disregarded the warnings which were given him. As he entered, the Senate
rose to do him honor; and when he had taken his seat, the conspirators
pressed around him as if to support the prayer of Tillius Cimber, who
entreated the Dictator to recall his brother from banishment. When Caesar
began to show displeasure at their importunity, Tillius seized him by
his toga, which was the signal for attack. Casca struck the first blow,
and the other conspirators bared their weapons. Caesar defended himself
till he saw Brutus had drawn his sword, and then exclaiming, "And thou,
too, Brutus!" he drew his toga over his head, and fell pierced with
three-and-twenty wounds at the foot of Pompey's statue.

[Illustration: Coin of Julius Caesar.]

Caesar's death was undoubtedly a loss not only to the Roman people, but
the whole civilized world. The Republic was utterly lost. The Roman
world was now called to go through many years of disorder and bloodshed,
till it rested again under the supremacy of Augustus. The last days of
the Republic had come, and its only hope of peace and security was under
the strong hand of military power.

Caesar was in his 56th year at the time of his death. His personal
appearance was noble and commanding; he was tall in stature, of a fair
complexion, and with black eyes full of expression. He never wore a
beard, and in the latter part of his life his head was bald. His
constitution was originally delicate, and he was twice attacked by
epilepsy while transacting public business; but, by constant exercise
and abstemious living, he had acquired strong and vigorous health, and
could endure almost any amount of exertion. He took pains with his
person, and was considered to be effeminate in his dress.

Caesar was probably the greatest man of antiquity. He was at one and the
same time a general, a statesman, a lawgiver, a jurist, an orator, a
poet, a historian, a philologer, a mathematician, and an architect. He
was equally fitted to excel in every thing, and has given proofs that he
would have surpassed almost all other men in any subject to which he
devoted the energies of his extraordinary mind. One fact places his
genius for war in a most striking light. Till his 40th year, when he
went as Propraetor into Spain, he had been almost entirely engaged in
civil life and his military experience must have been of the most
limited kind. Most of the greatest generals in the history of the world
have been distinguished