Answer:
relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process
E. Because a literary analysis essay requires you to break the subject down into its component parts.
Hope this helps:)
Although there is not a current paragraph related here. According to the actual meaning of the word, vicissitudes, it is possible to say taht this word means difficulties (mainly related to difficult times), that are going to have possitive consequences. In other words, it is possible to say that it has a possitive and a negative meaning at the same time.
It would imply that the conspirators flattered Caesar mostly out of fear