
by William Shakespeare
, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy
against
the Roman dictator
Julius Caesar
, his assassination and the defeat of the conspirators at the Battle of Philippi
. It is one of several Roman plays that Shakespeare wrote, based on true events from Roman history
, which also include Coriolanus
and Antony and Cleopatra
.
Although the title of the play is Julius Caesar, Caesar
is not the central character in its action; he appears in only three scenes, and is killed at the beginning of the third act.
Beware the ides of March.
And it is very much lamented, Brutus,That you have no such mirrors as will turnYour hidden worthiness into your eye.
Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,That you would have me seek into myselfFor that which is not in me?
Men at some time are masters of their fates:The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
Let me have men about me that are fat;Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights.Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.
Indeed, it is a strange disposed time:But men may construe things after their fashion,Clean from the purpose of the things themselves.
Cowards die many times before their deaths;The valiant never taste of death but once.Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,It seems to me most strange that men should fear;Seeing that death, a necessary end,Will come when it will come.
Caesar: The ides of March are come.Soothsayer: Aye, Caesar, but not gone.
Speak, hands, for me!