Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare In his speech, Antony disproves Brutus’ assertion that Caesar was ambitious. How does he use rhetoric to advance his purpose?

The speech:
Antony: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interrèd with their bones. 85
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest— 90
For Brutus is an honourable man,
So are they all, all honourable men—
Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me.
But Brutus says he was ambitious, 95
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. 100
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown, 105
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,
And sure he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know. 110
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?
O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason! Bear with me.
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, 115
And I must pause till it come back to me.

Antony: But yesterday the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world; now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence. 130
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men.
I will not do them wrong. I rather choose 135
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar;
I found it in his closet. ‘Tis his will.
Let but the commons hear this testament— 140
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read—
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds,
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills, 145
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue.

Antony: Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it. 150
It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
‘Tis good you know not that you are his heirs, 155
For, if you should, O what would come of it!

Antony: Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?
I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it. 160
I fear I wrong the honourable men
Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar; I do fear it.

Antony: You will compel me then to read the will? 166
Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,
And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?

Antony: Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.

Antony: If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle. I remember
The first time ever Caesar put it on. 180
‘Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,
That day he overcame the Nervii.
Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.
See what a rent the envious Casca made.
Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed; 185
And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,
As rushing out of doors to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no—
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. 190
Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all.
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,
Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart, 195
And in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, 200
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
O now you weep, and I perceive you feel
The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here. 205
Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

Explanation:

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

In his speech, Antony disproves Brutus’ assertion that Caesar was ambitious. How does he use rhetoric to advance his purpose?

The speech:

Antony: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interrèd with their bones. 85

So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus

Hath told you Caesar was ambitious.

If it were so, it was a grievous fault,

And grievously hath Caesar answered it.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest— 90

For Brutus is an honourable man,

So are they all, all honourable men—

Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me.

But Brutus says he was ambitious, 95

And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,

Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.

Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?

When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept. 100

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,

And Brutus is an honourable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal

I thrice presented him a kingly crown, 105

Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,

And sure he is an honourable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

But here I am to speak what I do know. 110

You all did love him once, not without cause:

What cause withholds you then to mourn for him?

O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,

And men have lost their reason! Bear with me.

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, 115

And I must pause till it come back to me.

Antony: But yesterday the word of Caesar might

Have stood against the world; now lies he there,

And none so poor to do him reverence. 130

O masters, if I were disposed to stir

Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,

I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong,

Who, you all know, are honourable men.

I will not do them wrong. I rather choose 135

To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,

Than I will wrong such honourable men.

But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar;

I found it in his closet. ‘Tis his will.

Let but the commons hear this testament— 140

Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read—

And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds,

And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

And, dying, mention it within their wills, 145

Bequeathing it as a rich legacy

Unto their issue.

Antony: Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it. 150

It is not meet you know how Caesar loved you.

You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;

And, being men, bearing the will of Caesar,

It will inflame you, it will make you mad:

‘Tis good you know not that you are his heirs, 155

For, if you should, O what would come of it!

Antony: Will you be patient? Will you stay awhile?

I have o’ershot myself to tell you of it. 160

I fear I wrong the honourable men

Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar; I do fear it.

Antony: You will compel me then to read the will? 166

Then make a ring about the corpse of Caesar,

And let me show you him that made the will.

Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?

Antony: Nay, press not so upon me. Stand far off.

Antony: If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.

You all do know this mantle. I remember

The first time ever Caesar put it on. 180

‘Twas on a summer’s evening in his tent,

That day he overcame the Nervii.

Look, in this place ran Cassius’ dagger through.

See what a rent the envious Casca made.

Through this the well-belovèd Brutus stabbed; 185

And as he plucked his cursèd steel away,

Mark how the blood of Caesar followed it,

As rushing out of doors to be resolved

If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no—

For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel. 190

Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him!

This was the most unkindest cut of all.

For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,

Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,

Quite vanquished him. Then burst his mighty heart, 195

And in his mantle muffling up his face,

Even at the base of Pompey’s statue,

Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.

O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, 200

Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.

O now you weep, and I perceive you feel

The dint of pity. These are gracious drops.

Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold

Our Caesar’s vesture wounded? Look you here. 205

Here is himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.

C

Explanation:

edg 2021

correct answers:

c. they use panels.

d. they include images and words.

e. they contain gutters.

part a.   = c.)

part b. = a.)

explanation: