Question

read the passage from act 2, scene 1, of the tragedy of julius caesar. brutus.and to speak truth of caesar, i have not known when his affections swayed more than his reason. but tis a common proof that lowliness is young ambitions ladder, whereto the climber - upward turns his face; but when he once attains the upmost round, he then unto the ladder turns his back, looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend. so caesar may. then lest he may, prevent. and since the quarrel will bear no colour for the thing he is, fashion it thus: that what he is, augmented, would run to these and these extremities; and therefore think him as a serpents egg which, hatched, would as his kind grow mischievous, and kill him in the shell. which piece of evidence best supports the theme that power can corrupt people? \lowliness is young ambitions ladder, / whereto the climber - upward turns his face\ \scorning the base degrees / by which he did ascend\ \i have not known when his affections swayed / more than his reason\ \the quarrel / will bear no colour for the thing he is\

Explanation:

The quote describes how a person (Caesar, in context) climbs to power using humble beginnings, then rejects those roots and acts arrogantly once at the top. This directly illustrates how gaining power corrupts their perspective and behavior, matching the theme of power corrupting people.

Answer:

"scorning the base degrees / By which he did ascend"