Funeral Speech Analysis (Final Caesar Quiz) - English I

On April 10, 2025

Be patient till the last. Romans, countrymen and lovers! Hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear:

Evokes Pathos;

Brutus addresses the crowd as his fellow countrymen and lovers in order to soften their attitudes and make them more inclined to hear (and believe) what he has to say.

—believe me for mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, that

You may believe: censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge.

Evokes Ethos

Brutus urges the crowd to believe and trust him because he is honorable.

If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar’s, to him I say, that Brutus’s love to Caesar was not less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar this is my answer:

Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.

Evokes Pathos

Brutus uses the word “love” frequently to describe how close he was to Caesar and the devotion he has for his country. Describing Caesar as a “dear friend” also portrays loss and sorrow.

Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?

Evokes Logos

Brutus uses a logical scenario to explain to the people why Caesar had to die (die slaves v. live free)

As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him: but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honour for his valor; and death for his ambition.

Evokes Ethos

Brutus emphasizes the close relationship he had to Caesar and destroys his credibility (saying that he was a tyrant), thus increasing his own credibility.

Then none have I offended I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, not his offenses enforced for which he suffered death.

ENTER ANTONY and others with CAESAR’s BODY

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; as which of you shall not?

Evokes Logos

States a fact that supports Brutus’s point that since he hasn’t offended anyone, then he hasn’t done any wrong.

—

As Mark Antony entered, Brutus points out that Caesar’s death will also benefit Antony and even though he played no part in his death. this logic leads the crowd to distrust Antony.

With this I depart,— that as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.

Evokes Ethos

Emphasizes again that Brutus was very close with Caesar and tries to gain the crowd’s trust by claiming that if he did what Caesar did, he would gladly die if they decided he should. (Foreshadowing)

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

Evokes Pathos

Antony tries to appeal to the crowd by labeling them as friends and fellow Romans. Addressing them in this way will hopefully soften their opinion about him.

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar. 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.

Evokes Logos

Antony explains that people tend to remember the bad things a person has done after they’ve died. This fact explains why the crowed is so upset, but he urges them to remember the good things Caesar has done in addition to being ambitious.

Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest— For Brutus is an honourable man; So they all, all honourable men— Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me:

Evokes Ethos

Antony sarcastically labels Brutus & the other conspirators as “honorable men” and establishes himself as a friend of Caesar, suggesting that he knew him better than Brutus.

But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man.

You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man.

Evokes Logos

Antony uses evidence of Caesar turning down the crown three times to prove that he was not ambitious. He shows how faulty the audience’s logic is to trust the “honorable” Brutus, meanwhile Caesar was a humble ruler who cried for his people.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know.

Evokes Ethos

Antony being upfront, saying that he speaks what he knows personally and that the crowd should trust him.

You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?

O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason. Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me.

Evokes Pathos

Antony taps into the crowd’s love for Caesar and the grief they should feel with his death. He is overcome with grief uses figurative language to describe his feelings and delivers a very dramatic pause.

But yesterday the word of Caesar might Have stood against the world; now lies he there. And none so poor to do him reverence. O masters, if I were disposed to stir Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who you all know, are honourable men: I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honourable men.

Evokes Pathos

Antony expresses feelings of disappointment in the wishy-washy crowd for not mourning Caesar as they should. His emtoional rhetoric here plants a seed of rebellion in those listening, but he does not think they should act on this rage against Brutus.

But here’s a parchment with the seal of Caesar; I found it in his closet, ‘tis his will:

Evokes Logos

Antony has the physical evidence of Caesar’s will to sway the audience to believe him.

Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read— And they would go and kiss dead Caesar’s wounds And dip their napkins in his sacred blood, yea, beg a hair of him for memory, And, dying, mention it within their wills, Bequeathing it as a rich legacy Unto their issue.

Evokes Pathos
Antony uses graphic imagery of kissing wounds and blood and death to evoke feelings of pity from the crowd.