The conspirators were in their places with their
daggers ready. Attendants came in to remove Caesar's chair. It was
announced that he was not coming. Delay might be fatal. They conjectured
that he already suspected something. A day's respite, and all might be
discovered. His familiar friend whom he trusted--the coincidence is
striking!--was employed to betray him. Decimus Brutus, whom it was
impossible for him to distrust, went to entreat his attendance, giving
reasons to which he knew that Caesar would listen, unless the plot had
been actually betrayed. It was now eleven in the forenoon. Caesar shook
off his uneasiness, and rose to go. As he crossed the hall, his statue
fell, and shivered on the stones. Some servant, perhaps, had heard
whispers, and wished to warn him. As he still passed on, a stranger thrust
a scroll into his hand, and begged him to read it on the spot. It
contained a list of the conspirators, with a clear account of the plot. He
supposed it to be a petition, and placed it carelessly among his other
papers. The fate of the Empire hung upon a thread, but the thread was not
broken, As Caesar had lived to reconstruct the Roman world, so his death
was necessary to finish the work. He went on to the Curia, and the
senators said to themselves that the augurs had foretold his fate, but he
would not listen; he was doomed for his "contempt of religion.
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