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.

    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.

    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

     

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