Gaius Julius Caesar was a famous Roman emperor born in the 1st century BC which achieved control of Roman institutions after a civil war that was waged against a sector of the senate.
He is possibly the most famous Roman emperor of all time and the one that many of us remember when we think of Ancient Rome. In the end Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators who conspired against him, a conspiracy that also included that of his own son Brutus.
The best famous quotes from Emperor Julius Caesar
Many of us have heard a lot about him or have seen movies that talk about him, but in the compilation that you will find below, you can discover the 80 most memorable phrases of Julius Caesar written or spoken by him himself
1. Varus, give me back my legions!
As we see in this quote, Caesar became angry with Publius Quintilius Varus when he was defeated at the Battle of Teutoburg.
2. Divide and gain power.
When you divide any army, it greatly loses its effectiveness.
3. I love the name of honor, more than I fear death.
For this emperor, honor was something of tremendous personal value, honor meant everything.
4. What we desire, we easily believe, and what we think, we imagine that others think.
We should not be carried away by third party ideas, we should think for ourselves.
5. It is not these well-fed and long-haired men that I fear, but the pale and the hungry.
A man who has nothing to lose can be very dangerous indeed.
6. I have lived enough, both in years and achievements.
Julius Caesar had a life in which he achieved great personal achievements, a life that would be exciting for anyone.
7. In war, important events are the result of trivial causes.
A war can be decided by a large number of different factors, controlling them all can be an impossible task.
8. Which death is preferred by everyone? The unexpected.
In the end, Caesar had the death he so desired, being assassinated by a large number of senators.
9. I have lived long enough to satisfy both nature and glory.
He undoubtedly lived a full and successful life, a life that continues to be studied to this day.
10. Men at some point are masters of their destiny.
Each of us forges our own destiny with our daily actions.
11. Death, a necessary end, will come when it comes.
No one has control over their own death, it will come in its own time.
12. I am constant, like the star in the north.
Our daily work will allow us to achieve success.
13. It is better to die than to live waiting for death.
We should not live in fear, fear paralyzes us and makes us lead an unhappy life.
14. He who does not overcome a fear every day has not learned the lesson of life.
By overcoming our own fears, we reveal ourselves to others as someone much stronger.
15. All Gaul is divided into three parts.
Gaul was divided into three large factions: Belgians, Aquitanians and Celts.
16. It is excellent to have the strength of a giant, but it is tyrannical to use it like a giant.
With every great power comes great responsibility, we must not abuse it weaker.
17. All bad precedents begin as justified measures.
We must make sure we make the right decision, because a bad decision can haunt us for a lifetime.
18. The cause is: my will. I will not go. That’s enough to satisfy the senate.
Our daily actions or inactions can have direct consequences in our lives.
19. The gods do this in the shame of cowardice.
When we feel shame about something we have done, we can do anything to restore our honorability.
20. Caesar must be a heartless beast.
Julius Caesar had to perform certain acts in his life that he was not proud of, but the future of the Empire depended directly or indirectly on them.
21. I hear a song, louder than all music, shouting Caesar!
The sound of the masses calling your name can be addictive. Even current artists have commented on this curious fact on many occasions.
22. Many of you here today fought against me, many of you wished for my death, many of you perhaps still wish for it.
This emperor had to know how to use diplomacy in many situations in his life.
23. Oppose me and Rome will not forgive you a second time.
A threat from Julius Caesar should never fall on deaf ears, it can cost anyone their life.
24. This dispute between you must end, Rome wants you both to be at peace.
For the empire to prosper, internal peace must reign; disputes never bring benefits.
25. As long as you are able to get on a horse, it is dangerous!
We must never underestimate our enemy!
26. Can you imagine a more terrible sacrilege than our beloved republic being in the hands of insane people?
Disputes for power in ancient Rome were continuous, there was always someone willing to take command.
27. I am willing to resort to anything, to submit to anything, for the good of all the people.
As a leader, Caesar was capable of making any sacrifice for the good of the Roman people.
28. Of all the wonders I have yet heard, it seems strange to me that men are afraid.
Fear is a feeling that we must put aside in our lives, with it we will not achieve anything positive.
29. I have always considered the dignity of the Republic of greater importance than life.
Caesar was a statesman, if he had to give his life for him, he would gladly do so.
30. Without training, there is no knowledge. Without knowledge, there is no trust. Without trust, victory does not exist.
Education is a fundamental aspect in the life of any person, without it we are only a shadow of what we could become.
31. When the drums of war have reached their most critical point, the blood boils with hatred and the mind is completely closed, the leader will have no need to seize the rights of the citizens.
War can change anyone, no matter what rank you are. Caesar matured a lot during his battles.
32. The biggest enemy will always hide in the last place you would look.
Using the terrain to our advantage is something that all great generals do during battle.
33. It is better to suffer once than to be in perpetual suffering.
Bad situations, the sooner they happen the better, we should not live in fear of them.
34. He who conquers twice is the one who shows mercy to the conquerors.
In war there is also a kind of internal code by which warriors respect each other.
35. In extreme danger, fear has no compassion.
When we find ourselves in a situation as complicated as a battle, fear will only prevent us from acting more effectively.
36. There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken in the flood leads to fortune.
Events happen in an order that may seem pre-established; these can lead us to our fortune or our failure.
37. Let me run and I will fight with things that everyone thinks are impossible.
We are capable of doing much more than many think, we set our limits.
38. It is a right of war for conquerors to treat as they please those they have conquered.
As we see in this quote, Caesar was ruthless with those he subjugated.
39. Gaul is subdued.
Conquering Gaul was something that cost this noble emperor a lot.
