Friday, May 31
The Evil That Men Do Lives After Them
Karin and I walked to a car boot sale and got talking about someone we know. As we entered the car park where the sale was being held I said, "The evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with their bones."
I know, I know, a little pretentious but it seemed to fit what we were talking about - and I was once a bit of a Shakespearean actor. Okay, the last bit is a fib. The only time I've actually been on stage was during my school days. I remember my last role well as I was the Gay Youth. This was at a time when 'gay' only meant being carefree and happy! My friend played the part of the Sombre Youth - deep stuff. We were massive hits - all right, second fib.
I digress.
There wasn't much to interest me at the sale but I bought a paperback, titled The Shakespeare Secret, for 20p. As it was likened to the Da Vinci Code on the cover I thought it might be an easy holiday read.
As I opened the book I saw that on a page prior to the first chapter was the same quote I had said to Karin - see below. This was another reason why I bought the book, the synchronicity bell sounded.
When I got home I absentmindedly opened the book and there on page 436 was the very same quote again.
So I guess there must be something relevant for me in these words. Though I'm not sure what. In fact I feel that sometimes it's the bad that is interred, rather than the good.
It's still mentioned, for instance, how Jimmy Savile raised millions - up to $56 million - for charity and was knighted by the Queen; but let's hope it's never forgotten that he was also a rampant paedophile who molested hundreds of children. This only came to light after his death.
The Shakespeare quote is from Julius Caesar, I remember the speech as I had to learn it for English Literature exams when at school. I have a good memory. I've previously written about William Shakespeare Coincidences.
What I didn't know was that Julius Caesar was performed at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York in 1864. Mark Antony was played by John Wilkes Booth and his brother, Edwin Booth, played Brutus, and their brother Junius Brutus Booth, Jr was Cassius. The coincidence about this is that a few months later John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln, supposedly with the cry, "Sic semper tyrannis" (thus always to tyrants). This was also attributed to Brutus at Caesar's assassination.
William Oxberry wrote similar words to Shakespeare: "Because it is a truth and a melancholy truth that the good things which men do are often buried in the ground while their evil deeds are stripped naked, and exposed to the world."
Personally, when I look back on the lives of people close to me who have died all I remember is the good. Some things no doubt are best forgotten.
Other Posts Which Mention Shakespeare:
William Shakespeare Coincidences
The Mystery And Enigma Of The Number 23
The Guilt Of A Moorland Pony And Guilty Quotes
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ReplyDelete"...a few months later John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln..."
To go with your last post about Corrie Ten Boom being born and dying on April 15th.
Booth shot Lincoln on the 14th April,but Lincoln didn't die until the morning of the 15th.
Spot on again :)
DeleteThe mention of Booth's brother is something of a synchro for me. Rob and I were just talking about him last night, connected to the book we're working on. And what a good synchro with the quote!
ReplyDeleteStrange how the pieces are meant to fit at times.
DeleteOkay this is just too deep for me. I got chills reading that John Wilkes Booth played Mark Anthony. Next you;ll tell me the page number was a coincidence?
ReplyDelete436: 4+3=7 and 6... not out yet? (somebody stop me)
I had noticed the page number ... but don't let me stop you ...
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