Marc Antony's Speech

from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

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 interred with their bones;
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 answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—
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;
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:
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,
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.
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,
And I must pause till it come back to me.

Why does Antony begin his speech with the words "friends, Romans, countrymen"?

A. To suggest that he and his listeners all share commonalities

B. To clarify the intended audience for his words

C. To remind listeners that Brutus was not a Roman

D. To accurately cite the sources of his claims throughout the speech

Either A or D...

The answer is A

Okay, I was leaning more towards A.

Thank you!

The correct answer is A. To suggest that he and his listeners all share commonalities. By addressing the crowd as "friends, Romans, countrymen," Antony creates a sense of camaraderie and unity between himself and the listeners. This introduction helps Antony to establish a connection and gain the trust of the crowd, making them more receptive to his message.

The correct answer is A. Antony begins his speech with the words "friends, Romans, countrymen" to suggest that he and his listeners all share commonalities. By addressing them as friends, Romans, and countrymen, he aims to establish a personal and emotional connection with the audience. This approach helps gain their trust and empathy, which is crucial for his purpose of persuading them to question the validity of Brutus's claims against Caesar. Antony wants the people to feel that he is speaking on their behalf and that they are all united against a common enemy.