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All Site ContentJulius CaesarAct 3Scene 1
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Antony fears Caesar, but not Brutus
Discussion
Act 3,
Scene 1
Lines 123-138

A discussion of Antony’s feelings toward Caesar and Brutus in Act 3, Scene 1 of myShakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

Brutus

Soft! Who comes here? A friend of Antony's.

Servant

[Kneeling] Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel;
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,
And being prostrate, thus he bade me say,
'Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest;
Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving.
Say I love Brutus and I honor him;
Say I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him.
If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
May safely come to him and be resolved
How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
So well as Brutus living, but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state
With all true faith.' So says my master Antony.

Antony loves and honors both men, but it is only Caesar who he feared. One interpretation is that Antony is signaling to Brutus that he's supportive of the conspirators. But in Shakespeare's day, people believed that a good king commanded both love and fear. So perhaps Antony is indicating that he is not ready to accept Brutus or his associates as legitimate successors to Caesar because he does not fear them.