The assassination of Julius Caesar, a Roman politician and general, is one of the most well-known and prolific assassinations in history. There have been plays, movies, and books about his death, and the story behind it is one worth telling. The supposed famous last words of Caesar which people believe to be “Et Tu, Brute?” which means “And, you Brutus?” It was meant to showcase his disbelief in his confidant’s betrayal, but his true words are from the truth and many scholars are still baffled today as to what his actual words were. The phrase first became popular in the Middle Ages but scholars later found out there aren’t any surviving sources of his words. Shakespeare popularised Julius’ statement in his classic death scene where this line first gained popularity.

Gaius Suetonius Traquillus’ Theory
Roman historian Suetonius claimed that when Julius laid eyes upon Marcus Junius Brutus, he spoke Greek and said “kaì sý, téknon” which translates to “and you, child.” Some historians aren’t sure if Julius was posing a question or merely stating the obvious. Since question marks weren’t used back then, it’s firstly hard to tell if Julius Caesar was making an inquiry or just making a statement.

Plutarch of Chaironeia’s Theory
Plutarch was known to be more reliable than Suetonius and even wrote a book on the Life of Julius Caesar. He writes an account of Caesar’s death and mentions how after Caesar was stabbed in the neck he screamed out: “Accursed Casca, what does thou?” He implies that Ceaser shrieked instead of posing a question to his supposed friends. Each historian has their own take on Julius Caesar’s last words but the truth of it is, we will never fully know the right answer. There are differing accounts of his last words yet, we can be positively sure that Julius Caesar’s last words were not “Et tu Brute?”The 'Catalogue of Lamprias', an ancient list of works attributed to Plutarch, lists 227 works

Together with Suetonius's The Twelve Caesars, and Caesar's own works de Bello Gallico and de Bello Civili, this Life is the main account of Julius Caesar's feats by ancient historians. Plutarch starts by telling of the audacity of Caesar and his refusal to dismiss Cinna's daughter, Cornelia. Other important parts are those containing his military deeds, accounts of battles and Caesar's capacity of inspiring the soldiers.

His soldiers showed such good will and zeal in his service that those who in their previous campaigns had been in no way superior to others were invincible and irresistible in confronting every danger to enhance Caesar's fame. Such a man, for instance, was Acilius, who, in the sea-fight at Massalia, boarded a hostile ship and had his right hand cut off with a sword, but clung with the other hand to his shield, and dashing it into the faces of his foes, routed them all and got possession of the vessel. Such a man, again, was Cassius Scaeva, who, in the battle at Dyrrhachium, had his eye struck out with an arrow, his shoulder transfixed with one javelin and his thigh with another, and received on his shield the blows of one hundred and thirty missiles. In this plight, he called the enemy to him as though he would surrender. Two of them, accordingly, coming up, he lopped off the shoulder of one with his sword, smote the other in the face and put him to flight, and came off safely himself with the aid of his comrades. Again, in Britain, when the enemy had fallen upon the foremost centurions, who had plunged into a watery marsh, a soldier, while Caesar in person was watching the battle, dashed into the midst of the fight, displayed many conspicuous deeds of daring, and rescued the centurions, after the Barbarians had been routed. Then he himself, making his way with difficulty after all the rest, plunged into the muddy current, and at last, without his shield, partly swimming and partly wading, got across. Caesar and his company were amazed and came to meet the soldier with cries of joy; but he, in great dejection, and with a burst of tears, cast himself at Caesar's feet, begging pardon for the loss of his shield. Again, in Africa, Scipio captured a ship of Caesar's in which Granius Petro, who had been appointed quaestor, was sailing. Of the rest of the passengers Scipio made booty, but told the quaestor that he offered him his life. Granius, however, remarking that it was the custom with Caesar's soldiers not to receive but to offer mercy, killed himself with a blow of his sword.