Name: ________________________________
Period _________
Brutus’s and Antony’s Speeches: Act III
ETHOS: The appeal to the guiding beliefs that characterize a community, nation, and/or
ideology.
PATHOS: The appeal to emotions (love, anger, envy, humor, etc.)
LOGOS: The appeal to reason
I. Review the speech by Brutus (pg. 1249), then complete the following questions.
1. What REASON does Brutus offer for killing Caesar?
He was ambitious.
2. Often when people try to persuade us, it is not what they DO TELL us that is always
most important but what they DO NOT TELL us. CAREFULLY EXAMINE lines 2630. What must Brutus provide that he DOES NOT provide?
He provides no evidence that they were slaves, uncivilized, and unpatriotic.
3. Does anyone in the crowd bother to ask about this oversight? no
Why? (What do we know about this crowd?”)
They are easily swayed by the power of rhetoric.
4. Earlier, Brutus compared Caesar to a “serpent’s egg.” What was significant about that?
The egg is insignificant until it hatches and the serpent begins to strike. Caesar had become
the serpent.
5. Is there anything Brutus could have provided as PROOF that Caesar’s death was
necessary?
Evidence of dictatorship, evidence that Caesar would not consider reason over his own
rules, etc.
6. What is the crowd’s state of mind BEFORE Brutus speaks?
They want to hear reason for why he would kill Caesar.
7. What is their state of mind AFTER he speaks?
They want to erect a statue in his honor and call him Caesar.
WHY is Brutus so successful despite the lack of sound arguments to defend his actions?
He uses the proper tone, utilizes key words such as honor, and asks rhetorical questions.
8. Why are RHETORICAL QUESTIONS used? To cause the audience to believe that
they would be a lesser people if they followed Caesar
9. Copy the first rhetorical question:
Who here is so base that would be a bondman?
10. What is the ASSUMPTION inherent in this question?
That they were slaves to Caesar.
11. This is a FALLACY (a defect in an argument). Technically, it is a fallacy of
presumption that is called a COMPLEX QUESTION. This occurs when an
apparently single question is asked that really involves TWO questions. Example:
“Have you stopped beating your wife?” (Within this question is the PRESUMPTION
that the man beats his wife.) How would any sane man respond to Brutus’ question?
What evidence do you have that we were slaves to Caesar?
12. Copy the second rhetorical question:
Who here is so rude that he would not be a Roman?
13. What is the DEFECT with this question? (What does the question presume?)
That Caesar would cause them to be uncivilized.
14. Copy the third rhetorical question:
Who here is so vile that will not love his country?
15. What does Brutus repeat immediately following the second and third question?
If any speak, for him have I offended.
16. Thus, if someone disagrees with Brutus, to what are they admitting?
In addition to being base, vile, and uncivilized, they want to be an unpatriotic slave who
deplores Rome.
17. Copy the fourth rhetorical question:
…shall received the benefit of dying, a place in the commonwealth, as which of you shall
not?
18. In what way does Brutus speak highly of Caesar?
He calls him his best friend and says that he loved him.
19. Why do you think he speaks highly of Caesar?
To show that it was even more of a struggle to do what is right for Rome (if he is willing
to kill his best friend, it must be right).
20. Brutus repeats a sentence three times. What is it?
If any speak, for him have I offended.
21. What effect do you think this repetition has?
It allows the people to feel as though they have a say and that Brutus wants them to
express any concerns they have.
Now let’s examine Antony’s speech….
II. Review ANTONY’S SPEECH. Remember the rhetorical situation: he has promised
the conspirators that he will not speak ill of them before the crowd. Furthermore, Brutus
has successfully convinced the crowd that Caesar deserved death, and they are ready to
give Brutus “a statue with his ancestors” and make him Caesar for his heroism. Thus,
Antony faces a “hostile” audience. Answer the following questions to help you analyze his
persuasive abilities.
1. What does Antony say in line 74-76:
Noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious, If it were so, it was a grievous fault.
2. What does he now need to argue?
Caesar was NOT ambitious.
3. In lines 79-80, what word does Antony use to refer to Brutus and the other men?
honorable
4. Does Antony really feel this way about them? ____________Why would he describe
them this way?
No, he is using the word to show how dishonorable they are.
5. In lines 85-104, Antony appeals to the interests of whom? commoners How?
He uses stories about Caesar’s lack of ambition that would specifically appeal to them.
