Why Shakespeare was there when John Booth shot Lincoln today (April 14) in 1865?

Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theater today (April 14) in 1865.  In a booklet (“How Shakespeare changed everything”) the author wrote, “He[Shakespeare] was there when John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln.”  This post is about why the author (Stephen Marche) said that.

Most historians wrote that Booth shouted “Sic simper tyrannis” (Thus be it ever to tyrants) after he jumped from the Lincoln box to the stage.  “Sic simper tyrannis” (this is also the State motto of Virginia) is supposed what Brutus uttered upon assassinating Caesar.  I didn’t see this in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, in which we read Cinna said “Liberty, Freedom; Tyranny is dead”.

Not long before Lincoln’s assassination, the three Booth brothers were in Shakespeare’s play of “Julius Caesar” with Edwin playing Brutus, John Marc Antony and Janius Caesar (see photo). 

There is no doubt that John Booth (a Southern sympathizer) was thinking as if he were Brutus killing Caesar to se the Romans free.  Soliloquy is always the best of the Shakespeare’s plays, Brutus’s speech (after the assassination) to explain his cause is no exception,

“Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause . . . Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.  Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than Caesar were dead, to live all free man? . . .”