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Cavë Idüs! Beware of the Ides! Idüs Martiis The Ides of March |
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Cavë Idüs! Beware of the Ides! Idüs Martiis The Ides of March |
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| Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March (i.e. March 15th) in 44 B.C. in the fifty-sixth year of his life or fifteen years after the beginning of his wars in Gaul. On that Ides of March he was scheduled to receive from the senate the royal diadem and title of King for all the countries subjected to Rome, but at the proposed investiture Caesar had planned to refuse. Meantime a conspiracy was formed by sixty-two Romans who hated the idea. So, they decided to assassinate Caesar on that same day. As Caesar entered, the sixty-two, who had arrived earlier with other senators, arose as if to do him honor, and conducted him to his special seat. Cimber, one of the main conspirators, then wanted to present him with some petition or other; being refused, he grasped Caesar's robe, as if to continue to plea, and Caesar exclaimed: "This is violence." Cimber then threw back the robe from Caesar's shoulders; that was the signal for the attack. Servillius Casca aimed the first blow. As others pulled out their daggers and rushed forward, Caesar rose from his seat and like a lion began to fight back in self-defense but soon seeing that resistance was in vain, he desisted and, wrapping himself up in his gown while uttering, "Et tü, Brute!" upon seeing Brutus among the assassins, fell without further struggle at the foot of the status of Pompey. |
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