...have not known when his affections sway'd More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...soliloquy of Brutus just after he has pledged himself to the conspiracy: "Tis a common proof That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But, when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...view which justif1es human intervention in the social order: But 'tis a common proof That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...not known when his affections sway'd More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof, That lowliness g swords. For me, the ransom of my bold attempt Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face; upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...adder: And that craves wary walking. we put a sting in him. But 'tis a common proof, That lowliness is young ambition's ladder. Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round. He then unto the ladder turns his back. Looks in the clouds. scorning the base degrees...

...have not known when his affections swayed More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof That lowliness is young Ambition's ladder Whereto the climber-upward turns his face But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...tries to justify murdering Caesar, he too evokes the rivalrous world of Roman politics: . . . lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But, when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...inevitably corrupt the most virtuous man and make a tyrant of him: But 'tis a common proof, That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...a sting in him That at his will he may do danger with. . . . But 'tis a common proof That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...

...1999 Theodore White, on Lyndon Johnson's instinct for power But 'tis a common proof, That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; But when he once attains the upmost round, He then unto the ladder turns his back, Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees...