A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

448 The Revolution
as magis- Cassius embraced him, saying, "Which of the nobihty will
be needecf at you allow to share your thoughts?" . . . Thus did they
the meeting.)
lb. 114.
^jjg^-jQgg |-q g^^h other what they had been privately thinking
about for a long time.
Each of them tested those of
their own and of Caesar's friends whom they considered the
most courageous of either faction.
When they thought they had a sufficient number, and
that it would not be wise to divulge the plot to any more,
they pledged each other without oaths or sacrifices, yet no
one changed his mind or betrayed the secret. They sought
a time and place. Time was pressing because Caesar was
to depart on his campaign four days hence and would then
They chose the senate as
have a bodyguard of soldiers.
the place, believing that though all the senators did not
know of it beforehand, they would join heartily when they
saw the deed.
The conspir- The conspirators had left Trebonius, one of their num-
Cfflsar, 44 ber, to engage Antony in conversation at the door. The
^•^'
others with concealed daggers stood like friends around
Appian, Civil
QsessLV as he sat in his chair. Then one of them, Tullius
wars, 11. 117.
• • 1 1 • r
Cimber, came up in front of him and petitioned him for
the recall of his brother, who had been banished.
When
Caesar answered that the matter must be deferred, Cimber
seized hold of his purple robe as though still urging the
petition, and pulled it away so as to expose his neck; at
the same time he exclaimed, "Friends, what are you waiting
for?" Then Casca, who was standing over Caesar's
head, first drove a dagger at his throat, but missed the
aim and wounded him in the breast. Caesar snatched his
toga from Cimber, seized Casca's hand, sprang from his
chair, turned round and hurled Casca with great violence.
While Caesar was in this position, another one stabbed
him with a dagger in the side . . . Cassius wounded him