英語の記事を毎週読むのが英語上達に役立つ
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■Et tu, Brute?
J - Janice, R - Riko
A GV and a learner talk about Roman history.
R: My history class was quite fascinating today.
J: What did you learn about?
R: Guess! I’ll give you a few clues. He was a great military leader,
he was abducted by pirates, and he is a healthy snack.
J: A snack?! Was he eaten by cannibals?
R (laughs): No, silly! I’m talking about Julius Caesar.
J: Oh, right! (pause) Wait, how is Julius Caesar a snack?
R: Caesar salad, of course!
J (laughs): You’re so corny! Well, what did you learn about Caesar?
R: I learned that he was a very formidable man. He had a great role
in the reformation of the Roman Empire.
J: He was also a conqueror. Veni, vidi, vici is a Latin phrase
attributed to him.
R: Yeah, that’s right. Is the term ‘backstabbing’ also because of him?
J: Hmm, I don’t think so. I can see how it’s appropriate, though.
R: Actually, I’m more interested in Marcus Brutus. He was one of
Caesar’s most trusted members in the Senate, and yet Brutus
stabbed him.
J: Most of the senators stabbed him.
R: Yeah, but he took a leading role in Caesar’s assassination.
That’s not really something you would do to a friend.
J: I sure hope not! You know, though, this has been a popular topic of
debate for centuries. Brutus has even been turned into a literary figure.
R: Oh, in William Shakespeare’s play, right?
J: Yes. He was quite a sympathetic character in that play. Shakespeare
depicted him as a man who prioritized Rome above all else, even
his close friend.
R: Ah, but then there’s Dante Alighieri, who put him in the Ninth Circle
of Hell for treachery. Killing someone is not good, but I think it’s worse
if you kill a friend who trusted you.
J: Yes, exactly. It’s a really complex topic, isn’t it?
●Vocabulary
Et tu, Brute? ブルータスよ、お前か(シーザーが暗殺される時
空いたの中に信頼していたブルータスを見い出して
発したとされる言葉。信頼していた者に裏切られた