ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives rif Noble Grecians and Romanes 85 of all their practises against Cresar: came and brought him a !itle bill wrytten with his owne hand, of all that he ment to tell him.1 He marking howe Cresar received all the supplications that were offered him, and that he gave them straight to his men that were about him, pressed neerer to him, and sayed: Cresar, reade this memoriall to your selfe, and that quickeIy, for they be matters of great waight and touche you neerely.2 Cresar tooke it of him, but coulde never reade it, though he many times attempted it, for the number of people that did salute him: but holding it still in his hande, keeping it to him seIfe, went on withall into the Senate house.3 Howbeit other are of opinion, that it was some man else that gave him that memoriall, and not Artemidorus, who did what he could all the way as he went to geve it Cresar, but he was alwayes repulsed by the people. For these things, they may seeme to come by chaunce: but the place where the murther was prepared, and where the Senate were assembled, and where also there stoode up an image of Pompey dedicated by him selfe amongest other ornamentes which he gave unto the Theater4 : all these were manifest proofes that it was the ordinaunce of some god, that made this treason to be executed, specially in that verie place. It is also reported, that Cassius (though otherwise he did favour the doctrine of Epicurus) beholding the image of Pompey, before they entred into the action of their traiterous enterprise: he did softely call upon it, to aide him. But the instant daunger of the present time, taking away his former reason, did sodainly put him into a furious passion, and made him like a man halfe besides him selfe. Now Antonius, that was a faith full frende to Cresar, and a valliant man besides of his handes,5 him, Decius Brutus Albinus entertained out of the Senate house, having begon a long tale of set purpose.6 So Cresar comming into the house, all the Senate stoode up on their feete to doe him honor. Then parte of Brutus companie and confederates stoode rounde about Cresars chayer, and parte of them also came towardes him, as though they made sute with Metellus Cimber, to call home his brother againe from banishment: and thus prosecuting still their sllte, they followed Cresar, till he was set in his chayer. Who, deny~ ing their petitions, and being offended with them one after an other, bicause the more they were denied, the more they pressed upon him, and were the earnester with him7 : Metellus at length, taking his gowne with both his handes, pulled it over his necke, which was the
