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submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by Grumpus_Maximus@thelemmy.club to c/historymemes@piefed.social
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[-] ClipperDefiance@piefed.social 30 points 2 weeks ago

It's a pun. The painting depicts the assassination of Julius Caesar. One of the most well known of the assassins was Caesar's friend Brutus. In William Shakespeare's play based on the event Caesar's last words are "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar." His actual last words are probably lost to time, but many people associate the line from the play with the event. As for the pizza thing, it's probably just a setup for the joke.

[-] TheYojimbo@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I thought Brutus was his son and his last words supposed to be "tu quoque fili"

[-] teft@piefed.social 7 points 2 weeks ago

Marcus Junius Brutus's father was Marcus Junius Brutus, pleb tribune and founder of Capua (yes that Capua of Spartacus fame). He was later adopted by Quintus Servilius Caepio.

The only known biological son of Gaius Julius Caesar was his and Cleopatra's son Caesarion. His only adoptive son was Octavian, later known as Augustus.

[-] TheYojimbo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Yes that's what I got from internet but it's said he considered him his adoptive son. Apparently that's a french thing, the "tu quoque mi fili" wikipedia page doesn't even exist in english

[-] hypnicjerk@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

lost to time? i thought christopher lee was there.

[-] jdr@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 weeks ago
[-] anon6789@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago

This has been well documented in ancient glyphs.

[-] cjoll4@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

Julius Caesar's famous last words were "Et tu, Brute?" (And you, Brutus?) Brutus was supposed to be his good friend, but Brutus betrayed him and was one of the collaborators in his assassination.

[-] BillyClark@piefed.social 6 points 2 weeks ago

The historical Julius Caesar never said "Et tu, Brute?" Those words are famous from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. (Although Shakespeare didn't invent this phrase. He likely did think they were Caesar's actual last words.)

Although there were conflicting reports that Caesar did say something similar, but he said "young man" instead of "Brutus" and he said it in Greek, not Latin.

I think part of the reason everyone today thinks it's a real quote is that Shakespeare added this Latin phrase to a play that is written in English.

Meanwhile, the actual Julius Caesar, who we expect to speak Latin, is reported to have said his dying words in Greek.

[-] wjrii@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

The historical Julius Caesar never said “Et tu, Brute?” Those words are famous from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. (Although Shakespeare didn’t invent this phrase. He likely did think they were Caesar’s actual last words.)

Thus inspiring today's largely unneeded reminder that William Shakespeare shows all the signs of being who he was, a half-educated provincial who researched his plays with the middle-brow English translations floating around local print houses, and who was free to follow his (brilliant) instincts in part because he often didn't know what he didn't know. Anti-Strafordians are classist kooks.

[-] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 6 points 2 weeks ago

Just a play on words with "Et tu Brute?"

[-] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Caesar proving why he deserved to get legally executed by a quorum of the senate for treason and poor pizza logistics

Everyone wants more than one slice you cheap ass, and even if they pretend they don't your plan should be to have more than exactly enough so no one goes entirely without.

this post was submitted on 07 May 2026
172 points (100.0% liked)

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