Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
admired the unconcerned temper and the steady resolution of
these men in their most dangerous undertaking; for many of them,
being praetors, and called upon by their office to judge and
determine causes, did not only hear calmly all that made
application to them and pleaded against each other before them,
as if they were free from all other thoughts, but decided causes
with as much accuracy and judgment as they had heard them with
attention and patience. And when one person refused to stand to
the award of Brutus, and with great clamor and many attestations
appealed to Caesar, Brutus, looking round about him upon those
that were present, said, "Caesar does not hinder me, nor will he
hinder me, from doing according to the laws."
Yet there were many unusual accidents that disturbed them and by
mere chance were thrown in their way. The first and chiefest
was the long stay of Caesar, though the day was far spent, and
his being detained at home by his wife, and forbidden by the
soothsayers to go forth, upon some defect that appeared in his
sacrifice. Another was this: There came a man up to Casca, one
of the company, and, taking him by the hand, "You concealed,"
said he, "the secret from us, but Brutus has told me all." At
which words when Casca was surprised, the other said laughing,
"How come you to be so rich of a sudden, that you should stand
to be chosen aedile?" So near was Casca to let out the secret,
upon the mere ambiguity of the other's expression. Then
Popilius Laenas, a senator, having saluted Brutus and Cassius
more earnestly than usual, whispered them softly in the ear and
said, "My wishes are with you, that you may accomplish what you
design, and I advise you to make no delay, for the thing is now
no secret." This said, he departed, and left them in great
suspicion that the design had taken wind. In the meanwhile,
there came one in all haste from Brutus's house, and brought him
news that his wife was dying. For Porcia, being extremely
disturbed with expectation of the event, and not able to bear
the greatness of her anxiety, could scarce keep herself within
doors; and at every little noise or voice she heard, starting up
suddenly, like those possessed with the bacchic frenzy, she
asked everyone that came in from the forum what Brutus was
doing, and sent one messenger after another to inquire. At
last, after long expectation, the strength of her body could
hold out no longer; her mind was overcome with her doubts and
fears, and she lost the control of herself, and began to faint
away. She had not time to betake herself to her chamber, but,
sitting as she was amongst her women, a sudden swoon and a great
stupor seized her, and her color changed, and her speech was
quite lost. At this sight, her women made a loud cry, and many
of the neighbors running to Brutus's door to know what was the
matter, the report was soon spread abroad that Porcia was dead;
though with her women's help she recovered in a little while,
and came to herself again. When Brutus received this news, he
was extremely troubled, nor without reason, yet was not so
carried away by his private grief as to quit his public purpose.
For now news was brought that Caesar was coming, carried in a
litter. For, being discouraged by the ill omens that attended
his sacrifice, he had determined to undertake no affairs of any
great importance that day, but to defer them till another time,
excusing himself that he was sick. As soon as he came out of
his litter, Popilius Laenas, he who but a little before had
wished Brutus good success in his undertaking, coming up to him,
conversed a great while with him, Caesar standing still all the
while, and seeming to be very attentive. The conspirators, (to
give them this name,) not being able to hear what he said, but
guessing by what themselves were conscious of that this
conference was the discovery of their treason, were again
disheartened, and, looking upon one another, agreed from each
other's countenances that they should not stay to be taken, but
should all kill themselves. And now when Cassius and some
others were laying hands upon their daggers under their robes,
and were drawing them out, Brutus, viewing narrowly the looks
and gesture of Laenas, and finding that he was earnestly
petitioning and not accusing, said nothing, because there were
many strangers to the conspiracy mingled amongst them, but by a
cheerful countenance encouraged Cassius. And after a little
while, Laenas, having kissed Caesar's hand, went away, showing
plainly that all his discourse was about some particular
business relating to himself.
Now when the senate was gone in before to the chamber where they
were to sit, the rest of the company placed themselves close
about Caesar's chair, as if they had some suit to make to him,
and Cassius, turning his face to Pompey's statue, is said to
have invoked it, as if it had been sensible of his prayers.
Trebonius, in the meanwhile, engaged Antony's attention at the
door, and kept him in talk outside. When Caesar entered, the
whole senate rose up to him. As soon as he was set down, the
men all crowded round about him, and set Tillius Cimber, one of
their own number, to intercede in behalf of his brother, that
was banished; they all joined their prayers with his, and took
Caesar by the hand, and kissed his head and his breast. But he
putting aside at first their supplications, and afterwards, when
he saw they would not desist, violently rising up, Tillius with
both hands caught hold of his robe and pulled it off from his
shoulders, and Casca, that stood behind him, drawing his dagger,
gave him the first, but a slight wound, about the shoulder.
