爱罗马胜于爱凯撒(Julius Caesar)
1
Julius Caesar 是罗马战功赫赫的将军，多年征战后回到罗马。被怀疑想称帝，威胁到当时的罗马共和体制，Julius Caesar被 Brutus 率领的众长老刺死于长老院大厅。莎士比亚的话剧"Julius Caesar"就是基于这个历史事件。
Caesar遇刺后，出于对他的深深热爱，大众要求Brutus 对自己的行为给出解释。昂然站在长老院高高的台阶上，Brutus 慷慨激辞地给出了一个【几乎说服了大众的原因】：
"不是因为我爱凯撒少，而是因为我爱罗马更多。
你们宁愿凯撒活着而自己像奴隶一样死去，还是让凯撒死去而自己作为自由人活着？
...Not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved Rome more.
Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men ?"
2
Romans, countrymen, and lovers,
Hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear.
Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe.
Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's,
To him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his.
If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:
Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.
Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free men?
As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it;
As he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him.
There is tears for his love; joy for his fortune; honor for his valor; and death for his ambition.
Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended.
Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have I offended....
3
Mark Anthny (凯撒的侍卫长，凯撒遇刺时不在现场) 抱着 Julius Caesar 血淋淋的尸首从长老院大厅缓缓走出, 向大众讲述了一个他知道的凯撒后，事态发生了彻底的转变。
"朋友们，罗马人，乡亲们，借你们的耳朵一用;
我是来掩埋凯撒，不是来赞颂他。
人们做的恶在他们身后长存，
他们的善，却与他们一起被埋葬，
凯撒也不例外。
...
你们都曾爱过他，并非没有缘由，
那现在是什么拦着你们为他哭泣？..."
4
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer’d it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest–
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men–
Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
(马龙.白兰度把莎士比亚的台词念得让英国人心痛)