82
CONSPIRACY AGAINST CAESAR.
against one another at PIiarsalus now went hand in hand,
and entrusted their lives to one another.13 No proposals were
made to Cicero, the reasons usually assigned for which are of
the most calumniatory kind. It is generally said that the
conspirators had no confidence in Cicero13, an opinion which
is perfectly contemptible. Cicero would not have betrayed
them for any consideration, but what they feared were his
objections. Brutus had as noble a soul as any one, but he
was passionate; Cicero, on the other hand, who was at an
advanced age, had made sad experiences, and his feelings were
so exceedingly delicate, that he could not have consented to
take away the life of him to whom he himself owed his own,
who had always behaved most nobly towards him, and had
intentionally drawn him before the world as his friend. Caesar’s
conduct towards those who had fought in the ranks of Pompey
and afterwards returned to him was extremely noble, and he
regarded the reconciliation of those men as a personal favour
conferred himself. All who knew Cicero must have been con-
vinced that he would not have given his consent to the plan of
the conspirators ; and if they ever did give the matter a serious
thought, they must have owned to themselves that every wise
man would have dissuaded them from it; for it was in fact the
most complete absurdity to fancy that the republic could be
restored by Caesar’s death. Goethe says somewhere that the
murder of Caesar was the most senseless act that the Romans
ever committed; and a truer word was never spoken.14 The
result of it could not possibly be any other than that which
did follow the deed.
Caesar was cautioned by Hirtius and Pansa, both wise men
of noble characters, especially the former, who saw that the
republic must become consolidated, and not thrown into fresh
convulsions. They advised Caesar to be careful, and to take
12 The real number of conspirators is not known; and our accounts are not
quite trustworthy.—N.
13 Demosthenes has been calumniated in a similar manner. The verses in
Plutarch QDemosth. c. 30) Efarep atστ)v faμηv yvωμr), Δημ6σθevesf etχes Otfπoτ* b.v
tEλK'f)vωv ¾ρξev*'Apηs Mακeδωr, have often been misunderstood. I do not mean
to say that his courage was equal to his talents; but the meaning of the passage
iς, “ If thou hadst had as much power as thou hadst intelligence, the Mace-
donians would never have ruled over the Greeks.”—N.
14 NacKgelass. Werkei vol. xiii. p. 68, Goethc says: “ IIow little even the better
sort (among the Romans) knew what government is, is clear from the most
absurd act that ever was committed, the murder of Caesar.”
ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR.
83
a body guard ; but he replied that he would rather not live at
all, than be in constant fear of losing his life. Caesar once
expressed to some of his friends his conviction that Brutus
was capable of harbouring a murderous design, but he added,
that as he (Caesar) could not live much longer, Brutus would
wait and not be guilty of such a crime. Caesar’s health was
at that time weak, and the general opinion was that he intended
to surrender his power to Brutus as the most worthy. Whilst
the conspirators were making their preparations, Porcia, the
wife of Brutus, inferred from the excitement and restlessness
of her husband that some fearful secret was pressing on his
mind; but as hedid not show her any confidence, she seriously
wounded herself with a knife, and was seized with a violent
wound-fever. No one knew the cause of her illness; and it
was not till after many entreaties of her husband that at
length she revealed it to him, saying that as she had
been able to conceal the cause of her illness, so she could
also keep any secret that might be entrusted to her. Her
entreaties induced Brutus to Commmunicate to her the
plan of the conspirators. Caesar was also cautioned by
the haruspices, by a dream of his wife, and by his own
forebodings, which we have no reason for doubting. But on
the morning of the 15th of March, the day fixed upon for
assassinating Caesar, Decimus Brutus treacherously enticed
him to go with him to the curia, as it was impossible to delay
the deed any longer. The detail of what happened on that
day may be read in Plutarch. The conspirators were at first
seized with fear, lest their plan should be betrayed; but on
Caesar’s entrance into the senate-house, C. Tillius (not Tullius)
Cimber made his way up to him, and insulted him with his
importunities, and Casca gave the first stroke. Caesar fell
covered with twenty-three wounds. Hc was cither in his fifty-
sixth year, or had completed it; I am not quite certain on this
point, though, if we judge by the time of his first consulship,
he must have been fifty-six years old. His birthday, which is
not generally known, was the Ilth of Quinctilis, which month
was afterwards called Julius15, and his death took place on the
15th of March, between eleven and twelve o’clock.
15 Macrobius, Saturn, i. 12; Lydus, de Mcnsibus, p. 110, according to which
authorities, however, it was the 12th of Quinctilis.
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