Inde Caesar bellīs cīvīlibus tōtō orbe conpositīs Rōmam rediit. Agere īnsolentius coepit et contrā cōnsuētūdinem Rōmānae lībertātis. Cum ergō et honōrēs ex suā voluntāte praestāret, quī ā populō anteā dēferēbantur, nec senātuī ad sē venientī adsurgeret aliaque rēgia et paene tyrannica faceret, coniūrātum est in eum ā sexāgintā vel amplius senātōribus equitibusque Rōmānīs. Praecipuī fuērunt inter coniūrātōs duo Brūtī ex eō genere Brūtī, quī prīmus Rōmae consul fuerat et rēgēs expulerat, et C. Cassius et Servīlius Casca. Ergō Caesar, cum senātūs diē inter cēterōs vēnisset ad cūriam, tribus et vīgintī vulneribus cōnfossus est.
notes
Caesar Monarch, 45 BCE. Caesar Assassinated, 44 BCE
bellīs cīvīlibus tōtō orbe conpositīs: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419)
īnsolentius: "too arrogantly," comparative adverb form
Cum ... et ... praestāret ... nec ... adsurgeret aliaque ... faceret: this triple cum-clause gives examples of Caesar's arrogant behavior and explains the main clause, coniūrātum est.
honōrēs ... praestāret: "awarded magistracies" (LS honor I.B.1) offices like praetor and aedile, which were very much sought after by the members of the senatorial class.
ex suā voluntāte: "at his personal discretion," as opposed to by popular election, as was traditional.
rēgia et paene tyrannica: "king-like and almost tyrant-like." Nepos defines a tyrannus as one "who is in perpetual power in that state which enjoyed liberty" (Hazzard).
coniūrātum est in eum: coniūrātum is used impersonally (AG 207.d). in + acc. = "against" (LS in 2.C).
duo Brūtī: Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus and Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger
rēgēs expulerat: for the story of Lucius Junius Brutus’ participation in the expulsion of the last Roman king Tarquinius Superbus, see Brev. 1.8
et C. Cassius et Servīlius Casca: Gaius Cassius Longinus and Servilius Casca
senātūs diē: "on the day of the senate," i.e., on the day when the senate met (Hazzard)
cūriam: Caesar was slain in the Curia of Pompey in the Campus Martius.
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
Caesar, aris, m. |
a family name in the Julian gens. (1) C. Iūlius Caesar, the famous dictator; (2) Sex. Iūlius Caesar, uncle of the dictator. Consul 91 B.C.; (3) C. Octāviānus, the emperor Augustus |
|
cīvīlis, e [cīvis], adj. |
pertaining to a citizen; civil; polite, moderate |
|
insolenter, adv. |
contrary to custom; immoderately; arrogantly |
|
anteā [ante], adv. |
before, formerly |
|
adsurgō, ere, surrēxī, surrēctus [ad + surgō (sub + regō), to rise] |
to rise, arise |
|
tyrannicus, a, um [tyrannus], adj. |
tyrannical |
|
coniūrō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to take an oath together, conspire, plot |
|
senātor, ōris [senātus], m. |
a senator |
|
praecipuus, a, um [praecipiō], adj. |
special, particular; eminent, prominent |
|
coniūrō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to take an oath together, conspire, plot |
|
Brūtus, ī, m. |
a family name at Rome, D. Iūnius Brūtus. He conquered the Callaeci and Lusitani, and won the name of Callaecus in consequence. Consul 138 B.C., L. Iūnius Brūtus, nephew of Tarquinius Superbus, consul with Collatinus 509 B.C., (M. Iūnius) Brūtus, one of the murderers of Caesar |
|
expellō, ere, pulī, pulsus |
to drive out or away, expel, dislodge |
|
C. |
abbreviation of the praenomen Gaius |
|
Cassius, ī, m. |
the name of a Roman gens |
|
Servīlius, ī, m. |
the name of a Roman gens, e.g. Q. Servīlius, consul 365 B.C. |
|
Casca, ae, m. |
(P.) Servīlius Casca, consul 44 B.C. |
|
Cūria, ae, f. |
the Roman senate house, either the Curia Hostilia, adjoining the Forum, or the Curia Pompeia, built by Pompey in the Campus Martius. In the latter Caesar was murdered. |
|
cōnfodiō, ere, fōdī, fossus [con + fodiō, to dig] |
to dig; stab |