The body was brought down to the Forum and placed upon the Rostra. The
dress had not been changed; the gown, gashed with daggers and soaked in
blood, was still wrapped about it. The will was read first. It reminded
the Romans that they had been always in Caesar's thoughts, for he had left
each citizen seventy-five drachmas (nearly L3 of English money), and he
had left them his gardens on the Tiber as a perpetual recreation ground, a
possession which Domitius Ahenobarbus had designed for himself before
Pharsalia. He had made Octavius his general heir; among the second heirs,
should Octavius fail, he had named Decimus Brutus, who had betrayed him. A
deep movement of emotion passed through the crowd when, besides the
consideration for themselves, they heard from this record, which could not
lie, a proof of the confidence which had been so abused. Antony, after
waiting for the passion to work, then came forward.
Cicero had good reason for his fear of Antony. He was a loose soldier,
careless in his life, ambitious, extravagant, little more scrupulous
perhaps than any average Roman gentleman. But for Caesar his affection was
genuine. The people were in intense expectation. He produced the body, all
bloody as it had fallen, and he bade a herald first read the votes which
the Senate had freshly passed, heaping those extravagant honors upon
Caesar which he had not desired, and the oath which the senators had each
personally taken to defend him from violence.
Pages:
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648