CASSIUS. Decius, well urged. I think it is not meet
Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,
Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of him
A shrewd contriver. And you know his means,165
If he improve them, may well stretch so far
As to annoy us all; which to prevent,
Let Antony and Caesar fall together.
BRUTUS. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,
To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,170
Like wrath in death and envy afterwards—
For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.
Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.
We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,
And in the spirit of men there is no blood.175
O, that we then could come by Caesar’s spirit,
And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,
Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends,
Let’s kill him boldly, but not wrathfully.
Let’s carve him as a dish fit for the gods,180
Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.
And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,
Stir up their servants to an act of rage,
And after seem to chide 'em. This shall make
Our purpose necessary, and not envious,185
Which so appearing to the common eyes,
We shall be called purgers, not murderers.
And for Mark Antony, think not of him,
For he can do no more than Caesar’s arm
When Caesar’s head is off.190
Which conclusion does Brutus’ excerpt best support?
Mark Antony’s life will be spared because he will be useless without Caesar.
Mark Antony should also be assassinated because he and Caesar are so close.
All of Caesar’s followers should be put to death, not just Mark Antony.
No matter whom Brutus and the others kill, the people will see Brutus and the others as murderers.
1 answer
The excerpt best supports the conclusion that Mark Antony’s life will be spared because he will be useless without Caesar.
Brutus argues that once Caesar is dead, Mark Antony will not be able to do any harm and will be effectively powerless. He states that Antony is "but a limb of Caesar" and implies that without Caesar, Antony cannot pose a threat. Therefore, Brutus believes it is unnecessary to kill Antony as he will be diminished without Caesar’s influence.
