Question

read the excerpt from julius caesar, act 1, scene 2
cassius. ’tis just;
and it is very much lamented, brutus,
that you have no such mirrors as will turn
your hidden worthiness into your eye,
that you might see your shadow. i have heard
where many of the best respect in rome—
except immortal caesar—speaking of brutus,
and groaning underneath this age’s yoke,
have wished that noble brutus had his eyes.
what does the image of “and groaning underneath this age’s yoke” suggest about the meaning of the passage? (a yoke is a wooden harness, or collar, put around the neck of a horse or oxen that is pulling a plough.)
○ brutus has been choking because he is ill
○ brutus is much older than cassius
○ the people of rome raise horses and cattle
○ people are suffering under the current leadership.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the metaphor "groaning underneath this age’s yoke". A yoke is a harness for working animals, symbolizing burden/oppression here. The context is about Rome under Caesar’s leadership.

• Option 1: No mention of Brutus being ill or choking. Eliminate.
• Option 2: The yoke metaphor isn’t about age difference. Eliminate.
• Option 3: The yoke is a metaphor, not about actual animal raising. Eliminate.
• Option 4: The "age’s yoke" (Caesar’s rule) makes people groan (suffer), so this fits.

Answer:

D. People are suffering under the current leadership.