THE ANTONY MANIFESTO
friends, romans, readers, lend me your ears;
I come to understand Antony, not to praise him.
Mark Antony, once one of the most powerful men in the Mediterranean, played a pivotal role in altering the course of history. Yet, our perception of him is is polarized. He is either the blind Julius Caesar loyalist, or a drunken fool. However, like any person, his real intentions and personality were far more complex than what most of us think they were.
I speak not to disprove what history dictates, but here I am to speak what I do know.
People cannot be reduced to a singular merit or flaw. Which is why I created “Marked by Antony”. I wanted to outline lives in Roman history which though well known, are not well understood. Antony is the epitome of such a life. Through exploring these vivid lives, I hope we find a chance to introspect upon our own selves, and humanity as a whole.
My heart is in the coffin there with Antony, And I must pause till it come back to me.
Perhaps you should take a pause too, gentle readers. Forget the textbooks, statues and paintings, and contemplate on what history is really about – the people who shaped it.