The story behind "Et tu, Brute?"

The phrase 'Et tu, Brute?' was immortalised in the William Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar. Literally translated as 'and you Brutus?', or 'even you, Brutus?', the words are often used to refer to betrayal. The phrase stems from ancient Roman times, and the events surrounding the betrayal and ultimate murder of Julius Caesar at the hands of his senators. Find more about the story behind.

The assassination

In 44BC, a group of around 40 Roman senators were involved in a plot to murder the Roman dictator, Julius Caesar. This plan came to fruition on the Ides of March (15 March), when Caesar was attacked and stabbed to death at the Senate House. Caesar had recently been declared 'dictator perpetuo', which abandoned the normal time restrictions leaders of the Roman empire were subjected to. Senators feared that this move was dangerous for the future of Rome, as it awarded Caesar an almost monarch-like power and status. After several months of conspiracy, they finally decided on a plan to assassinate the dictator while he sat in Senate, away from his friends and protectors. When Caesar arrived at the Senate on 15 March, he was approached by Tillius Cimber, who subsequently gave the signal for the attack. At this signal, Cimber's co-conspirators sprung into action and produced the knives concealed under their togas. One of the men involved in the attack was a supposed-friend and ally to Caesar - Marcus Junius Brutus.

The role of Brutus

Like the other senators, Brutus had grown disillusioned with Caesar's determination to assume complete control over the Roman republic. However, unlike some of the others, Brutus was a trusted member of Caesar's inner circle, so his part in the assassination attempt seems, to many, somewhat surprising. If some reports are to be believed, Caesar was equally surprised at Brutus's behaviour. According to these interpretations, the phrase 'Et tu Brute?' shows the depth of betrayal and sadness that the dictator felt. These words, popularised by Shakespeare, are alleged by some to be the final words Caesar ever spoke. In the play Julius Caesar, these words mark a point of huge dramatic tension, as the dictator recognises his friend's betrayal and in doing so, accepts his fate.

Other interpretations

While Shakespeare's dramatic depiction of the murder coincides with the most widely accepted account of events, some disagree that the words, 'Et tu Brute?' were even spoken. In their respective accounts of the murder, the historians, Suetonious and Plutarch both claim that Caesar never spoke when he died. Others say that the line, 'Et tu Brute?' has been misinterpreted. Rather than an emotional outburst of shock and betrayal, they see Caesar's words as a threat or curse on Brutus.