Marc Antony

Marc Antony, a character in the A Courtesan of Rome book, is Caesar's top lieutenant and one of your love interests. He is based off the real life Marc Antony. He is first seen in Chapter 1.

Appearance
Marc Antony has brown eyes, short brown hair in a buzz cut, an olive complexion, and medium stubble. He wears a dark gray muscle cuirass decorated in gold trim covering a purple-red tunic, a purple-red focale, a dark gray cingulum militare, a dark gray cloak, and dark gray arm bracers. You note his sun- and wind-burnt skin, scarred from long years of campaigning.

Personality
Antony is ambitious, cunning and ruthless. According to Syphax and Cassius, he’s very dangerous and cannot be trusted. He’s a hedonist, renowned for his weakness for beauty, but according to Lena, he treats women as tools and conquests. On the other hand, he cares about Rome and is sincerely disgusted by Senate’s corruption. Antony depicts himself as a half-reformed street rat with a weakness for women who don't do what they are told.

Background
In a premium scene in Chapter 9, if you choose to break into empty Senate's Basilica, Antony tells you about his past and explains his hatred for Roman Senate. When he was a boy, his father, an incompetent fool, was killed by pirates. The first words young Marc heard from a Roman senator was that his father was only given power because he was incapable of abusing it efficiently. Later his mother remarried to a respected member to aristocracy, who was later put to death for conspiracy against the state. If you ask about details of this case, Marc explains that conspirators wanted to overthrown Cicero, who was then a consul. Antony ends with moral: never conspire against a man who talks as much as Cicero, because it's very hard to defend yourself when you can't get a word in edgewise. By the age of 14, he was almost completely on his own. He ran wild, drinking, gambling, whoring, as if there were no future for him.

In another premium scene in Chapter 19, Antony shows you a secret cave, where gladiators used to purify themselves in an underground lake, and where he followed them as a child. Asked if he wanted to be a gladiator, Marc says that these times he was a troublemaker and nobody, that people thought would end in a cell or dead in an alley, so he considered gladiators as kindred souls. Some of them overcame great adversities and became famous, and to a young boy they seemed to have a real power.

Book 1

 * Chapter 12: The Tribunal (Mentioned; Determinant)

Series/Book: A Courtesan of Rome

 * Chapter 1: A Princess of Gaul
 * Chapter 2: Crossing the Rubicon
 * Chapter 3: The Aid of the Gods (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 4: The Hunt
 * Chapter 5: Red-Handed (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 6: Marked (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 7: A Fighting Chance
 * Chapter 8: The Goddess of Watching (Mentioned)
 * Chapter 9: Power Vacuum
 * Chapter 10: Snakes in the Grass
 * Chapter 11: Trial By Combat
 * Chapter 12: Raising The Stakes
 * Chapter 13: Bread and Circus
 * Chapter 14: A Twist of Fate
 * Chapter 15: Best Served Cold
 * Chapter 16: Triumph
 * Chapter 17: A Life for a Life
 * Chapter 18: The Die is Cast
 * Chapter 19: A Warrior's Death
 * Chapter 20: The Liberators
 * Chapter 21: The Ides of March

Bachelorette Party

 * Chapter 10: Eighty-Sixed (Determinant)

Main Character
Marc Antony is one of Main Character's love interests. You gain his interest during your debut at Cassius' house. He considers you both beautiful and smart, and even if you openly defy him, he isn't offended and always turns your insult into a joke. He notices that your accent sounds Gallic. At the end of his visit, he realizes that you must be this Catauni girl. Later, during the hunt in Chapter 4, Antony offers you his best greyhound, which you can premiumly adopt.

After Syphax's arrest, Cassius suggests you to ask for Antony's help. In Chapter 7, if you choose to sneak into Senate's Basilica in a premium disguise of a Roman centurion, you can spot Antony in the crowd. This is the first time when you see him without his armor. After the meeting, he notices you. He seems to be aware that you were spying on Senate, especially when you are disguised, though he decides to keep your secret. You receive his help regardless of your relationship with him, especially after Senator Rufus Glycia's provocation. However, you are in Antony's debt since then.

In Chapter 9, you accompany Antony to the theater in the Aventine to watch the bawdy performance mocking the conflict between Caesar and Pompey. If you agree to his premium idea, you can break into empty Basilica together. You may choose to be intimate with him, although you'll be interrupted. Later, serving as the host of the games, he announces the Conquered King, who is revealed to be your father. Antony seems to know, or at least suspect, who Victus is to you. His guess is confirmed at the end of Chapter 12, when you accompany him in the popina. At first, Antony tries to play with you, but it doesn't work: you join him, and together tease Aquila.

