Which method did Cassius use to win Brutus's trust?

• A. A public proclamation
• B. A drawn-out debate
• C. Forged letters from citizens
• D. A reward for loyalty

Answer: (C)

Cassius wins Brutus’s trust by creating a believable sense of public opinion that Brutus values. He arranges forged letters that pretend ordinary Romans are urging Brutus to act against Caesar, playing on Brutus’s sense of virtue and concern for Rome’s fate. This tactic makes Brutus feel he’s responding to the will of the people and acting for the good of the republic, which is exactly what he wants to believe before joining the conspiracy. The other options don’t fit because a public proclamation would signal risk and alarm without earning Brutus’s trust, a drawn-out debate wouldn’t align with how Cassius early on shapes Brutus’s doubts, and a reward for loyalty would feel transactional and unlikely to sway a man who prizes honor and republican ideals. Forged letters from citizens is the method that best explains how the trust is won.