Question

read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of the tragedy of julius caesar.
cassius. a friend should bear his friends infirmities, but brutus makes mine greater than they are.
brutus. i do not, till you practice them on me.
cassius. you love me not.
brutus. i do not like your faults.
cassius. a friendly eye could never see such faults.
brutus. a flatterer’s would not, though they do appear as huge as high olympus.
how does the allusion in this passage connect to the central idea of the passage?
the allusion emphasizes the need for compromise between human beings, just as the gods are forgiving of human faults.
the allusion introduces the idea that, although the two men are very powerful and command armies, they are not gods but human beings.
the allusion emphasizes the size of the faults that brutus sees in cassius, which will lead to an honest discussion of the roots of the friends’ conflict.
the allusion to the gods introduces the notion of fate, suggesting that the relationship between cassius and brutus can be repaired only if it is fated to be.

Explanation:

1. Analyze the allusion "As huge as high Olympus" (Olympus is the home of the gods). Brutus is saying Cassius's faults appear as huge as Olympus, emphasizing the magnitude of the faults he sees. This leads to a discussion of their conflict's roots as they address these faults.
2. Eliminate other options:

• Option 1: The passage is about their conflict over faults, not compromise or gods' forgiveness.
• Option 2: The allusion is about the size of faults, not their humanity relative to gods' power.
• Option 4: The passage focuses on their current conflict over faults, not fate in repairing the relationship.

Answer:

The allusion emphasizes the size of the faults that Brutus sees in Cassius, which will lead to an honest discussion of the roots of the friends’ conflict.