Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Julius Caesar, Act II.ii ·Caesar
"Cowards die many times before their deaths."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"Cowards die many times before their deaths."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"Cowards die many times before their deaths; / The valiant never taste of death but once." Caesar — Julius Caesar, Act II.ii
Why it matters
The couplet is balanced — cowards vs. valiant. Quoting the first half alone keeps the moral but loses the parallel Shakespeare built in.
More from the canon.
Browse the rest of the shelf, or try a cold reading.