Which figure is described as 'respected and honorable' by Cassius?

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

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how Cassius uses another man's public reputation to persuade him. Cassius knows Brutus is seen by many as noble and virtuous, a trusted leader who embodies Roman values. To win Brutus to the conspiracy, Cassius flatters that virtue and presents Brutus as the guardian of Rome’s honor. He even uses forged letters from “citizens” praising Brutus’s respectability and honor to influence him, hoping Brutus’s standing will lend legitimacy to their cause and persuade others. Because Brutus’s reputation for being honorable is exactly what Cassius relies on to make the plan seem justified, Brutus is the figure described as respected and honorable by Cassius. The other figures don’t fit this particular use of reputation in the same way—Caesar is the powerful target Cassius fears and opposes, and Portia is not the subject of Cassius’s appeal as a public, honorable leader.