Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar . [ CASSIUS: ] A friend should bear his friend’s infirmities, But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. BRUTUS: I do not, till you practice them on me. CASSIUS: You love me not. BRUTUS: I do not like your faults. CASSIUS: A friendly eye could never see such faults. BRUTUS: A flatterer’s would not, though they do appear As huge as high Olympus. How does the allusion in this passage connect to the central idea of the passage?
Answer
A
The allusion emphasizes the size of the faults that Brutus sees in Cassius, which will lead to an honest discussion of the roots of the friends’ conflict.
B
The allusion to the gods introduces the notion of fate, suggesting that the relationship between Cassius and Brutus can be repaired only if it is fated to be.
C
The allusion introduces the idea that, although the two men are very powerful and command armies, they are not gods but human beings.
D
The allusion emphasizes the need for compromise between human beings, just as the gods are forgiving of human faults.