Question

Choose the answer.

Read the passage.

The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious; If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Which best expresses the explicit meaning in this passage?

Brutus told you Caesar was ambitious, but since Caesar is dead, he is no longer ambitious.

Brutus told you Caesar was ambitious. If it's true that Caesar was, then it wasn't a good thing, and he's been punished for it.

Brutus told you Caesar was ambitious, and Caesar responded to that accusation by dying. Brutus suggested that

Caesar was ambitious, but even if he was, he didn't deserve to die.

Answer 1

Hey There! :)

The answer to this question would be the second choice.

"Brutus told you Caesar was ambitious. If it's true that Caesar was, then it wasn't a good thing, and he's been punished for it."

Answer 2

Answer: B

The explicit meaning in this passage is best expressed by the alternative B: "Brutus told you (Brutus hath told you ) Caesar was ambitious. If it's true that Caesar was (if it were so), then it wasn't a good thing (it was a grievous fault ), and he's been punished for it (and grievously hath Caesar answer'd it )."

Grievous: having very serious effects or causing great pain.