He was my friend, faithful, and just to meBut Brutus says, he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honorable man.He hath brought many captives home to Rome,Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.Did this in Caesar seem ambitiousWhen the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.Ambition should me made of sterner stuff,Yet Brutus says, he was ambitiousAnd Brutus is an honorable man.

Summary

In this quote from William Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar," Mark Antony is speaking at Caesar's funeral and refers to Brutus's claim that Caesar was ambitious. Despite acknowledging Brutus as honorable, Antony subtly questions his credibility and manipulates the audience's perception. By highlighting Caesar's acts of compassion and generosity towards the poor, Antony implies that Brutus's accusation is unfounded. The repetition of "Brutus is an honorable man" sarcastically underscores the irony of his claim. Through this quote, Antony appeals to the emotions of the crowd and sows doubt about Caesar's alleged ambition.