What is grammatically correct he with his friends was/were absent?

Julius caesar. [brutus.] with this, she fell distraught, and, her attendants absent, swallowed fire. cassius. and died so? brutus. even so. cassius. o ye immortal gods! [enter lucius, with wine and taper] brutus. speak no more of her. give me a bowl of wine. in this i bury all unkindness, cassius. cassius. my heart is thirsty for that noble pledge. fill, lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup; i cannot drink too much of brutus' love. [exit lucius. enter titinius, with messala] brutus. come in, titinius; welcome, good messala. now sit we close about this taper here, and call in question our necessities. cassius. portia, art thou gone? brutus. no more, i pray you. what moral dilemma does brutus confront in this excerpt? brutus lets go of his anger toward cassius and forgives him. brutus decides that he will not mourn portia and will stay loyal to cassius. brutus decides that he is too angry at cassius to remain friends with him. brutus questions whether cassius's life should be ended.

How does the author's use of hyperbole to characterize jim smily? a) it characterizes smily as an introverted loner who prefers books to people. b) it characterizes smily as a man who is kind and nurturing toward others who are less fortunate. c) it characterizes smily as a man who is evil and vindictive toward any one who crosses his path. d) it characterizes smily as a man who is a risk-taker who willing bets on anything and with anyone.

Which. sentence from homesick best shows that the narrator is a character in the story