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Hello and welcome! My name is Emma and I've been a bookseller for over a decade. I also write fantasy under the name E. M. Epps. This blog features my Two-Paragraph Book Reviews. One paragraph from me. One from the book. Here's why I keep it short.

You are here: Home > “Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare

“Julius Caesar” by William Shakespeare

Image Emma 29 July 2013

Thumbs up for Julius Caesar (No Fear Shakespeare) by William Shakespeare. Drama.

I’ve never read, nor watched Julius Caesar, and it seemed like a good addition to the other Roman historical fiction I’ve been wallowing in. Reading it was an illuminating experience, as throughout I kept thinking: “Oh, that’s where that quote is from!” And this is indeed a damnably quotable play – now one of my favorites, I think. As for the No Fear edition, I liked the format and found it enabled quick reading. I tend to get terribly distracted by the notes in most editions (I find them too interesting); so the complete lack of them here was actually a benefit. The “plain English” version on each page facing the original text was useful for the occasional quick glance to confirm that I had interpreted things correctly, but as it was the exact opposite of interesting it never distracted me from the flow of reading. (“Plain English translation” = Shakespeare dumbed down to a middle school vocabulary, which is just as painful as it sounds, but useful.)

CASSIUS
I know where I will wear this dagger then.
Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius.
Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong.
Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat.
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron
Can be retentive to the strength of spirit.
But life, being weary of these worldly bars,
Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
If I know this, know all the world besides,
That part of tyranny that I do bear
I can shake off at pleasure.


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My bookstore is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, so we will earn a commission if you click through my links and make a purchase. I, personally, am also an affiliate of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and will likewise make a commission if you click through those links and make a purchase. Having to use Amazon doesn’t fill me with joy, but they’re the only good affiliate program for used books available right now. So…that’s the way it is.

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