Download Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War Antony confronts Brutus and

Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War
Antony confronts Brutus and Cassius after the Murder of Caesar – March, 44 BC (9:10)
Brutus, Cassius, Cicero, Servilia, and Quintus Pompey meet with Antony on the afternoon of the Ides.
Antony proposes amnesty in return for acceptance of Caesar’s will.
How does Cicero react to the news that Antony remains alive? How does Cicero react to Antony’s arrival?
Why does Antony object to the presence of Pompey’s son? And what does he observe about the popular
reaction to the death of Caesar?
According to Cassius and Brutus, how much support do the conspirators have? And how does Antony
dismiss that claim?
Why are Brutus and Cassius reluctant to declare Caesar a tyrant and hold new elections?
Why does Antony propose helping the conspirators with a declaration of amnesty? And what does if
threaten if they reject his offer?
What plan does Cicero “not” urge about Antony? And how does Brutus respond to the plan that Cicero
“does not urge”? What do Cassius and Servilia urge Brutus to do?
What does Brutus do when he emerges after the meeting? Why?
And then what does Antony do to Quintus Pompey? Why?
Political Maneuvering of Cicero and Antony – September, 44 BC (8:29)
The truce between Antony and the conspirator has begun to unravel. Brutus and Cassius have gone east to
raise troops. Cicero and Antony meet. Antony demands Cicero’s support for a change in his provincial
command after his year as consul – he wants to be able to keep troops close to Italy. Cicero then surprises
Antony with a speech (known as the “First Philippic”) read in the Senate.
According to Cicero, what has Octavian been doing? And how does Antony respond?
How does Antony show his dominance over Cicero?
Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War
What does Antony want Cicero to do for him? And why does Cicero object?
What threat does Antony make against Cicero?
Why does Cicero have another senator read his speech about Antony?
What surprise does Cicero include in his speech? And how does Antony react?
To whom does Cicero write as he flees from Rome? And what does Cicero propose?
What does Antony do three months later? Yet who is now fighting against him in defense of the Senate
and the Republic?
Octavian in the Senate – 43 BC (3:44)
Octavian has helped to defeat Antony at the Battle of Mutina in Gaul. Cicero and the Senate have
rewarded him with appointment as Consul at the unprecedented age of 19. Octavian then surprises Cicero
and the Senate when he returns to Rome. He makes an important declaration about Brutus and Cassius.
What does Octavian say that pleases the senators?
What does motion Octavian propose that does not please the senators?
What objection does Cicero raise with Octavian? And how does Octavian respond?
What does Octavian do to intimidate the Senate?
What has Octavian revealed about himself and about his respect for Cicero and the Senate?
Antony & Octavian reconcile – 43 BC (0:52)
Octavian travels to Gaul to ally with Antony against Brutus, Cassius, and the Senate
Who has helped to engineer the reconciliation between Antony and Octavian?
Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War
What feelings are they likely still to hold about each other?
Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus form the Second Triumvirate – 43 BC (3:50)
Antony, Octavian, Lepidus, Maecenas, and Atia plot strategy, They plan proscriptions.
How does Antony propose to surprise Brutus and Cassius? What does Octavian observe about Antony’s
plan?
Who proposes proscriptions? Why? What does this tell us about his character?
Whom does Antony want to die first? Why?
Why do the triumvirs agree to add Rufus Tranquilus to the list?
What does Antony want done with Cicero’s hands? Why?
And what does Atia want of Brutus’ corpse?
Death of Cicero – 43 BC (5:15)
Octavian’s soldier, Titus Pullo, comes to Cicero’s villa to kill him. Cicero’s slave Tiro tries in vain to stop
him.
What news does Cicero attempt to get to Brutus and Cassius before his death?
How do Cicero and Pullo treat each other before the killing?
What fatal miscalculation did Cicero make about Octavian?
The Battle of Philippi – 42 BC (9:44)
The armies of Antony and Octavian defeat the armies of Brutus and Cassius, avenging the murder of
Caesar and establishing control over all of Rome’s empire.
Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War
About what do Brutus and Cassius banter before the battle?
About what do Antony and Octavian speak before and during the battle? What do we learn about each
man?
How does Brutus approach his inevitable death? What does this tell us about him? And how does HBO’s
portrayal compare with Shakespeare’s?
The Second Triumvirate Divides the Empire – 41 BC (3:39)
Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus determine which part of the Empire each will control.
In what condition does Antony arrive at the meeting?
What worries have some senators expressed to Lepidus? How does Antony react to their complaints?
What proposal does Octavian make? And what regions does Antony propose each should control?
Why does Octavian object to Antony’s proposed division? And how does Antony answer?
How do Antony and Octavian treat Lepidus in the meeting? What does he get?
Antony Arrives in Egypt – 41 BC (1:30)
Antony meets Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and Caesar’s former lover and mother of his son. Cleopatra
entices Antony to provide her with protection.
What does Cleopatra do to get Antony’s attention and support?
Antony & Cleopatra’s debauchery in Egypt – 35 BC (2:49)
As the alliance of Antony and Octavian has broken down into rivalry, Antony has lost his commitment to
Roman virtues and his dedication to the Roman people. Octavian has appealed to Antony for help with the
grain shortage in Rome, but Antony and Cleopatra make outrageous demands.
On what “sport” are Antony and Cleopatra engaging in the Egyptian court when the Roman envoys arrive?
Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War
What offer does the envoy make? And what further demands does Cleopatra then make?
How do Antony and Cleopatra respond to Octavian’s concern for the people of Rome?
What attitude do Antony and Cleopatra show towards the lives of the Roman and the Egyptian people?
Octavian calls for action against the traitor Antony – 32 BC (1:13)
Octavian declares war against his former ally Antony.
How does Octavian’s spokesman describe Cleopatra? What “promise” has Antony made to her?
According to Octavian, how has Antony changed? What is left for Romans to do?
Aftermath of the Battle of Actium – 31 BC (1:48)
The rivalry between Antony and Octavian has broken into civil war. Under the leadership of Agrippa,
Octavian’s navy defeats Antony at the Battle of Actium off the coast of Greece. At a crucial moment in the
battle, Cleopatra has abandoned Antony and sailed away with the Egyptian fleet. Antony, with the help of
his loyal lieutenant Vorenus, resolves to follow her.
What attitude does Antony convey in defeat?
What news is announced back in Rome? How are Antony and Octavian described?
Cleopatra and Octavian Meet – 30 BC (2:48)
Octavian arrives in Egypt soon after the suicide of Antony. Cleopatra tries to seduce Octavian, just as she
done with Caesar and Antony before him, but receives only a thinly veiled threat in return.
What are Octavian and Cleopatra saying to each other on the surface?
What are they saying beneath the surface?
What “favor” does Octavian “ask” of Cleopatra? And how does Cleopatra try to dodge the request?
Guide – Unit 4 – Rome: Civil War
What plans does Octavian really have for Cleopatra and her children (including Caesar’s son Caesarion)?
Why?
The Deaths of Antony and Cleopatra – 30 BC (9:56)
After much intrigue, both Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide. [Viewing is optional]
The Triumph of Octavian – 29 BC (5:01)
Octavian has returned to Rome as the sole victor of the Civil Wars. He will soon begin his rule as
“Princeps” – the “first citizen” of Rome. In two years he will take on the name “Augustus.” [Viewing is
optional]