In Chapter 13, you accompany him as the Vulcanalia host. If you choose to later accompany him during the parade in a premium scene, Antony reveals his and Caesar's purposes. After the holiday, in Chapter 14, Antony patrols the city, then spots you in the back alley with Aquila. If you tried to attack your enemy, Antony is mad at you for risking both your life and his reputation as your patron. However, it doesn't jeopardize your relationship. If you didn't try to attack Aquila, Antony is mad at him. However, he suspects that your meeting with the latter wasn't a coincidence; and if you admit it, he warns you to be careful, because sometimes even he cannot shield you from consequences of your choices. If you have enough romance points with him, you get an exclusive scene when you can thank him by kiss.

In Chapter 15, your relationship suddenly worsens when Xanthe accuses you of participating in Cassius' plot against Caesar, even if you only tried to console Cassius. If you don't have enough romance points with Antony, he is jealous that you treat his rival better than him. If you have enough romance points, Antony suspects you of manipulating him. In both cases, he decides to take Xanthe instead of you. However, during the games you can still try to get him back. If you flirt with him, he doesn't remain indifferent to your efforts. Later, in Chapter 16, if you decided to spare Aquila instead of killing him, you meet Antony in the lounge and share your vengeance with him.

When you discover that Syphax and Victus will be fighting each other, in Chapter 17 you have to beg Antony to spare both of them. The most effective method is seducing him, and in this premium scene, you may choose to be intimate with him. However, it's possible to achieve your goals without the premium scene.

(At this point, it's revealed that some choices are crucial in your relationship with Marc Antony. If you bought one or more premium scenes with him (in Chapter 9, 13 or 17), even without choosing romance options, you get access to an exclusive path with Antony, giving you several additional scenes in this and later chapters. You lose access to this path if you admit having affair with another love interest.)

During the games, Antony reveals his plan. Since Caesar fell in love with Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, Antony is afraid of losing his influence. He wants you to join Caesar's inner circle and spy on Caesar for him. It reveals that today's fights were arranged this way to make you more prone to agree to his conditions. If you bought one of premium scenes listed above, your contract is sealed in a more friendly way; and if you romanced Antony, he admits that he doesn’t like idea of you playing with Caesar instead of him.

In Chapter 18, he offers you a premium beautiful dress and wishes you luck. During your introduction to Julius Caesar, you can reveal Antony's intentions, which shocks him, but has no further effect. Later, if you are in especially good terms with Antony, you can report to him what you noticed in Caesar and Cleopatra’s relationship. If you seduced one or both of them, you get additional dialogue without choices, and Antony’s reaction depends on whether you romance him or not.

After your unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Caesar, you are imprisoned in gladiator’s barracks. In Chapter 19, Antony visits you in your cell. He’s mad at you for endangering both of you by your recklessness, but if you romance him, he’s more worried than angered. Your conversation with him depends on whether you have access to the exclusive path with him or not. If you have this possibility, you can talk about Antony’s relationship with Caesar. He admits that he misses challenges and having power, he’s also less than pleased by Caesar’s playing king. In each case, you get a premium chance to bathe with him in the underground lake. If you want, you may become intimate with him again. This is the first moment that may jeopardize your relationship. If you tell him that your love for him was always an act, or you order him to go rot with Caesar and his ilk, you lose him forever as a love interest or friend.

Later, when you are dragged into the arena to fight, you can see him on the stands beside Caesar. If you romance Antony, he’s worried; and if not, he’s just angry. In both cases, he tries to reason with Caesar to save your life. If you made an enemy of him, you don’t see this scene.

At the end of Chapter 20, if you are in good or neutral terms with him, you can accompany Antony to the theater in a premium scene. The play reveals to be a political provocation against Caesar, so Antony intervenes in the middle. If you say that wasn’t subtle, he explains that there must be a warning for other actors and playwrights. He’s also aware that you conspire with Cassius and Marcus Brutus against Caesar, and depending on whether you romance him or not, he may tell it to you in nice or rude way.

In the Chapter 21, you have to make sure that he will not interfere with your plans. If you are his enemy, you must fight him. If you are in good or neutral terms with him, you can persuade him to stay home that day. To increase the chances of your success, you can seduce him again under the excuse of attending shrine of Sol Invictus in a premium scene. Even if you refuse, Antony still stays home, wishing you success in whatever you are planning. He promises to take your secret to his grave. This is the second moment that may jeopardize your relationship. If you go with Antony to the shrine but leave him naked and tied up, you lose him as a love interest or friend. To save your relation, you must either sleep with him or refrain from going to shrine with him in the first place.

If you keep a good relationship with Antony, you are later free to join him during his clash with Cassius. If you do this, he informs you about Caesar’s testament, that leaves everything to young Gaius Octavius. However, if you side with Antony, you must publicly condemn Cassius and his ideals in cruel way, what makes you lose Cassius. On the other hand, joining Cassius doesn’t break your relationship with Antony.

