1.  Caesar having been made perpetual dictator, and received from the senate accumulated honours, it began to be rumoured that he intended to make himself king.  In fact, he was possessed of the power; but the people, who had an aversion to the name, could not bear his assuming the title. 2.  Whether he really designed to assume that empty honour, must for ever remain a secret; but certain it is, that the unsuspecting openness of his conduct created something like confidence in the innocence of his intentions. 3.  When informed by those about him of the jealousies of many who envied his power, he was heard to say, that he would rather die once by treason, than live continually in the apprehension of it.  When advised by some to beware of Brutus, in whom he had for some time reposed the greatest confidence, he opened his breast, all scarred with wounds, saying, “Do you think Brutus cares for such poor pillage as this?” and, being one night at supper, as his friends disputed among themselves what death was easiest, he replied, “That which is most sudden and least foreseen.”  But, to convince the world how little he apprehended from his enemies, he disbanded his Spanish guards, and thus facilitated the enterprise against his life.

4.  A deep conspiracy was now laid against him, into which no less than sixty senators entered.  They were still the more formidable, as the generality of them were of his own party; and, having been raised above other citizens, felt more strongly the weight of a single superior.

[Illustration:  Brutus and Cassius conspiring against Caesar.]

At the head of this conspiracy were Brutus, whose life Caesar had spared after the battle of Pharsalia, and Cassius, who was pardoned soon after; both praetors for the present year. 5.  Brutus made it his chief glory to have descended from that Brutus who first gave liberty to Rome.  The passion for freedom seemed to have been transmitted to him with the blood of his ancestors.  But, though he detested tyranny, yet could he not forbear loving the tyrant from whom he had received the most signal benefits.

6.  The conspirators, to give a colour of justice to their proceedings, put off the execution of their design to the ides of March,[3] the day on which Caesar was to be offered the crown. 7.  The augurs had foretold that this day would be fatal to him.  The night preceding he heard his wife, Calphur’nia, lamenting in her sleep.  Being awakened, she confessed to him, that she dreamt of his being assassinated in her arms. 8.  These omens, in some measure, began to change his intention of going to the senate; but one of the conspirators coming in, prevailed upon him to keep his resolution, telling him of the reproach that would attend his staying at home till his wife should have lucky dreams, and of the preparations that were made for his appearance. 9.  As he went along to the senate, a slave who hastened to him with information of the conspiracy, attempted to come near