The phrase's status as a question has been debated. The intended message of the term has also been interpreted as endearment, or an insult, and as a claim of actual paternity, though historians believe this is unlikely. While téknon is often translated as "son", the word is gender-neutral and is more literally "child" or "offspring". The possibility that Marcus Junius Brutus, however, was Caesar's son was viewed sceptically by ancient historians and broadly rejected by modern ones. Both men were rumoured at the time in Rome to be Caesar's illegitimate children. The subject of this comment is, like in antiquity, almost universally believed to have been directed at Marcus Junius Brutus, who was the son of Caesar's favourite mistress Servilia, and was said to have been very dear to Caesar, but there has been speculation that the words may have actually been meant to be said to Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus with whom Caesar also had a very close relationship and on several occasions described as "like a son to him". Though Suetonius, Cassius Dio and probably Plutarch as well seem to have believed that Caesar died without saying anything further, the first two reported that according to others Caesar had spoken the Greek phrase "καὶ σύ τέκνον" ( Kaì sý, téknon - You too, child) to Brutus, as (in Suetonius) or after (in Dio) the latter struck at him. Plutarch does not provide the actual Latin phrase but rather reports it in Greek as "μιαρώτατε Κάσκα, τί ποιεῖς" (Miarṓtate Káska, tí poieîs?) Plutarch does not give any further quotes, but he says that Caesar "cried aloud" as he fought back and tried to escape, but gave up when he saw senator Marcus Junius Brutus among the assassins. However, the historian Plutarch claims that Caesar cried out in Latin "Foulest Casca, what are you doing?"-alternatively translated as "Casca, you villain, what are you doing?"-after being stabbed by senator Servilius Casca, the first conspirator to do so. Another version sometimes parroted is "What is this? Such violence against Caesar!" this version is a twisting of Suetonius's writing and not an accurate translation of surviving texts, which seems to emphasise Caesar's ego as it implies both affront and shock that anyone would ever dare to attempt to attack him. It is suggested that this groan was more of an aggressive "spontaneous curse".
Suetonius further writes that Caesar spoke no more after this, besides a groan after the first knife blow, and died without saying anything.
According to the historian Suetonius, Caesar shouted out in Latin, "Ista quidem vis est!" ("Why, this is violence!" or "But this is violence!") when his toga was ripped down from his shoulder. Possibilities Expression of surprise towards the attack ĭuring the assassination, senator Tillius Cimber grabbed hold of Caesar's toga and pulled it down from his neck, which signalled to the other conspirators that it was time to attack. William Shakespeare's Latin rendition of this phrase, Et tu, Brute? ('You too, Brutus?'), in the play Julius Caesar is better known in modern culture, but is not found in ancient sources. The two most common theories – prevalent as early as the second century AD – are that he said nothing or that he said, in Greek, καὶ σύ, τέκνον ( kaì sý, téknon 'you too, child').
Ancient chroniclers reported a variety of phrases and post-classical writers have elaborated on the phrases and their interpretation.
The last words of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar are disputed. Caesar can be seen staring at Brutus, who is looking away from Caesar's gaze. Part cropped from The Death of Julius Caesar (1806) by Vincenzo Camuccini.
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