y was the right hand of Caesar.

At the decisive battle of Pharsalia, Caesar had chosen Mark Antony to
lead the left wing while he himself led the right. More than once Mark
Antony had stopped the Roman army in its flight and had turned defeat
into victory. In the battle with Aristobulus he was the first to scale
the wall.

His personal valor was beyond cavil--he had distinguished himself in
every battle in which he had taken part.

It was the first intent of the conspirators that Caesar and Antony should
die together, but the fear was that the envious hate of the people
toward Caesar would be neutralized by the love the soldiers bore both
Caesar and Antony. So they counted on the cupidity and ambition of Antony
to keep the soldiers in subjection.

Antony was kept out of the plot, and when the blow was struck he was
detained at his office by pretended visitors who wanted a hearing.

When news came to him that Caesar was dead, he fled, thinking that
massacre would follow. But the next day he returned and held audience
with the rebels.

Antony was too close a follower of Caesar to depart from his methods.
Naturally he was hasty and impulsive; but now, everything he did was in
imitation of the great man he had loved.

Caesar always pardoned. Antony listened to the argument of Brutus that
Caesar had been removed for the good of Rome. Brutus proposed that Antony
should fill Caesar's place as Consul or nominal dictator; and in return
Brutus and Cassius were to be made governors of certain
provinces--amnesty was to be given to all who were in the plot.

Antony agreed, and at once the Assembly was called and a law passed
tendering pardon to all concerned--thus was civil war averted. Caesar was
dead, but Rome was safe.

The funeral of Caesar was to occur the next day. It was to be the funeral
of a private citizen--the honor of a public funeral-pyre was not to be
his. Brutus would say a few words, and Antony, as the closest friend of
the dead, would also speak--the body would be buried and all would go on
in peace.

Antony had done what he had because it was the only thing he could do.
To be successor of Caesar filled his ambition to the brim--but to win the
purple by a compromise with the murderers! It turned his soul to gall.

At the funeral of Caesar the Forum was crowded to every corner with a
subdued, dejected, breathless throng. People spoke in whispers--no one
felt safe--the air was stifled and poisoned with f