Gaius Julius Caesar was a famous Roman emperor born in the first century B.C. , who gained control of Roman institutions after a civil war he fought 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 killed by a group of senators who conspired against him, a conspiracy which also included his own son Brutus.

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The best famous quotes of the Emperor Julius Caesar

Many of us have heard a lot about him or have seen films 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 .

Varus, give me back my legions!

As we see in this quote, Caesar was angry with Publius Quintilius Varus when he was defeated at the battle of Teutoburg.

2. Divide and rule.

When you divide any army, it loses a great deal of 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 must not get carried away by the ideas of others, we must think for ourselves.

5. It is not these well-fed, long-haired men that I fear, but the pale and the hungry.

A man who has nothing to lose can really be very dangerous.

6. I’ve lived enough, both in years and in accomplishments.

Julius Caesar had a life of great personal achievement, a life that would be exciting for anyone.

7. In war, major events are the result of trivial causes.

A war can be decided by a lot of different factors, controlling them all can be an impossible task.

8. Which death is preferable for everyone? The unexpected one.

In the end, Caesar had the death he so desired, when he was assassinated by a large number of senators.

9. I have lived long enough to satisfy both nature and glory.

He certainly lived a full and successful life, a life that is still being studied today.

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 due course.

12. I’m 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 has not learned the lesson of life, the one who does not overcome a fear every day.

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 major factions: Belgians, Aquitans and Celts.

16. It’s great to have the strength of a giant, but it’s tyrannical to use it as a giant.

Every great power carries with it a 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, for a bad decision can haunt us all our lives.

18. The cause is: my will. I will not go. That’s enough to satisfy the Senate.

Our daily actions or inactions can bring direct consequences to our lives

19. The gods do this in the shame of cowardice.

When we are ashamed of something we have done, we can do anything to restore our honor.

20. Caesar must be a heartless beast.

Julius Caesar had to perform certain acts in his life of which he was not proud, but the future of the Empire depended directly or indirectly on them.

21. I hear a song, sharper than all the music, cry out Caesar!

The sound of the masses calling out your name can be addictive. Even current artists have often commented on this curious fact.

22. Many of you here today fought against me, many of you desired my death, many of you perhaps even desire 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 must 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 yield benefits.

25. As long as he’s able to get on a horse, it’s dangerous!

We must never despise our enemy!

26. Can you imagine a more terrible sacrilege than that our beloved Republic should be in the hands of madmen?

The power struggles in ancient Rome were continuous, there was always someone willing to take over.

27. I am ready 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 to hear, I find it strange that men are afraid.

Fear is a feeling that we must leave aside in our lives, with it we will not achieve anything positive.

29. I have always considered the dignity of the Republic more important than life.

Caesar was a statesman, if I had to give my life for him, I would do it gladly.

30. Without training, there is no knowledge. Without knowledge, there is no trust. Without confidence, there is no victory.

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 totally closed, the leader will not have the 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 greatest enemy will always hide in the last place you’d look.

Using the ground to our advantage is something 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 he 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 is not pitied.

When we find ourselves in a situation as complicated as a battle, fear will only deprive us of 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 prearranged to us; they may lead us to our fortune or to our failure.

37. Let me run and I’ll fight things that everyone thinks are impossible.

We are capable of doing much more than many think, our limits are set by us.

38. It is a right of war for conquerors to treat as they please those whom they have conquered.

As we see in this quote, Caesar was ruthless with those he subjected.

39. Gaul is subdued.

Conquering Gaul was something that cost this noble emperor a great deal.

40. There are also animals that are called moose… they have legs without joints or ligatures, they do not lie down for the purpose of resting… the trees serve as their bed… lying down they only rest a little.

In those days certain animals seemed to be taken from a science fiction book.

41. Of all these, the Belgians are the strongest.

Of the tribes that Gaul hosted, Caesar knew that the so-called “Belgians” were the most powerful.

42. Belief 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 go with the 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 in the end it was just different factions trying to seize power.

46. There are no tricks in simple faith.

Fooling those with simple ways of living can be very complicated.

47. If I fail, it’s simply because I have too much pride and ambition.

Our failures are usually the direct result of our own defects.

48. As a general rule, what is far from sight disturbs men’s minds, far more than what they can see.

The unknown is something that terrifies and torments us, we men have always feared the unknown.

49. The evil that men do lives after them; the good is often buried with their bones.

Our actions will determine what we leave behind in the world when we die, we can do good with them or do evil with them.

50. I don’t hold grudges and I don’t seek revenge. I simply have this demand… that you join with 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 great number of people, a society based on law 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 bring prosperity and long impunity to men whom they intended to punish for their crimes, so that in a return of fortune they would make them suffer more.

A little Machiavellian way perhaps, to see the designs of the gods, nobody really knows the vicissitudes of life.

52. Cry for destruction and drop 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 out of it.

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 time.

56. We must win or die.

In war there are only these two options.

57. Senators! The war is over.

Something he was no doubt very happy to proclaim to Caesar.

58. It is easier to find men willing to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.

Finding men suitable for the Roman Empire was sometimes difficult. The legionnaires had to endure the harshest conditions imaginable.

59. Come, my right hand, for this ear is deaf, and tell me what you really think of it.

Knowing how to give the right advice was indispensable in those days.

60. Caesar does no wrong, not without cause.

Sometimes Caesar had to act in a way that was not really how he would like it.

61. We are two lions made litter in one day, and I, the oldest and most terrible.

He was fully aware of his talents and abilities, he used these qualities to always win.

62. Caesar will come through. The things that threaten me have never seen but my back; when they see Caesar’s face, they disappear.

To openly threaten this great emperor, you had to be clearly a fool.

63. Danger knows well that Caesar is more dangerous than he is.

In this quote we see clearly how Julius Caesar felt totally untouchable.

64. It’s only arrogance if I fail.

In this way he shielded himself from 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 issues should be free from hate, friendship, anger, and grief.

In order to be able to reflect clearly on something, we must put our emotions aside.

67. I found Rome, a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.

As a leader, he helped improve the appearance of his city, something that I’m sure his citizens appreciated.

68. Great things must be done without hesitation, so that possible difficulties will not be able to stop you.

Doubting 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’ve crossed that bridge, everything must be decided by the guns.

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.

Caius Cassius Longinus is considered one of the architects of the attack that cost Julius Caesar his life.

71. The brave never taste death except once.

Everything dies only once in a lifetime, whether you’re brave or cowardly.

72. Men willingly believe in what they want.

That which we most desire to be true, we believe as such even if it is not.

73. Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion.

During his lifetime, Julius Caesar was married three times and also had numerous affairs.

74. The die is cast.

As he said “Alea jacta est”. No doubt one of the most relevant quotes from this emperor.

75. I’d 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 censoring the dead.

History is written by the victors, many of the events that happened in antiquity 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 deal with, as we have not been able to prepare for them.

78. You too, Brutus, my son?

No doubt Caesar was very surprised to see his own son murder 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 describes perfectly the kind of person he was.