Final answer:
Antony's funeral speech was rhetorically constructed to sway public opinion rather than present complete truths, impacted by his biases and political motives.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the question of whether Antony speaks the truth during his funeral speech, context is vital. Antony's speech is a classic example of rhetoric and persuasion—it's more about swaying the masses than presenting an objective truth.
While Antony may have included factual elements about Julius Caesar, his oratory was laced with strategic exaggerations and manipulations to incite the crowd against Caesar's assassins.
This is evident through various historical sources, such as Cicero's writings and accounts by Plutarch that highlight Antony's propensity for persuasion and his personal biases.
Plutarch's account notes that Antony had a violent hatred towards Cicero, which could have colored his public statements with personal vitriol. This bias might suggest that Antony's version of events in his funeral speech was not wholly truthful but instead designed to serve his vengeance and political purposes.
Thus, we can infer that while Antony's speech may have contained elements of truth, it was likely not entirely truthful but rather rhetorically constructed to achieve his aims during the turmoil after Caesar's death.