6. What does Antony’s evidence show about Caesar’s ambition?
He lacked ambition
7. List the evidence he provides:
1) He helped release captives; 2) he cried for the poor; 3) he thrice refused the crown
8. Immediately following the examples about Caesar’s ambitions, Antony says:
Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he is ambitious, and sure he is an honorable man.
9. What is the effect of this repetition?
To further emphasize that Caesar was not ambitious; therefore, the view of Brutus as
honorable is not accurate.
Brutus says Caesar was ambitious, and Brutus is honorable, but IF Caesar was NOT
ambitious, this makes Brutus a liar, and a liar cannot be honorable.
10. What rhetorical questions does Antony use in this first section (70-104)?
Does this in Caesar seem ambitious? Was this ambition? What cause withholds you then
to mourn for him?
Why are they questions rather than statement?
They are only considered questions because they start with a word that indicates a question
and end with a question mark. However, they are really statements.
11. In lines 102-104 Antony pauses. Why?
He wants to emphasize the trauma the death of Caesar has caused and to allow the people
time to think about what he said.
12. In lines 128-129, what statement is ironic? Why?
“Which (pardon me) I do not mean to read” He wants nothing more than to read it.
13. Who does Antony suggest he would rather “wrong”?
The dead, himself, and the commoners
14. Thus, he begins to paint Caesar, himself, and the crowd as
Dishonorable
15. Why does he say he won’t read Caesar’s will?
It would cause the people to love Caesar too much.
16. What effect does this create?
It entices the crowd to want more and to consider that perhaps Brutus isn’t so honorable.
17. Stirring hearts, tears, the will: Antony has shifted his appeal from logos to pathos.
18. Where does Antony have the crowd gather?
Around the body
19. Why do you think he does this?
So they can see the results of the savagery and focus on the death
20. Why would Antony bring up his “memory of Caesar’s mantle (cape or cloak?) Hint: Do
you really think Antony remembers what he wore that day?
To show that Caesar defeated a great tribe, and his payback is murder.
21. In lines 172-177, what does Antony point out?
Even the blood was shocked by Brutus, and it rushed to see if it was really him who
stabbed.
22. Why does he mention names?
To show all of the complicity
23. What does the adjective he uses for Casca imply about Casca’s motive for killing
Caesar?
He was envious
24. What does the adjective he uses for Brutus make of Brutus?
That Caesar loved him
25. By pointing out all of the stab wounds, Antony continues to build the image of Caesar
as a
Martyr
26. Which conspirator does Antony dwell on? Brutus
27. Why? To show that he will even turn his back on his best friend, who loved and trusted
him
28. Who else does Antony suggest was “victimized by this act? (line 188)
Everyone- all the countrymen
29. What is the crowd’s reaction to his speech in lines 195-202? They believe Caesar was
the noble one and the conspirators were traitors.
30. Name three points Antony makes in lines 206-226 that are ironic and after each, explain
why he makes them.
1. (212) “I come not to steal away your hearts”- that’s exactly what he wants to do.
2. (213) “I am not orator, as Brutus is”- Antony’s speech blew Caesar’s out of the
water
3. (219) “Nor the power of speech to stir men’s blood. In only speak right on”- he has
all the power.
31. In lines 209-214, Antony suggests what might happen if he had the speaking abilities of
Brutus. What does he suggest would occur?
He would cause them all to rise in mutiny.
32. What has he planted in their minds?
They should rebel
33. What does the crowd vow to do?
Mutiny; seek out the conspirators
34. Why does Antony want to stir them into such a frenzy?
So they will act quickly and without thought
35. As the crowd is about to leave, Antony makes them stay and rattles off what Caesar left
in his will. Why would this inheritance make an impression on this capricious audience?
If they don’t take care of the conspirators, they may not see the money.
36. What happens that shows the crowd will no longer listen to any voice of “reason?”
They want to burn Caesar’s body and brand the conspirators houses.
37. As the crowd disperses, Antony says, “Now let it work; Mischief, thou art afoot. Take
what course thou wilt.” What does this reveal about Antony?
He planned the whole thing and he wants fate to take over.
38. Looking back on Brutus’ speech, which of the three appeals does he use most?
Logos
Antony? Pathos
39. Does Antony successfully convince the crowd that Caesar was wronged? YES!