Who comments on Caesar's susceptibility to flatterers by noting he agrees at the moment of being flattered?

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

Answer: (C)

This question centers on how rhetoric and vanity influence Caesar’s decisions. Decius Brutus recognizes Caesar’s susceptibility to flattery and uses it to shape his action. He colors the moment by flattering Caesar with the idea that the Senate plans to crown him today, and he reframes Calpurnia’s dream as a sign that this honor is meant to be. By appealing to Caesar’s hunger for power and the desire to avoid appearing fearful or disloyal, Decius nudges Caesar into agreeing to go to the Senate immediately. The other characters aren’t using flattery in this moment to push Caesar toward a specific action in the same way: Portia acts out of concern, Cassius manipulates behind the scenes, and Brutus argues from principle rather than appealing to Caesar’s vanity.