Why does Brutus insist the conspirators shouldn't kill Anthony?

• A. It would endanger Brutus's position
• B. It would spark a civil war
• C. It would seem they are weak
• D. It would make them look too bloodthirsty

Answer: (D)

Public perception and how an action is framed to the public is what this moment tests. Brutus wants the conspiracy to look like a measured, virtuous act done for the good of Rome, not a reckless appetite for blood. Killing Antony would make the whole enterprise seem driven by vengeance or cruelty, painting the conspirators as bloodthirsty rather than principled saviors of the republic. By sparing Antony, Brutus preserves a careful, moderate image—an attempt to justify Caesar’s death as necessary for Rome without appearing barbaric—and keeps Antony as a potential political ally or figure the public can be won over through rhetoric, not fear. The other possibilities miss that core aim: Brutus isn’t primarily worried about his own position, civil war is a broader consequence, and appearing weak doesn’t align with his effort to present the act as noble and restrained.