40. There are also animals called elk… they have legs without joints or ligatures, they do not lie down with the purpose of resting… the trees serve as their bed… lying down only a little they rest.
In those days, certain animals seemed like something out of a science fiction book.
41. Of all these, the Belgians are the strongest.
Of the tribes that Gaul housed, Caesar knew that the so-called “Belgians” were the most powerful.
42. Believing is the essence of life.
In order to lead a successful life we must believe in our own possibilities.
43. We go to the place where the gods have shown us the way and the injustice of our enemies calls us.
Our actions in life will lead us to the destiny we truly deserve.
44. In a sea so full, we are now afloat, and we must go with the flow.
In certain circumstances we must let ourselves be carried away by the general flow, doing this can save our lives.
45. The difference between a Republic and an Empire is the loyalty of the army.
The political currents in Ancient Rome were quite turbulent, but at the end of the day they were just different factions trying to seize power.
46. There are no tricks in simple faith.
Deceiving those people with simple ways of living can be very complicated.
47. If I fail, it is simply because I have too much pride and ambition.
Our failures are usually a direct consequence of our own defects.
48. As a general rule, what is far from sight disturbs the minds of men, much more than what they can see.
The unknown is something that terrifies and torments us, men have always feared the unknown.
49. The evil that men do lives after them; the good is often buried with his bones.
Our actions will determine what we leave in the world when we die, we can do good with them or on the contrary do evil.
50. I do not hold grudges and I do not seek revenge. I simply have this demand… that you join me in building a new Rome, a Rome that offers justice, peace, and the land to all its citizens, not just the privileged few.
Rome was a dream for a large number of people, a society based on laws and justice. We owe many aspects of modern society to this ancient metropolis.
51. It was the custom of the gods from time to time to provide prosperity and long impunity to men whom they intended to punish for their crimes, so that in a turn of fortune they would make them suffer more.
A slightly Machiavellian way, perhaps, of seeing the designs of the gods, no one really knows the vicissitudes of life.
52. Cry for destruction and let down the dogs of war.
In this poetic way, Julius Caesar entrusted himself to the divine in his next battle.
53. Those around public figures should not even be under suspicion.
When you are a very important person, you will always have people around you willing to see what they can get.
54. Luck, which has great power in various matters, especially in war, can bring about great changes in a situation where there are very few forces.
The power of intimidation can help you a lot in battle.
55. In the future you will remember that only I and no one else offered you mercy.
Caesar was perhaps one of the fairest leaders of his historical moment.
56. We must win or die.
In war there are only these two options.
57. Senators! The war is over.
Something that Caesar was undoubtedly very happy to proclaim.
58. It is easier to find men willing to die than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.
Finding suitable men for the Roman Empire was sometimes difficult. The legionnaires had to suffer the harshest conditions imaginable.
59. Come, my right hand, that this ear is deaf and tell me what you truly think of it.
Knowing how to advise correctly was essential in those times.
60. Caesar does no evil, not without cause.
Sometimes Caesar had to act in a way that really wasn’t how he would like.
61. We are two lions made litter in one day, and I, the oldest and most terrible.
He was fully aware of his gifts and abilities, he used these qualities to always win.
62. Caesar will come forward. The things that threaten me have never seen more than my back, when they see Caesar’s face, they disappear.
To openly threaten this great emperor, you must have clearly been a fool.
63. Danger knows well that Caesar is more dangerous than him.
In this quote we clearly see how Julius Caesar felt totally untouchable.
64. It’s only arrogance if I fail.
In this way he defended himself by his arrogance at certain times of the day.
65. I don’t care if they respect me, as long as they fear me.
Fear can be a good tool to control the population, but it can also bring enemies.
66. All men who reflect on controversial matters should be free from hatred, friendship, anger and sorrow.
In order to reflect clearly on something, we must put our emotions aside.
67. I found Rome, a city of bricks and I left it a city of marble.
As a leader he helped improve the appearance of his city, something that its citizens surely appreciated.
68. Great things must be done without hesitation, so possible difficulties will not be able to stop you.
Hesitating at a decisive moment can cost us our lives, we must act decisively in life.
69. Even now we can turn back. But once we have crossed that bridge, everything must be decided by arms.
When a battle reaches a certain turning point, the only solution is to kill or be killed.
70. Cassius has a bitter and hungry look; He thinks too much: men like that are dangerous.
Gaius Cassius Longinus is considered one of the architects of the attack that cost Julius Caesar his life.
71. The brave never tastes death except once.
We all die only once in our lives, whether you are brave or cowardly.
72. Men willingly believe in what they desire.
What we most want to be true, we believe as such even if it is not.
73. Caesar’s wife must be above all suspicion.
During his life, Julius Caesar married three times and also had numerous romances.
74. The die is cast.
As he said “Alea jacta est”. Without a doubt one of the most relevant quotes from this emperor.
75. I would rather be the first in a village than the second in Rome.
Wherever we are, we must be the best version of ourselves.
76. Nothing is easier than censuring the dead.
History is written by the victors, many of the events that happened in ancient times have come to us in a distorted form.
77. No one is so brave that they are not disturbed by something unexpected.
Unexpected situations are the most difficult to face, because we have not been able to prepare for them.
78. You too, Brutus, my son?
Caesar was undoubtedly greatly surprised to see his own son assassinate him.
79. Nothing is so difficult that it cannot be achieved with strength.
With perseverance and dedication we will achieve our goals.
80. I came, I saw, I conquered.
A great phrase from Julius Caesar, which perfectly describes the type of person he was.