Caesar’s conduct toward those who had fought in the ranks of Pompey and afterward returned to him was extremely noble.
Continuing Julius Caesar Murdered,
Today is our final installment from Barthold Georg Niebuhr and then we begin the second part of the series with Plutarch.
Previously in Julius Caesar Murdered.
Time: 44 BC
Place: Rome
Caesar’s conduct toward those who had fought in the ranks of Pompey and afterward returned to him was extremely noble and he regarded the reconciliation of those men as a personal favor conferred upon himself. All who knew Cicero must have been convinced 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. 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 character, 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 a bodyguard; 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 harboring 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. While 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 he did 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 communicate 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 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. He was either 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 11th of Quinctilis, which month was afterward called Julius and his death took place on the 15th of March, between eleven and twelve o’clock.
At one time the senate having decreed Caesar some extravagant honors, the consuls and praetors, attended by the whole body of patricians, went to inform him of what they had done. When they came, he did not rise to receive them but kept his seat, as if they had been persons in a private station and his answer to their address was, “that there was more need to retrench his honors than to enlarge them.” This haughtiness gave pain not only to the senate but the people, who thought the contempt of that body reflected dishonor upon the whole Commonwealth; for all who could decently withdraw went off greatly dejected.
Perceiving the false step he had taken, he retired immediately to his own house and, laying his neck bare, told his friends “he was ready for the first hand that would strike.” He then bethought himself of alleging his distemper as an excuse; and asserted that those who are under its influence are apt to find their faculties fail them when they speak standing, a trembling and giddiness coming upon them, which bereave them of their senses. This, however, was not really the case; for it is said he was desirous to rise to the senate; but Cornelius Balbus, one of his friends or rather flatterers, held him and had servility enough to say, “Will you not remember that you are Caesar and suffer them to pay their court to you as their superior?”
These discontents were greatly increased by the indignity with which he treated the tribunes of the people. In the Lupercalia, which, according to most writers, is an ancient pastoral feast and which answers in many respects to the Lycaea among the Arcadians, young men of noble families and indeed many of the magistrates, run about the streets naked and, by way of diversion, strike all they meet with leathern thongs with the hair upon them. Numbers of women of the first quality put themselves in their way and present their hands for stripes — as scholars do to a master — being persuaded that the pregnant gain an easy delivery by it and that the barren are enabled to conceive. Caesar wore a triumphal robe that day and seated himself in a golden chair upon the rostra, to see the ceremony.
Antony ran among the rest, in compliance with the rules of the festival, for he was consul. When he came into the Forum and the crowd had made way for him, he approached Caesar and offered him a diadem wreathed with laurel. Upon this some plaudits were heard but very feeble, because they proceeded only from persons placed there on purpose. Caesar refused it and then the plaudits were loud and general. Antony presented it once more and few applauded his officiousness; but when Caesar rejected it again, the applause again was general. Caesar, undeceived by his second trial, rose up and ordered the diadem to be consecrated in the Capitol.
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