La laconicità di Bruto da Plutarco a Shakespeare: un caso di ‘lost in translation’

Abstract

In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Brutus’ speech appears to be modelled upon the description of Brutus’ oratory style in the Life of Brutus by Plutarch. However, one feature lacks from the theatrical speech: Brutus’ laconic expression, conveyed by the Greek word ἀποφθεγματικός. In this article, I argue that this may be due to the translation by Thomas North, Shakespeare’s source for Plutarch’s Lives, of the word ἀποφθεγματικός in the Life of Brutus.