Caesar snatching hold of the handle of the dagger, and crying
out aloud in Latin, "Villain Casca, what do you?" he, calling
in Greek to his brother, bade him come and help. And by this
time, finding himself struck by a great many hands, and looking
round about him to see if he could force his way out, when he
saw Brutus with his dagger drawn against him, he let go Casca's
hand, that he had hold of, and, covering his head with his robe,
gave up his body to their blows. And they so eagerly pressed
towards the body, and so many daggers were hacking together,
that they cut one another; Brutus, particularly, received a
wound in his hand, and all of them were besmeared with the
blood.
Caesar being thus slain, Brutus, stepping forth into the midst,
intended to have made a speech, and called back and encouraged
the senators to stay; but they all affrighted ran away in great
disorder, and there was a great confusion and press at the door,
though none pursued or followed. For they had come to an
express resolution to kill nobody besides Caesar, but to call
and invite all the rest to liberty. It was indeed the opinion
of all the others, when they consulted about the execution of
their design, that it was necessary to cut off Antony with
Caesar, looking upon him as an insolent man, an affecter of
monarchy, and one that, by his familiar intercourse, had gained
a powerful interest with the soldiers. And this they urged the
rather, because at that time to the natural loftiness and
ambition of his temper there was added the dignity of being
consul and colleague to Caesar. But Brutus opposed this
counsel, insisting first upon the injustice of it, and
afterwards giving them hopes that a change might be worked in
Antony. For he did not despair but that so highly gifted and
honorable a man, and such a lover of glory as Antony, stirred up
with emulation of their great attempt, might, if Caesar were
once removed, lay hold of the occasion to be joint restorer with
them of the liberty of his country. Thus did Brutus save
Antony's life. But he, in the general consternation, put
himself into a plebeian habit, and fled. But Brutus and his
party marched up to the capitol, in their way showing their
hands all bloody, and their naked swords, and proclaiming
liberty to the people. At first all places were filled with
cries and shouts; and the wild running to and fro, occasioned by
the sudden surprise and passion that everyone was in, increased
the tumult in the city. But no other bloodshed following, and
no plundering of the goods in the streets, the senators and many
of the people took courage and went up to the men in the
capitol; and, a multitude being gathered together, Brutus made
an oration to them, very popular, and proper for the state that
affairs were then in. Therefore, when they applauded his
speech, and cried out to him to come down, they all took
confidence and descended into the forum; the rest promiscuously
mingled with one another, but many of the most eminent persons,
attending Brutus, conducted him in the midst of them with great
honor from the capitol, and placed him in the rostra. At the
sight of Brutus, the crowd, though consisting of a confused
mixture and all disposed to make a tumult, were struck with
reverence, and expected what he would say with order and with
silence, and, when he began to speak, heard him with quiet and
attention. But that all were not pleased with this action they
plainly showed when, Cinna beginning to speak and accuse Caesar,
they broke out into a sudden rage, and railed at him in such
language, that the whole party thought fit again to withdraw to
the capitol. And there Brutus, expecting to be besieged,
dismissed the most eminent of those that had accompanied them
thither, not thinking it just that they who were not partakers
of the fact should share in the danger.
But the next day, the senate being assembled in the temple of
the Earth, and Antony and Plancus and Cicero having made
orations recommending concord in general and an act of oblivion,
it was decreed, that the men should not only be put out of all
fear or danger, but that the consuls should see what honors and
dignities were proper to be conferred upon them. After which
done, the senate broke up; and, Antony having sent his son as an
hostage to the capitol, Brutus and his company came down, and
mutual salutes and invitations passed amongst them, the whole of
them being gathered together. Antony invited and entertained
Cassius, Lepidus did the same to Brutus, and the rest were
invited and entertained by others, as each of them had
acquaintance or friends. And as soon as it was day, the senate
met again and voted thanks to Antony for having stifled the
beginning of a civil war; afterwards Brutus and his associates
that were present received encomiums, and had provinces assigned
and distributed among them. Crete was allotted to Brutus,
Africa to Cassius, Asia to Trebonius, Bithynia to Cimber, and to
the other Brutus Gaul about the Po.
After these things, they began to consider of Caesar's will, and
the ordering of his funeral. Antony desired that the will might
be read, and that the body should not have a private or
dishonorable interment, lest that should further exasperate the
people. This Cassius violently opposed, but Brutus yielded to
it, and gave leave; in which he seems to have a second time
committed a fault. For as before in sparing the life of Antony
he could not be without some blame from his party, as thereby
setting up against the conspiracy a dangerous and difficult
enemy, so now, in suffering him to have the ordering of the
funeral, he fell into a total and irrecoverable error. For
first, it appearing by the will that Caesar had bequeathed to
the Roman people seventy-five drachmas a man, and given to the
public his gardens beyond Tiber (where now the temple of Fortune
stands), the whole city was fired with a wonderful affection for
him, and a passionate sense of the loss of him. And when the
body was brought forth into the forum, Antony, as the custom