ends when they attempt to show that this is not an open
servitude on the one hand and tyranny on the other? If you are
absolutely persuaded that this is an unlucky day, it is certainly better
to go yourself and tell them you have strong reasons for putting off
business till another time." So saying he took Caesar by the hand and led
him out.

He was not gone far from the door when a slave, who belonged to some
other person, attempted to get up to speak to him, but finding it
impossible, by reason of the crowd that was about him, he made his way
into the house, and putting himself into the hands of Calpurnia desired
her to keep him safe till Caesar's return, because he had matters of
great importance to communicate.

Artemidorus the Cnidian, who, by teaching the Greek eloquence, became
acquainted with some of Brutus' friends, and had got intelligence of
most of the transactions, approached Caesar with a paper explaining what
he had to discover. Observing that he gave the papers, as fast as he
received them, to his officers, he got up as close as possible and said:
"Caesar, read this to yourself, and quickly, for it contains matters of
great consequence and of the last concern to you." He took it and
attempted several times to read it, but was always prevented by one
application or other. He therefore kept that paper, and that only, in
his hand, when he entered the house. Some say it was delivered to him by
another man, Artemidorus being kept from approaching him all the way by
the crowd.

These things might, indeed, fall out by chance; but as in the place
where the senate was that day assembled, and which proved the scene of
that tragedy, there was a statue of Pompey, and it was an edifice which
Pompey had consecrated for an ornament to his theatre, nothing can be
clearer than that some deity conducted the whole business and directed
the execution of it to that very spot. Even Cassius himself, though
inclined to the doctrines of Epicurus, turned his eye to the statue of
Pompey, and secretly invoked his aid, before the great attempt. The
arduous occasion, it seems, overruled his former sentiments, and laid
them open to all the influence of enthusiasm. Antony, who was a faithful
friend to Caesar, and a man of great strength, was held in discourse
without, by Brutus Albinus, who had contrived a long story to detain
him.

When Caesar entered the house, the senate rose to do him honor. Some of
Brutus' accomplices came up