How Does Mark Antony Use Ethos In Julius Caesar

The ides of March in 44B.C. will forever be a notable day for the Roman Empire, their great leader the honorable Julius Caesar was assassinated. The Roman Empire didn’t have a permanent powerful leader in charge, therefore, it was always a competition to who would one day become the great leader and people feared that. The people of Rome feared a man full of power, Brutus being one of them. Brutus was a senator and also a relative to Caesar, he was the lead conspirator head to plan and assassinate due to his increasingly rapid upraise which began to occur after Caesar’s appointment to dictator Perpetuo. People always viewed Brutus as such a high and honorable man even after the assignation, until Mark Antony’s gave his eulogy at Julius Caesar’s

In the very first line of his speech Antony states, “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” (III.ii.70). Antony uses a form of ethos which immediately has an effect on the plebeians. Trying to get the plebeians to trust him Antony refers to them as “friends” throughout the speech to prove his credibility. Also, Antony also refers to the plebeians as “Romans” to make them all feel equal and the same as if Antony is no greater than a commoner. As a result, this creates the effect that Antony is on the plebeian’s side and they can trust what he says. In contrast to Brutus, Antony begins with “friends” compared to Brutus who begins with “Romans”, Antony has a more emotional approach to comfort the crowd that will make it easier to have an easier going crowd throughout the rest of his speech. To continue, Antony also uses constant repetition only to get the crowd to question their idea of Brutus. Antony says, ““For Brutus is an honorable man” (III.ii.79). At this point in time during the speech Antony is still speaking well of Brutus to the crowd. Due to the wording of Antony’s statements by praising Brutus has the crowd questioning that either Antony or Brutus has made a mistake in the judgement of Caesar. On the other hand, Antony keeps his speech full of words such as “ambitious” and “honorable” which makes it impossible for the crowd to depict that Antony is suddenly against Brutus and

Antony states, “When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; / Ambition should be made of sterner stuff” (III.ii.88-89). Antony shows this to define the true good quality traits of how great of a leader Caesar was. In Brutus’s speech he claims that Caesar was too ambitious, however, Antony’s statement refutes Brutus’s point. Antony desperately but trying to maintain as if he unknowingly says it feels that the conspirators had wrongfully murdered a good leader and man. As the speech continues on the crowd begins to get more and angrier over the murder of Julius Caesar. Antony also uses pathos when he states, “My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, / And I must pause till it come back to me” (III.ii.103-104). Antony uses pathos to draw emotion from the crowd so they can feel his concern and grief for his friend Caesar. Antony expresses his gratitude for the crowd to understand the heart of his approach which includes pathos or simply just an emotional appeal. As opposed to Brutus who is very logical and not so genuine. Antony realizes that between the both of them Antony claimed a more meaningful friendship with Caesar, which shows by how affected he is by his death. Antony uses his emotion to prove his