愛羅馬勝於愛凱撒

1

Julius Caesar 是羅馬戰功赫赫的將軍，多年征戰後回到羅馬。懷疑Caesar野心膨脹想稱帝，由此威脅到當時的羅馬共和體製, Brutus 率領眾長老將Julius Caesar刺死於長老院大廳。莎士比亞的話劇"Julius Caesar"就是基於這個曆史事件。
Caesar遇刺後，熱愛Caesar的大眾要求Brutus 對自己的行為給個說法。昂然站在長老院高高的台階上, Brutus 慷慨激辭地給出了自己的原因：
"不是因為我愛凱撒少，而是因為我愛羅馬更多。
你們寧願凱撒活著而自己像奴隸一樣死去，而非凱撒死去讓自己作為自由人活著？ 
...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....

Brutus 幾乎說服了大眾。

3

Mark Anthny (凱撒的侍衛長，凱撒遇刺時不在現場) 抱著 Julius Caesar 血淋淋的屍首從長老院大廳緩緩走出, 向大眾講述了一個他知道的凱撒後，事態發生了徹底的轉變。

"朋友們，羅馬人，鄉親們，借你們的耳朵一用;
我是來掩埋凱撒，不是來讚頌他。
人們做的惡在他們身後長存，
而他們的善舉，卻與他們一起被埋葬，
凱撒也不例外。
...
你們都曾愛過他，並非沒有緣由，
那現在是什麽攔著你們為他哭泣？..."

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.

馬龍.白蘭度把莎士比亞的台詞念得讓英國人心痛，Is he speaking English?

[楊和柳]

把殺人誅心這件事兒做得這麽清新脫俗，難怪羅馬倒了。