Not cool, Brutus
Shakespeare. Yes, I speaketh about the only one — the bard, the literary superstar from the 1600s. The most iconic scene from his play (and history, generally) The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is the assassination of the titular character by conspirators. The moment is immortalised by the line “Et tu, Brute?”; Brutus being the last one to stab Caesar to his death.
Many translations suggest it means “You too, Brutus?” I believe otherwise. Brutus was one of Caesar’s closest friends and confidantes. Perhaps Caesar, the greatest of all Roman Emperors, was not surprised to find Brutus among his killers. The line in that case could very well translate to “And you, Brutus?” suggesting that Caesar, even in his dying seconds, questioned Brutus if he were one of the conspirators in his heart. This changes the game entirely.
Not a bewildered “You too, Brutus?” but a solemn “And you, Brutus?”
Anyway, “Then fall, Caesar!”
– Kazi Akib Bin Asad, Sub-editor, SHOUT
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