JULIUS CÆSAR

Of all Rome's great men, Cæsar was, perhaps, the greatest.

It was Cæsar, who, with his wonderful ten legions, all picked men, and all devoted to their leader, went up 5 through the wilderness north of Italy, and, subduing the Gauls, pushed on even to the coast of Britain.

Year after year he fought the barbarians, conquering them by thousands, until at last he had but to march against a tribe; for so terrified had they become, that word of his 10 approach only was enough. They would lay down their arms and hasten out to meet him, that they might be cnrolled at once as his loyal subjects.

All Gaul subdued, Cæsar went back to Rome. Affairs there with Pompey and Crassus demanded his attention, 15 and it was well for him and for the province that he returned as early as he did. Matters could hardly have been in a worse condition; and when, after his successful wars in the East, from which he sent the message, so brief, but significant, "I came, I saw, I conquered," and Pompey and 20 Crassus had been disposed of, the people were ready indeed to receive him as their ruler.

They had suffered much, these Romans, from the selfish oppression of their nobles; and when Cæsar came back to them they turned out in a great procession to meet him. 25 They placed a wreath upon his head, they made him rich gifts, and, as the greatest sign of favor, made him Dictator for a term of ten years.

Now, this dictatorship gave him nothing less than absolute power; he was in truth their king. For this,

Cæsar is sometimes criticised; and it may be he should not have accepted a position so high and so complete. Perhaps an absolute kingship is never wise, never best for the people.

5 Still, we must not overlook the condition the country was then in, and the complications, the intricacies, the petty jealousies and quarrels among the people. It may be that the establishing of Cæsar as the one sole ruler, was the only thing to do at just that time.

10 At any rate, history tells us that Cæsar ruled wisely and well; that such laws as he modified were improved, and that the new laws he made were good. He had his great feasts, his triumphal processions, and he allowed the people to worship him. But all these things were in 15 accordance with the times, and perhaps the people desired them quite as much as did Cæsar himself.

The time came, however, when certain great men in the city said, "Cæsar is too ambitious."

Once, when he was returning from the games, sur20 rounded by a body guard of forty elephants each bearing upon its back a miniature crystal palace, from which colored lights blazed forth to dazzle and delight the people, some one cried, "Hail, Cæsar! Cæsar, king of the Roman people!"

25 "I am not king," answered Cæsar; but it was with great reluctance and because he knew it was besthis enemies said that he made this modest reply.

SO

Again, Marc Antony, at a public festival, placed a crown upon great Cæsar's head. This crown Cæsar co cast upon the ground, saying again, “I am not king.”

Was this again for policy's sake? So his enemies said; and whether they spoke truly or not, you and I can never know.

Now, there were people in the city who hated Cæsar 35 most thoroughly; and, strange to say, most of them were

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people whom he had forgiven great wrongs, sparing them the punishment they deserved and would have received from any other man who, perchance, might have been ruler over them.

These men were determined that Cæsar should be killed; for to them this was the only sure way to rid themselves of him.

"But it will never do for us to kill him," these men said; "the people would tear us limb from limb."

10 So these schemers set to work upon Junius Brutus, a friend of Cæsar's, and after a long time succeeded in making him think that Cæsar was indeed full of duplicity; that all the seemingly kind deeds he did, he did with a motive, and that motive, always and ever, the Roman crown.

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"But twice have I, with my own eyes, seen him refuse the crown," said Brutus.

"Certainly he refused it," said the men, with an insinuating sneer.

Brutus, always a suspicious, gloomy man, brooded 20 long; and at last, as the conspirators intended, came to the conclusion that perhaps Cæsar was too ambitious. and that it would be well, perhaps, to check whatever hopes he might have of kingly greatness.

"Let the deed be done," said the conspirators, "before 25 the Senate, and on the Ides of March."

"It shall be as you say," was Brutus's reply.

"True Roman," said the conspirators, affecting sincerity and earnestness; "Surely the city for which you dare so much will thank you and will reward you for the 30 deed."

On the morning of the day when the conspirators were to do their work, Calpurnia, Cæsar's wife, having premonition that some sorrow was to come upon her husband, though she knew not what, begged him not to go to the 35 Senate that day.

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"I dreamed last night," said she, "that some trouble had befallen you."

"It is foolish, Calpurnia," said Cæsar; "still, if you wish it greatly, I will remain at home to-day."

"But you cannot, you cannot!" said one of the conspirators. "Indeed I am sent to tell you that new and unexpected business has arisen in the Senate, and your presence is most important."

And so Cæsar went. "Beware the Ides of March! 10 Beware!" said a soothsayer, as Cæsar was being borne by his faithful servants along the street.

Cæsar paled at this. It seemed strange; and he recalled Calpurnia's fears.

Reaching the Senate, Cæsar seated himself in his ivory 15 chair, and the business of the day began.

Cimber presented a petition to Cæsar. Cæsar, rising, unrolled the petition, and prepared to speak.

Now was the conspirators' time, and close about the chair they crowded. The signal was given. Cimber 20 seized Cæsar's robe and threw him down. Cascar stabbed

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him with his sword! Another and another! Cæsar struggled and called for help. Then Brutus came forward, raised his sword slowly, and stabbed great Cæsar to the heart.

"What! you, too, my Brutus!" said Cæsar, and then fell dead at the foot of Pompey's statue.

So perished Cæsar, the greatest of the Romans; their greatest soldier, their wisest law-giver; a man who in his whole career proved himself always a faithful friend, slow 30 to punish, generally averse to cruelty, and willing to forgive; a man who had always loved Rome, who had added more territory to her provinces than any other Roman and who to the day of his death so lived that no man could say of him: "This duty he neglected; this wrong he failed 35 to right; in this matter he consulted only self."

And yet this great man died — a victim to the suspicion, the jealousy, and the selfishness of his own people; even those whom he had served most loyally.

For such were the Roman people; such was the uncer5 tainty of favor among them; such was the peril in which even the greatest and the best of Rome's great men stood; such the price they paid for the honor and glory they achieved.

HELPS FOR STUDY

What were Cæsar's ten legions?

Who were the Gauls?

Who were Pompey and Crassus?

In what great battle did Cæsar defeat Pompey?
How was Cæsar regarded by the Roman people'?
Why is he sometimes criticised?

Give some reasons why an absolute kingship is unwise for the people?

What did Cæsar's enemies say when he told the people he was not king?

Explain "for policy's sake."

Who was Junius Brutus?

What did the schemers succeed in making Brutus believe?

Explain "full of duplicity."

What were the "Ides of March"?

Why did Calpurnia beg Cæsar not to go to the Senate?

Explain "premonition."

What was a soothsayer?

How was Cæsar affected by what the soothsayer said?
What did Cæsar say to Brutus?