ANTO'NIUS, MARcus (MARK ANTONY), the Roman triumvir, b. in 83 n.c., a descend ant of one of the oldest patrician families, was the son of the praetor M. Antonius Creticus, and, on the side of his mother Julia, was related to Julius Caesar. His youth was wasted in dissipation, and finding himself pressed by numerous impatient creditors, he escaped to Greece in 58 where, for a short time, he listened to the teaching of Athenian philosophers and orators, His studies here were soon interrupted by the pro consul Gabinius, who appointed him as leader of his cavalry. In the campaign against Aristobulus in Palestine, and in Egypt, A. distinguished himself by his courage and activity, and ingratiated himself with the soldiers. After assisting Caesar in Gaul, he went to Rome in 50 ii:c., to advance the interests of the former, who stood in great danger from the hostility of the oligarchical party, and was appointed an augur, and chosen one of the tribunes of the people. In the following year, on account of his adherence to the party of Cesar, he was expelled from the curia, and fled to Caesar, who made use of this event as a pretext for his war against Pompey. At the outbreak of this war, A. received the appointment of commander-in-chief in Italy. In the battle of Pharsalia, lie commanded the left wing of Caesar's army. Iu 47, he was made master of the horse by Caesar, who left him to govern Italy during his absence in Africa. Antony, as usual, disgraced himself; got perpetually drunk; divorced his wife, and married an actress, with whom he paraded offensiirely through the chief towns of the peninsula. In 44 n.c., he married Fulvia, the widow of Clodius; was made consul, and vainly endeavored to prevail on the Romans to recognize Caesar as emperor. After the assassi nation of Caesar, he played the part so well described by Shakespeare; and by his funeral oration, and the well-timed display of Caesar's bloody robe, so wrought on the passions of the people, that the conspirators were compelled to escape from Rome, leav ing the successful orator for a while in possession of almost absolute power. Next, we find A. occupied in disputes and reconciliations with Octavianus (Caesar's heir), besieg ing Mutina, and then denounced by Cicero as an enemy of the state. In 43 n.c., his troops were defeated at the battle of Mutina, when he escaped beyond the Alps; visited the camp of Lepidus, who commanded in Gaul; and gained the favor of the army, of which he took command. Planet's and Pollio joined him with their troops; and A., who so recently had escaped as a helpless fugitive from Italy, returned to Rome at the head of 17 legions and 10,000 cavalry. Octavianus, who had pretended to maintain republican principles, now threw off the mask, and held a consultation with A. and Lepidus on the island of Reno (or Lavino), near Bologna, when it was determined that these triumviri should share the whole Roman world among themselves. To secure their spoil, they returned to Rome, and began their course of murder and robbery throughout Italy. Among their first victims fell Cicero, the orator, whose eloquence
they dreaded. According to Appian, not less than 300 senators and 2000 knights fell under the power of the triumviri. After making Italy safe for themselves, and raising an enormous sum of money to carry on their war abroad, A. and Octavianus led their troops into Macedonia against Brutus and Cassius, and defeated the republican forces. A. next paid a visit to Athens, and then went into Asia, to arrange his dispute with Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, whose conduct had offended the triumviri. The queen her self appeared to answer his challenge, and captivated A. by her beauty and address. The general who had overcome Brutus and Cassius was now made a prisoner, though not of war. He followed Cleopatra into Egypt, and lived with her in idleness and luxury, until he was aroused by tidings of the quarrel which had taken place in Italy between his own relatives and Octavianus. This dispute gave rise to a short war, which came to an end before A. arrived in Italy. A new division of the Roman world now took place between the triumviri, and was soon quietly arranged at Brundusium. A. took the east, and Octavianus took the west; while the ambition of the feeble Lepidus was appeased by his having the whole of Africa for his portion. Even this shadow of dominion was taken from him in 36 B.C. Meanwhile A. had confirmed his friendship with Octavianus by a marriage with Octavia, his sister. He now returned to Cleopatra, resumed his former voluptuous mode of life, squandered the wealth of Rome in gifts to his royal mistress, and became guilty of gross acts of injustice. Oetavianus made use of these fadts to excite the indignation of the Roman people against A., and a war between the rivals became unavoidable. A., in his idleness, tried to postpone the trial of strength which he saw inevitably approaching, and filled the island of Samos (where his troops were quartered) with musicians, jugglers, and buffoons. Meanwhile, at Rome, he was deposed from the triumvirate, and war was proclaimed against Cleopatra. Each party collected its forces, and in the naval engagement which took place (31 n.c.), near Actium {q.v.), A. was defeated. His subsequent hope of finding troops still faithful to him in Libya was disappointed. He returned to Egypt, where, with Cleopatra, he once more forgot political cares and vexations, until his amusements were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Octavianus at Alexandria. A. now roused himself, made a charge with his cavalry, and repelled the enemy; but the advantage was only momen tary. Deserted by the hgyptian fleet, as by his own army, and suspecting that even Cleopatra had conspired against him, he went to her palace, from which the queen had escaped. Deceived by a false message informing him of the death of Cleopatra, A. com mitted suicide by falling upon his sword, in the year 30 B.C.