What final tribute does Antony pay Brutus?

What final tribute does Antony pay Brutus?

• A. This was the noblest Roman of them all.
• B. Brutus, a traitor, deserved no honor.
• C. Brutus fell as a dog at night.
• D. You betrayed us, Brutus.

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is Antony’s final gesture of respect toward Brutus, showing his recognition of Brutus’s honor even in death. After Brutus dies by his own sword in the aftermath of the conspiracy, Antony publicly honors him, culminating in the line that Brutus was “the noblest Roman of them all.” This moment reveals Antony’s nuanced view: Brutus acted from a belief that he was saving Rome, and his motives are praised rather than vilified, even by Antony who had previously used rhetoric to sway the crowd. So the closing tribute isn’t about betrayal or insult; it’s a solemn acknowledgement of Brutus’s integrity and the tragedy of his fall. The other possibilities would contradict that tone of respectful acknowledgment, whereas the famous final benediction explicitly elevates Brutus above the others as a noble Roman.

The main idea being tested is Antony’s final gesture of respect toward Brutus, showing his recognition of Brutus’s honor even in death. After Brutus dies by his own sword in the aftermath of the conspiracy, Antony publicly honors him, culminating in the line that Brutus was “the noblest Roman of them all.” This moment reveals Antony’s nuanced view: Brutus acted from a belief that he was saving Rome, and his motives are praised rather than vilified, even by Antony who had previously used rhetoric to sway the crowd.

So the closing tribute isn’t about betrayal or insult; it’s a solemn acknowledgement of Brutus’s integrity and the tragedy of his fall. The other possibilities would contradict that tone of respectful acknowledgment, whereas the famous final benediction explicitly elevates Brutus above the others as a noble Roman.