Literature Help

Question

How does cassius try to get brutus involved in the conspiracy?

 

 

a.  he bribes brutus

b.  cassius says that he will make brutus the new dictator after caesar is dead

c.  he threatens brutus' family

d.  he tells brutus about caesar's weaknesses

 

 

I know he sends letters from unknown sources, so I am confused with these answer choice

Answer 1

I believe the best answer, given the choices, is D. But yes, they're bad choices.

 

I base this on a close reading of Cassius and Brutus' exchange in Act I, Scene ii. I'm using this site: 

 

http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/play_view.php?WorkID=juliuscaesar&Scope=entire&pleasewait=1&msg=pl

 

All of the line numbers will correspond to this site's text.

 

First, Cassius tells Brutus the story of when Cassius rescued Caesar from the Tiber, when they were young men (lines 190-208), arguing that this formerly weak, vulnerable Caesar "...Is now become a God" who has forgotten both his proper place and his friends.

 

Second, Cassius points out to Brutus that Caesar is merely a man, like they themselves-- but that Caesar has forgotten his mortality and usurped his place as a man of Rome (lines 226-252); instead, Caesar now "...doth bestride the narrow world / Like a Colossus" and that this will ruin Rome-- the city/nation that Brutus is sworn to protect (lines 247-252).

 

In response to all of this, Brutus mentions that "...What you have said / I will consider; what you have to say / I will with patience hear...". This is the first indication we are given that Brutus may betray Caesar, his best friend.

 

Hope this helps.