Moartea lui Cezar !

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2-Istoria ramane pasiunea mea-nr 1!

 “Beware the Ides of March.”

On 15 March 44 BC, Julius Caesar headed to the Senate to open the day’s debates, undeterred by a previous prophecy of the date and unwilling to deploy his Spanish bodyguard in the city, where he felt safe. Mark Antony heard the night before of the planned assassination from a terrified conspirator, and headed to intercept Caesar, though the plotters had anticipated this and had Antony detained. When Caesar entered the Senate, Cimber approached him and pleaded for his brother to be recalled from exile. Caesar waved him away, but was shocked when Cimber grabbed a handful of his toga – touching a Consul was an offence punishable by death. “Why, this is violence!”, cried Caesar as the assassins gathered around him.

Now Casca revealed a dagger, thrusting at Caesar’s neck, only to score a glancing blow as Caesar grabbed him and yelled: “Casca, you villain, what are you doing?” “Help, brothers!”, shouted Casca, at which the rest of them lunged forward, even injuring one another in their fervour. Caesar attempted to flee, but was becoming weakened and slipped on his own blood. Seeing Brutus approach, Caesar initially thought his friend was coming to his rescue. When he saw he too was holding a dagger, he said: “Eh tu, Brute?” (“And you, Brutus?”). In a final act of defiance, Caesar threw his toga over his head, so his attackers could not look upon his face. They continued stabbing him as he lay on the floor, with around 60 attackers taking part. Caesar had suffered 23 stab wounds, only one of which had been fatal.

With the distraction of the assassination, Mark Antony was able to slip away and flee the city dressed as a slave, fearing there would be a great Populare purge. The self-styled Liberatores marched through the streets proudly, declaring: “People of Rome, we are once again free!” Rather than the expected jubilation, they were met with silence and shuttered windows. This silence soon turned to outrage, the people of Rome filled with anguish that a small number of self-appointed aristocrats would have killed their hero, and the Liberatores were soon barricading themselves on the Capitoline Hill for their own safety. Cicero led praise of the Liberatores, and was aggrieved that he had not been asked to join them.

When the anticipated bloodbath against Caesar’s supporters did not materialise, Antony swiftly returned to Rome and, in his role as sole Consul, took command of the treasury. Caesar’s widow Calpurnia presented him with Caesar’s papers and property, clearly indicating he was now the leader of the Populares. Caesar’s Master of Horse Lepidus marched 6,000 troops to the city to defend the Populares, planning to storm the Capitoline, though Antony preferred compromise. Two days after Caesar’s death, Antony met with the Senate to agree and amnesty for his killers, while his own office was ratified with Dolabella appointed co-consul. Originally throwing his lot in with the Optimates, Dolabella promptly switched sides when Antony proffered him the opportunity to lead the Parthian expedition.

Octavian was undergoing military training across the Adriatic in Illyria when news reached him of Caesar’s death. His officers advised him to seek refuge in Macedonia until it was clear how events would play out in Rome. Octavian, however, was intrigued, knowing Caesar had left no male heir to his vast estates and title. It seemed a long shot, but he decided to ignore their advice and make haste to Rome to see if there would be any benefit for him.

Four days after his death, the crowds of Rome gathered outside the Temple of the Vestal Virgins to hear the reading of the will of Gaius Julius Caesar. There were the expected beneficiaries, with Antony receiving a huge cash inheritance. There were the signs of his misplaced confidence in his allies, with Brutus receiving a similar inheritance. There were cries of applause as a generous amount was awarded to every citizen in Rome, while several of his luxurious properties were handed over to become public spaces. Then there was a gasp – for Julius Caesar left the rest of his behemoth estate, and posthumously adopted as his son, the hitherto unknown 19-year-old Octavian.