At the end of the story, if you didn’t betray Antony in Chapter 19 or 21, you can choose to live with him, or at least say goodbye to him. If you tell him that you have to rebuild your tribe, he is devastated and admits that he hoped you would abandon this foolish idea. If you choose to be his mistress, he invites you to try former Pompey’s bedroom.

Syphax
Even if you don't flirt with Syphax, Antony is fully aware of the latter man's feelings for you, and considers him as rival. Antony saves his life twice, because he doesn't want to see you hurt. However, he does it in the way that separates Syphax from you: after proving his innocence, Syphax cannot return to your scholae, but becomes a professional gladiator. Antony seems to be indifferent to him, although he's upset if you admit romancing Syphax.

Cassius
Cassius and Antony are total opposites, starting from their origins to their political views. Unlike Syphax, whom Antony seems to be neutral to, Cassius is his open enemy. Antony often mocks his rival's ideals, accusing him of naivety and lack of life experience. He is also aware of Cassius' feelings for you, even if you don't reciprocate them. After watching the subversive play in a premium scene, Antony says that he knows that Cassius and Brutus are working against Caesar, although he doesn't want to interfere yet, because their next conspiracy might be better. After Caesar's death, Antony goads the mob against Cassius and Brutus.

Sabina
Antony sees her, accompanying her husband Aquila at popina. He notices that you two are acquainted, but decides to not dredge up any of your secrets, and later allows you walk her home. He seems to be indifferent to Sabina, unless you admit her being your love interest, what upsets him.

Victus
As Caesar's high rank officer, Antony is aware of the Catauni massacre and Aquila's triumph over the captured chieftain and his family. Announcing the Conquered King during the games, he seems to know Victus' identity and his relation to Main Character. Antony seems to admire Victus' combat skills, and saves both him and Syphax for her.

Delphinia
During Vulcanalia you witness sacrificing white bull by the auguress, what starts your discussion with Antony about foreseeing future. You may tell him that your mother was able to do it, but Antony stays sceptical.

Aquila
Aquila is one of Caesar's legates. There is strong competition between him and Antony, who considers his rival as a brute with the political sense of a monkey. If you choose to attack Aquila in Chapter 14, and explain that he was abusing your friend, Antony isn't surprised at all, since knowing him, he's all bluster and malice. After Aquila betrays Caesar for Senate in Chapter 7, Marc openly scorns him. If you decide to reveal Aquila's treason instead of killing him, Antony strips him off his rank and exiles him to Germania, because death would be too good for him. He loathes Aquila, referring to him as rat or worm.

Xanthe
In Chapter 15 Antony chooses her to accompany him, intending to hurt Main Character. However, he soon finds out that although she has some bed skills, she’s actually shallow and boring. In Chapter 17, when you get rid of her, Antony is grateful, because he wanted a real conversation. If you chosen some premium scenes with him, in Chapter 17 Xanthe storms off of his estate, enraged, and Antony tells you that he wasn’t enjoying being with her, because the whole time he could only think about you.

Julius Caesar
Antony is one of Julius Caesar's most trusted officers, and considers the latter also as his friend. He's loyal to his commander, admitting that Caesar made him, uplifting him from the gutter. While Caesar marches to face Pompey's forces, Antony acts as his voice in Rome. In Chapter 17, Antony reveals that he's disturbed by rumors about Caesar falling for Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, and he worries about his commander's loyalty to him and Rome, that's why he needs you to keep him informed. If you romance Antony, he shows jealousy of Caesar and concern about you. Later, in Chapter 19, Antony is disappointed with Caesar, who took most of his influences and luxuries for himself, as if Antony was another tool for him, and not a friend. In Chapter 21, if you are in good terms with Antony, you can overcome his loyalty to his commander, and convince him to stay at home during Ides of March. After Caesar's assassination, if you join Antony, he reveals that Caesar left him nothing, making his distant relative Octavian his heir instead.

Trivia

 * He is based on the real person who lived in ancient Rome and the second Love Interest who is based off a real historical person.
 * Words about Antony's father as incompetent fool were said by Cicero, the same man who became target of Antony's stepfather's conspiracy.
 * On February 4, 2019, Jennifer Hepler, one of the writers for A Courtsan of Rome, confirmed from her Twitter that she is responsible for writing Marc Antony's character.
 * Before his first appearance in A Courtesan of Rome, he was mentioned by Kamilah in a premium flashback scene of Bloodbound, Book 1, Chapter 12.
 * He states his family home was a townhouse in Suburra.
 * He makes a cameo appearance in Chapter 10 of Bachelorette Party, if you take the premium scene where you watch movies with Diana, and choose to watch his and Cleopatra's tragedy.