Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Julius Caesar, Act III.i ·Mark Antony
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war." Mark Antony — Julius Caesar, Act III.i
Why it matters
"Havoc" is a formal military command — an order to attack without mercy. Shakespeare quotes it in inverted commas; modern use treats it as a verb, losing the technical sense.
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