The surprise and the power of Act 3 lie in Antony's words and actions. Explain Antony's dual roles in Act 3 and how they contribute to the...

In Act III of Julius Caesar, Marc Antony is duplicitous.  When he approaches Brutus and the others after they have assassinated Caesar, Antony tells them he is ready to die.  But Brutus refuses his request, explaining that they only killed Caesar because he had become too power hungry; Brutus insists that he loved Caesar just as Marc Antony loved him.  Acting as though he accepts Brutus's explanation, Antony gives each of the conspirators his hand. Before these men and over the body of Caesar, Antony declares,

That I did love thee, Caesar, O! 'tis true!/If then thy spirit look upon us now/Shall it not grieve thee dearer than death/To see thy Anthony making his peace/Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes....(III,i,209-213)

Antony asks if he may give a eulogy for Ceasar, and Brutus agrees against the advice of Cassius.  However, he instructs Antony that he cannot say anything negative:  "You shall not in your funeral speech, blame us, (III,ii,270). But, after Brutus and the others depart, Antony, in a soliloquy vows to begin a violent civil war and to avenge the death of Caesar.

When he does give his funeral oration, Marc Antony uses rhetorical devices, such as repetition and emotional words and irony to accuse the conspirators without directly saying that they are traitors, or any other negative implication.  He tells the Romans,

...He was my friend, faithful,and just to me;/but Brutus says he was ambitious,/And Brutus is an honorable man. (III,ii,93-95) 

As he continues, Antony mentions that Caesar thrice refuses a crown, but repeats that Brutus says "he was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man."  Repeatedly, Antony subtlely destroys the credibility of Brutus as being of noble intentions.

Dramatically, he shows the crowd the bloody robe of Caesar revealing where each conspirator stabbed him, and reads Caesar's will in which he has bequeathed to the people  each seventy-five dracmas.  By his tone and demonstrative actions, Antony sways the Roman people away from believing Brutus and the others without having broken his promise not to blame them.