Question: In principle, Et tu, Brute! means "And you, too, brutus?" but i do not understand why the "us" changes to "e" in the name. i assume Shakespeare was just trying to show off his knowledge of how latin endings change because of case, but isn't this still the nominative case?
Correct Answer:
No. The nominative case is used to indicate subjects, as in:
Brutus venit. = Brutus is coming.
BUT, in his tragedy "Julius Caesar,"when the dying Caesar addresses his erstwhile friend Brutus, who has joined the conspiracy to assassinate him, Wm Shakespeare was not showing off; he was correctly applying the vocative case form. The vocative case changes the name of the person who is is being addressed, as in:
Et tu, Brute! = Even you, Brutus!
This sentence means, 'you too, Brutus?' He was absolutely surprised, when he realized that, his son Brutus took part in the assassinate against him.
"Et tu, Brute?" is actually part of a line from the Shakespear play "Julius Caesar". The full line is actually a macaronic line which reads "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar!". However this line is purely poetic license on the part of The Bard, it was never said by Julius Caesar as he died.
It has been reported that Caesar's last words were the Greek line "Kai su, teknon?" which in English translates as "You too, my child?" or in Latin "Tu quoque, Brute, fili mi", although both Suetonius and Plutarch report that Caesar said nothing, that he only tried to pull his togo over his head when he saw Brutus, a man whom he considered like a son to him, was among his attackers.
It has also been argued that if indeed Caesar uttered the above Greek words, that they were in fact a curse and threat of which Caesar only needed to speak the first part. It comes from a popular Greek proverb at the time which reads "You too, my son, will have a taste of power".
They basically mean "you too, Brutus", and are from a play about Julius Caesar that Shakespeare wrote.
According to legend, Julius Caesar said et tu brute, as he was being assassinated in the Roman senate. One of the assassins was Brutus, supposedly a friend of Caesar.
Julius Caesar
Caesar.
Et tu Brute, then fall Caesar
Caesar.
Julius Caesar's last words before he died were, 'Et tu, Brute?' He is referring to Brutus betraying him.
Brutus joins the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar with Caesar's dying words being 'Et tu Brute'
Julius Caesar said these words in Greek "Et tu, brute?" which means "And you, Brutus?".
Et tu Brute, then fall Caesar
Caesar.
Et Tu Brute
"Et tu, Brute?" And, it's NOT a book.
Brutus. "Et tu, Brute?"
When Julius Caesar saw that his dear friend Marcus Brutus was also heading to kill him(and eventually did), he could not take the pain and exclaimed 'Et tu brute'(Latin)- 'You also Brutus'.
Julius Caesar's last words before he died were, 'Et tu, Brute?' He is referring to Brutus betraying him.
Brutus was the last to stab Julius Caesar. Caesar's last words were, "et Tu, Brute" ("and You, Brutus.")
he threw a shoe to Julius Caesar and then he did Brutus was the last person to stab Julius Caesar. He was stabbed 23 times. This is one of the most famous lines from the play "et tu Brute?" meaning " and you Brutus?". after which Caeser says " then fall Caeser." He helped kill him.
Brutus joins the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar with Caesar's dying words being 'Et tu Brute'
Julius Caesar was stabbed at least 52 times by his friends. His last words were 'Et tu, Brute?' which means 'And you, Brutus?' Brutus was Julius Caesars best friend, and he betrayed him.
Julius Caesar said these words in Greek "Et tu, brute?" which means "And you, Brutus?".