Final answer:
The phrase "the city is the work of giants" is most commonly a metaphor for the city's grandeur and power, treating the city's architecture and influence as so impressive that they could have been the work of mythical giants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression "the city is the work of giants" often refers to the magnificent scale and grandeur of the city's architecture and infrastructure, suggesting that such feats could only be accomplished by mythical beings of immense strength and ability. This can be seen as a metaphor for the power and influence that the city holds. It's not implying that literal giants built the city, but rather that the accomplishments are so impressive they seem as if they could only have been done by such legendary creatures.
In historical context, particularly when referring to ancient civilizations, these expressions also show reverence for the past. The use of large, roughly shaped stone blocks known as Cyclopean masonry in ancient Greek citadel sites, for example, was so named because it was believed by ancient Greeks to have been built by the mythical Cyclopes, who were giant one-eyed beings.
Therefore, the phrase usually refers to option b, because it is a metaphor for the power and influence of the city. It's a way of acknowledging the city's grandeur and the almost inconceivable human effort that went into building such vast and enduring structures.