Question

read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of julius caesar. brutus. if then that friend demand why brutus rose against caesar, this is my answer: not that i loved caesar less, but that i loved rome more. had you rather caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that caesar were dead, to live all free men? as caesar loved me, i weep for him. as he was fortunate, i rejoice at it. as he was valiant, i honour him. but as he was ambitious, i slew him. there is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. what is the immediate effect of brutuss speech on the crowd? the crowd rises up against the conspirators. the crowd mourns caesar for his generosity. the crowd begins to accept the argument that the conspirators were obligated to murder caesar. the crowd believes that brutus was lied to by cassius.

Explanation:

Brutus frames his act as a sacrifice for Rome's freedom, acknowledging Caesar's virtues but justifying his death as necessary to stop ambition. This reasoning persuades the crowd to accept the conspirators' actions as obligatory.

Answer:

The crowd begins to accept the argument that the conspirators were obligated to murder Caesar.