Julius Caesar Quotes

Quote 1: Casca: "But those that understood him smil'd at one another, and shook their heads; but for mine own part, it was Greek to me." Act I, Scene II, Line 279

Quote 2: Cassius: "...Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius: Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong; Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat: Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten grass, nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, can be retentive to the strength of spirit; but life, being weary of these worldly bars, never lacks power to dismiss itself." Act I, Scene III, Line 90

Quote 3: Brutus: "Th' abuse of greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Caesar, I have not known when his affections sway'd more than his reason. But 'tis a common proof, that lowliness is young ambition's ladder, whereto the climber-upward turns his face; but when he once attains the upmost round, he then unto the ladder turns his back, looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend. So Caesar may; then lest he may, prevent." Act II, Scene I, Line 18

Quote 4: "Brutus, thou sleep'st; awake, and see thyself. Shall Rome, etc. Speak, strike, redress!" Act II, Scene I, Line 46

Quote 5: Brutus: "Swear priests and cowards, and men cautelous, old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls that welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear such creatures as men doubt; but do not stain the even virtue of our enterprise, nor th'insuppressive mettle of our spirits, to think that or our cause or our performance did need an oath; when every drop of blood that every Roman bears, and nobly bears, is guilty of a several bastardy, if he do break the smallest particle of any promise that hath pass'd from him." Act II, Scene I, Line 129

Quote 6: Portia: "I grant I am a woman; but withal a woman that Lord Brutus took to wife; I grant I am a woman; but withal a women well reputed, Cato's daughter. Think you I am no stronger than my sex, being so father'd, and so husbanded? Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose'em. I have made a strong proof of my constancy, giving myself a voluntary wound here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience, and not my husband's secrets?" Act II, Scene I, Line 292

Quote 7: Artemidorus: "Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal, look about you: security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods defend thee!" Act. II, Scene III, Line 1

Quote 8: Caesar: "the ides of March are come."
Soothsayer: "Ay, Caesar, but not gone." Act III, Scene I, Line 1

Quote 9: Caesar: "So in the world: 'tis furnish'd well with men, And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive; yet in the number I do know but one that unassailable holds on his rank, unshak'd of motion; and that I am he, let me a little show it, even in this, that I was constant Cimber should be banish'd, and constant do remain to keep him so." Act III, Scene I, Line 66

Quote 10: Caesar: "Et tu, Brute? - Then fall Caesar!" Act III, Scene I, Line 77

Quote 11: Brutus: "If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more." Act III, Scene II, Line 18

Quote 12: Antony: "The noble Brutus hath told you Caesar was ambitious. If it were so, it was a grievous fault, and grievously hath Caesar answer'd it. Here under leave of Brutus and the rest (for Brutus is an honorable man, so are they all, all honorable men) come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me; but 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 ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious, and sure he is an honorable man....I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, but here I am to speak what I do know." Act III, Scene II, Line 79

Quote 13: Antony: "O Masters! if I were dispos'd to stir your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, who, you all know, are honorable men. I will not do them wrong..." Act III, Scene II, Line 123

Quote 14: Antony: "They that have done this deed are honourable. What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, that made them do it. They are wise and honourable, and will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts. I am no orator, as Brutus is, but (as you know me all) a plain blunt man, that love my friend; and that they know full well that gave me public leave to speak of him." Act III, Scene II, Line 214

Quote 15: Brutus: "We, at the height, are ready to decline. There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures." Act IV, Scene III, Line 216

Quote 16: Brutus: "Words before blows: is it so, countrymen?"
Octavius: "Not that we love words better, as you do."
Brutus: "Good words are better than bad strokes, Octavius."
Antony: "In your bad strokes, Brutus, you give good words; Witness the hole you made in Caesar's heart, crying, 'Long live! hail, Caesar!'" Act V, Scene I, Line 27

Quote 17: Brutus: "No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman, that ever Brutus will go bound to Rome; he bears too great a mind. But this same day must end that work the ides of March begun; and whether we shall meet again I know not. Therefore our everlasting farewell take. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius. If we do meet again, why, we shall smile; if not, why then this parting was well made." Act V, Scene I, Line 111