The chiefs of the conspiracy were Caius Cassius and Marcus Junius
Brutus. Both had received great favors from Cæsar; but they thought they
had not been honored enough, and they were intensely jealous of the
dictator’s greatness. These were joined by other malcontents, and the
plotters swelled their ranks by representing that Cæsar designed to
assume the diadem and the title of king; so that the conspiracy finally
included about sixty senators.
It is not certainly known whether or not Cæsar thought of taking the
name of king. It is known, however, that the consul, Mark Antony,
entered in the public acts, “that by the command of the people, he, as
consul, had offered the name of king to Cæsar, perpetual dictator; and
that Cæsar would not accept of it.”
The plot ripened into a determination to assassinate Cæsar, and the
conspirators fixed on the Ides (i. e. 15th) of March as the time of
putting the design into execution. Rumors of the plot got abroad, and
Cæsar was strongly urged not to attend the senate. But he disregarded
the warnings which were given him. As soon as Cæsar had taken his place,
he was surrounded by the senatorial conspirators, one of whom,
pretending to urge some request, seized his toga with both hands and
pulled it violently over his arms. Then Casca, who was behind, drew a
weapon and grazed his shoulder with an ill-directed stroke. Cæsar
disengaged one hand and snatched at the hilt, exclaiming, “Cursed Casca,
what means this?” “Help!” cried Casca, and at the same moment the
conspirators aimed each his dagger at the victim. Cæsar for an instant
defended himself; but when he perceived the steel flashing in the hand
of Brutus (Marcus Junius), he exclaimed “What! thou too, Brutus!” (_Et
tu Brute!_) and drawing his robe over his face he made no further
resistance. The assassins stabbed him through and through; and, pierced
with twenty-three wounds, Cæsar fell dead at the foot of the statue of
his great rival, Pompey.
Julius Cæsar was in his fifty-sixth year, when, on the fifteenth of
March, B. C. 44, he was stricken down.