Question

read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of julius caesar. antony: o pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, that i am meek and gentle with these butchers! thou art the ruins of the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of times. woe to the hand that shed this costly blood! over thy wounds now do i prophesy— which like dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips to beg the voice and utterance of my tongue— a curse shall light upon the limbs of men; domestic fury and fierce civil strife shall cumber all the parts of italy; blood and destruction shall be so in use, and dreadful objects so familiar, that mothers shall but smile when they behold their infants quartered with the hands of war, all pity choked with custom of fell deeds; what are the central ideas of this soliloquy? select three options. ☐ antony wants caesar to forgive him for being nice to his conspirators. ☐ antony is pleased by caesar’s death because he too saw caesar growing strong with greed. ☐ antony predicts that soon the land will be bloodied by men fighting men. ☐ antony expects caesar’s ghost will eventually praise the conspirators for their bravery. ☐ antony compares caesar’s wounds to mouths wishing to speak.

Explanation:

1. Antony's opening line ("O pardon me...") is an appeal to Caesar's forgiveness for appearing civil to his killers.
2. He explicitly prophesies civil war and widespread bloodshed across Italy, stating "Domestic fury and fierce civil strife Shall cumber all the parts of Italy" and describing brutal, violent scenes.
3. He directly compares Caesar's wounds to "dumb mouths do ope their ruby lips To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue".
4. The other options are incorrect: Antony is grieving Caesar, not pleased by his death, and he never suggests Caesar's ghost will praise the conspirators.

Answer:

• Antony wants Caesar to forgive him for being nice to his conspirators.
• Antony predicts that soon the land will be bloodied by men fighting men.
• Antony compares Caesar's wounds to mouths wishing to speak.