but he chooses otherwise. He tells his soldiers to “Keep this man safe. / Give him all kindness. [He] had rather have / such men [his] friends than enemies” (5.4.28-30). While other people would loathe Lucilius’s undying loyalty to the enemy, Antony considers him a steadfast general who would reinforce his own army greatly. Therefore, instead of death, Antony offers Lucilius safety and “kindness” to demonstrate his benevolence, thereby recruiting a fierce warrior to his army. Moreover, when the battle is over, Antony even praises Brutus, the very same person who he has condemned as vile and immoral before the battle. In front of Brutus’s residual forces, Antony delivers a eulogy for Brutus:

This [Brutus] was the noblest Roman of them all. 

All the conspirators save only he 

did that they did in envy of great Caesar. 

He only in a general honest thought 

and common good to all made one of them. 

His life was gentle and the elements
so mixed in him that nature might stand up 

and say to all the world ‘this was a man’” (5.5.74-81).

Despite having openly expressed his loath for Brutus in previous Acts, on this occasion Antony chooses to describe Brutus as “noblest,” “honest,” and “gentle.” Exclaiming that “this was a man,” he puts Brutus on the very pedestal that he has reduced to ashes in Act 3. Antony’s adaptability dictates him to praise his nemesis because his ultimate objective is to win over Brutus’ supporters, and this moving eulogy would convince them of his magnanimity and morality. Setting his true feelings aside, Antony adapts to the situation and successfully reinforces his political power. 

If Brutus in Julius Caesar embodies a code of honor, then Mark Antony embodies the lack of one. An extreme pragmatist, Antony disregards moral principles and does whatever is required to gain power. His ruthlessness, manipulativeness and adaptability prove pragmatism’s advantage in politics, a central theme that Shakespeare conveys throughout the play. When most abide by their honor, the wise choose to become inglorious b*stards.