Sayings

Only words traceable to an ancient source appear here — Caesar's own writings, or a named reporter. The famous lines that are Shakespeare's or later inventions are listed separately as misattributed. Latin originals are given where they survive; translations are identified as such.

Verified: from Caesar’s own writings

“All Gaul is divided into three parts.”

Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur.

Source: De Bello Gallico 1.1.1 — the opening sentence of the Gallic War commentaries. Translation: “All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, the Aquitani another, and the third those who in their own language are called Celts, in ours Gauls.”

“Men readily believe what they want to.”

Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt.

Source: De Bello Gallico 3.18.6. Translation: “As a rule, men willingly believe what they wish [to be true].”

“How much fortune can do in war.”

Quantum in bello fortuna possit et quantos adferat casus cognosci potuit.

Source: De Bello Gallico 6.35.2. Translation: “It could be learned how much fortune can accomplish in war, and how many chances it brings.”

Verified: reported by ancient authors

“I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Veni, vidi, vici.

Source: Suetonius, Divus Julius 37.2 — displayed on a placard (titulus) carried in Caesar’s Pontic triumph (46 BC), “not indicating the events of the war, as the others did, but the speed with which it was finished.” Plutarch (Life of Caesar 50) independently reports the three words as Caesar’s dispatch after the victory at Zela (47 BC) over Pharnaces II of Pontus. The famous English form “I came, I saw, I conquered” is a translation; the attested wording is the Latin.

“The die is cast.”

Iacta alea est — reported in Greek as ἀνερρίφθω κύβος (anerríphthō kȳbos), “let the die be cast.”

Source: Suetonius, Divus Julius 32, gives the Latin iacta alea est as Caesar’s words on crossing the Rubicon (49 BC). Plutarch (Life of Caesar 32) reports the Greek form, a quotation from the playwright Menander. What Caesar actually said, and in which language, is not recoverable — both versions are ancient reports, not transcripts. The familiar order “alea iacta est” is the traditional rearrangement; Suetonius’s manuscripts read iacta alea est.

“I would rather be first here than second at Rome.”

Source: Plutarch, Life of Caesar 11.4 — passing a poor Alpine village on the way to Spain, Caesar tells his companions he would rather be first there than second at Rome. The popular English form “I had rather be first in a village than second at Rome” is a later paraphrase of Plutarch’s anecdote; the wording above follows the Perrin translation of Plutarch.

“Sulla did not know his letters, seeing that he laid down the dictatorship.”

Sullam nescisse litteras qui dictaturam deposuerit.

Source: Suetonius, Divus Julius 77 — Caesar’s reported quip that Sulla was politically illiterate for resigning supreme power. Translation adapted from the Rolfe Loeb.

“I have lived long enough, whether by nature or by glory.”

Satis diu vel naturae vixi vel gloriae.

Source: Suetonius, Divus Julius 86.2 — Caesar’s reported remark to his friends that he had lived long enough, used by Suetonius to suggest Caesar was not guarding himself against conspiracy.

“Why, this is violence!”

Ista quidem vis est!

Source: Suetonius, Divus Julius 82.1 — Caesar’s cry to Tillius Cimber, who seized his tunic at the start of the assassination, before the daggers came out. Among the last reliably reported words of his life.

Disputed: what were his last words?

Caesar’s final utterance is not known with certainty, and the sources disagree:

• Suetonius’s own account (Divus Julius 82.2): Caesar said nothing — “uttering not a word, but merely a groan at the first stroke” — though some have written (etsi tradiderunt quidam) that when Marcus Brutus rushed at him, he said in Greek καὶ σύ, τέκνον (kai su, teknon — “you too, child?”).
• Plutarch (Life of Caesar 66): Caesar said nothing, pulling his toga over his head when he saw Brutus among the attackers.

The Greek phrase is therefore a reported rumor, not an established fact. Present it as such.

Misattributed — famous lines he never said

“Et tu, Brute?”

Shakespeare’s invention. William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 1 (1599): “Et tu, Brute? — Then fall, Caesar.” No ancient source records these words; as Mary Beard puts it, the line “certainly isn’t what Caesar ever said.” Shakespeare likely adapted the kai su, teknon rumor into Latin for his audience.

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”

Shakespeare. Julius Caesar, Act 2, Scene 2 — spoken by the character Caesar in the play, written by Shakespeare.

“Cry ‘Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war.”

Shakespeare. Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 1 — spoken by Mark Antony in the play.

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”

Shakespeare. Julius Caesar, Act 3, Scene 2 — Mark Antony’s funeral oration in the play.

“Let me have men about me that are fat.”

Shakespeare. Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2 — the play’s Caesar on Cassius.

“Beware the Ides of March.”

Shakespeare’s phrasing. A soothsayer’s warning is ancient (Suetonius, Divus Julius 81; Plutarch, Life of Caesar 63, name him as Spurinna), but the exact words “Beware the Ides of March” are Shakespeare’s (Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2). The historical warning’s wording is not recorded.

“Divide and conquer” (divide et impera).

Later maxim. A principle of statecraft associated with Roman strategy in general; the exact Latin formulation is post-classical and appears nowhere in Caesar’s writings.

Source notes

• Latin texts: Perseus Digital Library / Loeb Classical Library editions of Suetonius, Caesar, Plutarch (2026-09-26).
• Veni vidi vici: Suetonius, Divus Julius 37.2 (Latin text via Perseus); Plutarch, Caesar 50. Analysis: Cambridge Classical Journal article “Veni Vidi Vici and Caesar’s Triumph” (2013).
• Alea iacta est: Suetonius, Divus Julius 32 (iacta alea est); Plutarch, Caesar 32.6 (Greek ἀνερρίφθω κύβος, from Menander).
• “First here than second at Rome”: Plutarch, Caesar 11.4 (Perrin translation).
• Ista quidem vis est: Suetonius, Divus Julius 82.1.
• Last-words dispute: Suetonius, Divus Julius 82.2 (Rolfe translation: “though some have written that when Marcus Brutus rushed at him, he said in Greek, ‘You too, my child?’”); Plutarch, Caesar 66.9–12; Dio Cassius 44.19.5.
• Shakespeare lines: Julius Caesar (1599), acts/scenes as given; “certainly isn’t what Caesar ever said”: Mary Beard, Fresh Air interview (2015); “a line invented on the Elizabethan stage”: Barry Strauss, History News Network (2015).
• Soothsayer Spurinna: Suetonius, Divus Julius 81.2–4; Plutarch, Caesar 63.