I'm glad that my weak words have provoked even this small show of protest from you. Who says this?

• A. Portia
• B. Cassius
• C. Brutus
• D. Soothsayer

Answer: (B)

This line hinges on recognizing who would take pride in the idea that his persuasive words provoked even a small protest. It shows a speaker who uses rhetoric to manipulate someone else into action and is pleased when that person expresses resistance, because that resistance can be the first sign of serious consideration.

That description fits Cassius. He is the mastermind behind the plan and constantly seeks Brutus’s support to join the conspiracy against Caesar. He often downplays his own influence with a touch of self-deprecation about his “weak words,” yet he is glad to see Brutus show any protest, since protest signals genuine engagement with the idea and a chance to reel Brutus in further.

Brutus would be the one being persuaded, not the one commenting on how his words provoked a reaction. Portia’s role is more about personal concern and情. The Soothsayer speaks in warnings, not in this kind rhetoric of persuasion and manipulation. So the line aligns with Cassius’s character and his tactic of provoking Brutus into action.