BRUTUS. Remember March, the ides of March, remember.

Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?

What villain touched his body, that did stab,

And not for justice? What, shall one of us,

That struck the foremost man of all this world

But for supporting robbers, shall we now

Contaminate our fingers with base bribes,

And sell the mighty space of our large honours

For so much trash as may be graspèd thus?

I had rather be a dog and bay the moon

Than such a Roman.



–The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,
William Shakespeare

In the passage, Brutus makes a historical allusion to the ides of March. Which central idea does this allusion support?

reflecting on the devastation and loss Caesar’s death meant to the conspirators
remembering that their actions should be based in honor
the importance of strengthening their friendship
agreeing that it is time to accept bribes and build their own ambitions