the snare which had
been set for him. They accordingly gathered around, and without any
appearance of concert or of eagerness, began to recommend him to go
and take his bath as usual. He seemed at length disposed to yield to
these persuasions, and rose from his seat; and then, the whole
company attending and following him, he proceeded toward the doors
which conducted to the palace. The conspirators went before him, and
under pretense of clearing the way for him they contrived to remove
to a little distance all whom they thought would be most disposed to
render him any assistance. The consultations of Chaerea and those who
were with him in the inner passage-way were interrupted by the
coming of this company.

Among those who walked with the emperor at this time were his uncle
Claudius and other distinguished relatives. Caligula advanced along
the passage, walking in company with these friends, and wholly
unconscious of the fate that awaited him, but instead of going
immediately toward the bath he turned aside first into a gallery or
corridor which led into another apartment, where there were
assembled a company of boys and girls, that had been sent to him
from Asia to act and dance upon the stage, and who had just arrived.
The emperor took great interest in looking at these performers, and
seemed desirous of having them go immediately into the theater and
let him see them perform. While talking on this subject Chaerea and
the other conspirators came into the apartment, determined now to
strike the blow.

Chaerea advanced to the emperor, and asked him in the usual manner
what should be the parole for that night. The emperor gave him in
reply such an one as he had often chosen before, to insult and
degrade him. Chaerea instead of receiving the insult meekly and
patiently in his usual manner, uttered words of anger and defiance
in reply; and drawing his sword at the same instant he struck the
emperor across the neck and felled him to the floor. Caligula filled
the apartment with his cries of pain and terror; the other
conspirators rushed in and attacked him on all sides; his
friends,--so far as the adherents of such a man can be called
friends,--fled in dismay. As for Caligula's uncle Claudius, it was
not to have been expected that he would have rendered his nephew any
aid, for he was a man of such extraordinary mental imbecility that
he was usually considered as not possessed even of common sense; and
all the others