Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 1.djvu/70

 38 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS Athens, found an occasion for displaying some of the better features of his char- acter, in the wars that were being carried on by Gabinius against Aristobulus in Palestine, and in support of Ptolemy Auletes in Egypt. A new chapter in his life was opened by the visit which he made to Julius Czesar in Gaul (54 B.C.). Welcomed by the victorious general as a valuable as- sistant in his ambitious designs, and raised by his influence to the offices of quaes- tor, augur, and tribune of the plebes, he displayed admirable boldness and activ- ity in the maintenance of his patron's cause, in opposition to the violence and intrigues of the oligarchical party. At length his antagonists prevailed, and ex- pelled him from the curia ; and the political contest became a civil war. The Rubicon was crossed ; Caesar was victorious, and Antony shared in his triumph. Deputy-governor of Italy during Caesar's absence in Spain (49), second in com- mand in the decisive battle of Pharsalia (48), and again deputy-governor of Italy while Caesar was in Africa (47), Antony was now inferior in power only to the dictator himself, and eagerly seized the opportunity of indulging in the most extravagant excesses of luxurious licentiousness excesses which Cicero depicted in the " Philippics" with all the elaborate eloquence of political hatred. In 46 he seems to have taken offence at Cassar, because he insisted on payment for the property of Pompey which Antony professedly had purchased, but had merely appropriated. But the estrangement was not of long continuance, for we find Antony meeting the dictator at Narbo the following year, and rejecting the ad- vances of Trebonius, who endeavored to discover if there was any hope of get- ting Antony to join in the conspiracy that was already on foot. In 44 he was consul along with Caesar, and seconded his ambition by the famous offer of the crown on the I5th of February, thus unconsciously preparing the way for the tragedy on the I5th of March. To the sincerity of his adherence to Caesar, the conspirators themselves bore witness on that memorable day, by the care which they tcok to keep him engaged without, while the daggers were doing their work within. This was the second great epoch in Antony's life. A brighter prospect than ever was then opened to his ambition. By his eloquence a hereditary gift he managed to stir up the minds of the populace against the assassins of Caesar, and drove them from the city. He made peace with the remaining representatives of the senatorial party, and seemed almost to have succeeded to the power and position of his unfortunate patron. But the youthful Octavius, whom Caesar had adopted as his son, arrived from Illyria, and claimed the inheritance of his " father." Agreement was impossible, and war ensued. Octavius obtained the support of the Senate and of Cicero ; and the veteran troops of the dictator docked to his standard. Antony was denounced as a public enemy ; and the city gave its loudest applause to the tirades of his most eloquent accuser. His cause gradually lost ground, and seemed to be totally ruined when his army was defeated in the siege of Mutina (43 B.C.). But escaping to Cisalpine Gaul, he formed a junction with Lepidus, and they marched toward Rome with 17 legions and 10,000 cavalry.