THE DEATH OF CÆSAR

NORTH'S PLUTARCH1

BUT the chiefest cause that made Cæsar mortally hated, was the covetous desire he had to be called king, which first gave the people just cause, and next his secret enemies honest color, to bear him ill will. . . . At that time the feast Lupercalia was celebrated, the which in old times, men say, was the feast of shepherds or herdsmen. But howsoever it is, that day there are divers noblemen's sons, young men, (and some of them magistrates themselves that govern them,) which run through the city, striking in sport them they meet in their way, with leathern thongs, hair and all on, to make them give place. Cæsar sate to behold that sport upon the pulpit for orations, in a chair of gold, apparelled in triumphant manner. Antonius, who was consul at that time, was one of them that ran this holy

course.

So when he came into the market-place, the people made a lane for him to run at liberty, and he came to Cæsar and presented him a diadem wreathed about with laurel. Whereupon there rose a certain cry and rejoicing, not very great, done only by a few appointed for the purpose. But when Cæsar refused the diadem, then all the people together made an outcry of joy. Then Antonius offering it him again, there was a second shout of joy, but yet of a few. But when Cæsar refused it again the second time, then all the whole people shouted. Cæsar having made

1 Translated out of the Greek of Plutarch into French by James Amiot, Bishop of Auxerre, and out of French into English by Sir Thomas North, Knight. Shakespeare is said to have taken his material for the tragedy of "Julius Cæsar" from this translation, which was published in 1579.

this proof, found that the people did not like it, and thereupon rose out of his chair, and commanded the crown to be carried unto Jupiter in the Capitol.

After that there were set up images of Cæsar in the city, with diadems upon their heads like kings. Those the two tribunes, Flavius and Marullus, went and pulled down, and . furthermore, meeting with them that first saluted Cæsar as king, they committed them to prison. Cæsar was so of fended withal, that he deprived Marullus and Flavius of their tribuneships, and accusing them, he spake also against the people and called them beasts and fools.

Hereupon the people went straight unto Marcus Brutus, who was also nephew and son-in-law of Marcus Cato. Notwithstanding, the great honors and favors Cæsar shewed unto him kept him back that of himself alone he did not conspire nor consent to depose him of his kingdom. For Cæsar did not only save his life after the battle of Pharsalia when Pompey fled, and did at his request save many more of his friends besides: but furthermore, he put a marvellous confidence in him. For he had already preferred him to the prætorship for that year, and furthermore was appointed to be consul the fourth year after that, having through Cæsar's friendship obtained it before Cassius, who likewise made suit for the same: and Cæsar also, as it is reported, said in this contention, "Indeed Cassius hath alleged best reason, but yet shall he not be chosen. before Brutus."

Now they that desired change, and wished Brutus only their prince and governor above all other, they durst not come to him themselves to tell him what they would have him to do, but in the night did cast sundry papers into the prætor's seat, where he gave audience, and the most of them to this effect: "Thou sleepest, Brutus, and art not

Brutus indeed." Cassius, finding Brutus' ambition stirred up the more by these seditious bills, did prick him forward and edge him on the more for a private quarrel he had conceived against Cæsar. Cæsar also had Cassius in great jealousy, and suspected him much: whereupon he said on a time to his friends: "What will Cassius do, think ye? I like not his pale looks!" Another time when Cæsar's friends complained unto him of Antonius and Dolabella, that they pretended some mischief towards him, he answered them again: "As for those fat men and smoothcombed heads," quoth he, "I never reckon of them; but these pale-visaged and carrion-lean people, I fear them most," meaning Brutus and Cassius.

Certainly destiny may easier be foreseen than avoided, considering the strange and wonderful signs that were said to be seen before Cæsar's death. For, touching the fires in the element, and spirits running up and down in the night, and also the solitary birds to be seen at noondays sitting in the great market-place, are not all these signs, perhaps worth the noting, in such a wonderful chance as happened? But Strabo, the philosopher, writeth that divers men were seen going up and down in fire; and furthermore, that there was a slave of the soldiers that did cast a marvellous burning flame out of his hand, insomuch as they that saw it thought he had been burnt; when the fire was out it was found he had no hurt.

Cæsar's self also doing sacrifice unto the gods found that one of the beasts which was sacrificed had no heart; and that was a strange thing in nature: how a beast could live without a heart. Furthermore there was a certain soothsayer that had given Cæsar warning long time afore to take heed of the ides of March (which is the fifteenth of the month), for on that day he should be in great danger.

That day being come, Cæsar going unto the senate-house, and speaking merrily unto the soothsayer, told him the ides of March be come: "So they be," softly answered the soothsayer, "but yet are they not passed." And the very day before, Cæsar, supping with Marcus Lepidus, sealed certain letters as he was wont to do at the board: so talk falling out amongst them, reasoning what death was best, he preventing their opinions, cried out aloud: "Death unlooked for."

Then going to bed the same night, all the windows and doors of his chamber flying open, the noise awoke him, and made him afraid when he saw such light; but more when he heard his wife, Calpurnia, being fast asleep, weep and sigh, and put forth many fumbling lamentable speeches; for she dreamed that Cæsar was slain. Others also do deny that she had any such dream, as, amongst others, Titus Livius, writeth that it was in this sort. The senate having set upon the top of Cæsar's house for an ornament, and setting forth of the same, a certain pinnacle, Calpurnia dreamed that she saw it broken down and that she thought she lamented and wept for it. Insomuch that Cæsar rising in the morning, she prayed him if it were possible not to go out of the doors that day, but to adjourn the session of the senate until another day. And if that he made no reckoning of her dream, yet that he should search further of the soothsayers by their sacrifices to know what should happen to him that day.

Thereby it seemed that Cæsar likewise did fear or suspect somewhat, because his wife Calpurnia until that time was never given to any fear and superstition: and then, for that he saw her so troubled in mind with this dream she had. But much more afterwards, when the soothsayers having sacrificed many beasts one after another,

told him that none did like them: then he determined to send Antonius to adjourn the session of the senate.

But in the meantime came Decius Brutus, surnamed Albinus, in whom Cæsar put such confidence that in his last will and testament he had appointed him to be his next heir, and yet was of the conspiracy with Cassius and Brutus he fearing that if Cæsar did adjourn the session that day the conspiracy would out, laughed the soothsayers to scorn, and reproved Cæsar, saying: that he gave the senate occasion to mislike with him, and that they might think he mocked them, considering that by his commandment they were assembled, and that they were ready willingly to grant him all things and to proclaim him king of all his provinces of the empire of Rome out of Italy, and that he should wear his diadem in all other places both by sea and land. And furthermore that if any man should tell them from him they should depart for that present time, and return again when Calpurnia should have better dreams, what would his enemies and ill-wishers say, and how could they like of his friends' words? And who could persuade them otherwise but that they should think his dominion a slavery unto them and tyrannical in

himself?

"And yet if it be so," said he, "that you utterly mislike of this day, it is better that you go yourself in person, and saluting the senate, to dismiss them till another time." Therewithal he took Cæsar by the hand and brought him out of his house.

Cæsar was not gone far from his house, when a bondman, a stranger, did what he could to speak with him: and when he saw he was put back by the great press and multitude of people that followed him, he went straight into his house and put himself into Calpurnia's hands to be kept till Cæsar