• Famous quotes from people like Julius Caesar and Marie Antoinette can be misattributed.
• It's all too easy for famous quotes to spread on the internet without the right person behind them.
• Even Julius Caesar's iconic "Et tu, Brute?" might be incorrect.
Quotes from famous people get thrown around on the internet all the time. But some of the most well-known sayings are actually incorrect.
Many of these prominent quotes are misattributed. Others are made up entirely.
Business Insider previously reported on how hard it is to verify famous last words. But the problem extends to all famous phrases.
The key is not trusting everything you read on the web — especially when it comes to historical quotes.
With that in mind, here are some well-known quotes that famous people never actually said:
SEE ALSO: 9 Vladimir Putin quotes that offer terrifying insights into his mind
DON'T MISS: 13 of the most famous last words in history
DON'T FORGET: 8 'famous last words' that were probably made up
'Et tu, Brute?' — Julius Caesar, Roman dictator and general
"Et tu, Brute?" is likely one of the most widely remembered and quoted Latin phrases out there, thanks to William Shakespeare's dramatic retelling of the Roman strongman's life.
The words conjure up a stirring image — a powerful politician realizing he's betrayed — and stabbed — by a beloved adopted son.
However, Roman biographer Suetonius claimed the man's last words might have been even sadder. He reports Caesar possibly said, "You too, my child?" in Greek, before succumbing to his injuries, according to Livius.org.
Suetonius himself, however, believed it was more likely Caesar had died without saying a word.
'The end justifies the means' — Niccolò Machiavelli, Italian diplomat
Machiavelli certainly plays with this idea in "The Prince," his most famous work.
But, much like the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty!" is never actually uttered in an episode of Star Trek, the political treatise doesn't actually contain this particular saying.
'I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it' — Voltaire, French writer and philosopher
The Quote Investigator blog reported that this famous phrase actually comes to us from Voltaire's biographer, early 20th century historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall.
Hall reportedly was trying to sum up what she described as a "Voltairean principle."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider