New-York tribune., 1879-05-30


| upon his vanity and he fell amidst the ruins OF
constitution which had been undermined by the
| yillanes of its representatives. lie was weak
good man whom accident had thrust into place 10
which he was unequal. Unwilling TO part with his
! imaginary greatness he was cruelty flung down py
the forces which divided the world.
The conduct of Caesar after his return to Rome Is
the subject of a singularly interesting chapter' as
fruitful in suggestion as it is powerful III descrip
ton. Cesar as represented by Mr.. Froude at once
resumed the work of practical reform. His hrst
coro was IN remove the fears which had been pro-
voked by the spasm of rebellion He invited the
leaders of the party to for pardon on fair condl
tions. He knew that they hated him. and would
continue to hate him; but he supposed that they
| had recognized the hopelessness of further con-
| sriracy, Hence he content that they shouio
ask TO be forgiven. He made no distinction pe-
| tween his enemies and his friends but recon-
mended impartially for Office those who were en-
| titled by rank or service to look for promo
tion To the widows and children of those VINO had
been killed in the he restored the estates anu
honors of their families. Having thus SHOWN
that be cherished no resentment against his OPP
ponents, he set himself to work at the reconstruc-
tion of the administration. unfortunately each
step he took was fresh crime in the eyes OF men
whose pleasant monopoly of power he had over
| thrown But il was q necessity Of the revolution
| They had fought for their supremacy, and had lost
the day." lie increased the number OF the senate
filing its ranks from eminent proyincals including
even barbarous Gauls, and the sons of liberated
slaves who had risen to distinction by thelr own
merits The new members came In SLOWLY,
and were unvillingly received. Even pri-
yate handbil was sent round advising the
coolest of greetings. He cut short the corn
grants which nursed the mob of the city in ldeness
L. ,,;,, clxra ay.rlIg SOD
the mower of the censors Dishonest officials were
ruthlessly degraded. He made an effort to check
the luxury which was eating into the Roman char
acter He forbade the idle young patrcians to be
| carried about by slaves III litters. He appointed
inspectors of the markets which were loaded with
dainties from all parts of the world Occasionally
prohibited dishes carried of from the dinner
table under the eyes of the disappointed. guests
But he allowed himself no indulgence which he
| had forbidden to others. His own private habits
| were models of simplicity. His domestic economy
was rigid and exact. Against moral offences
! he was severe and uncompromslng WIN
| this burden Of cares, his health was growing
weaker, but his wonderful energy unimpaired.
Rut he WAS growing weary of the thankess task.
He was often heard to say that he had lived long
enough. "Men of nigh nature" says Mr.. Froude,
" do not find the task of governing their fellow
creatures particularly delightful" Caesar knew
that the Senate hated him, that they would Kill
him, if they could. The men whose lips were run
ming over with adulaton would fain have plerced
him with their daggers. But this gave him no con-
Germ He was willing to live if they would let him
live but he had ceased to care about 1t. lie TOOK
no precautions against assassination. lie had dls-
| missed the guard which attended him on his hrst
return from SPAIN and went daily into the Senate
| house alone and unarmed. He often spoke OF his
II Ila falf
not lived in vam and that it was better to die at
once than to live in perpetual dread of treason.
The closing scene in Caesars life is made the sub
iect of dramatic picture in which the gifts of the
! writer for lively description are displayed with
admirable effect The Ides of March had arrived,
omens of dire import had cast their shadows over the
| household the wife of Cesar was distressed by a
Chastly dream of the previous night; and at her
request Caesar, who contrary to his usual habit had
! given way to depression, decided that he would
! not attend the Senate that day. The house was
| full. The conspirators were in their places with
their daggers ready 1t was announced that
| Cesar was not coming. Delay might be fatal, and
| his familiar friend was employed to betray him.
| Decmus Brutus, whom he could not distrust, went
TO entreat his attendance. 1t eleven i'll the
forenoon and Cesar shook off his uneasiness and
rose to co. AS he crossed the hall his statue fell
! and was shivered on the stones Some servant who
had heard whispers wished to warn HIM.
But in vain. "AntOny, who was in attendance,
was detained, as had been arranged, by Trebonius.
Caesar entered, and took his seat. His presence
awed men, in spite of themselves and the consplra-
tors had determined to act at once lest they should
lose courage act at all. He was familiar and easy
of access They gathered round him. He knew
them all. There was not one from whom he had
not right to expect sort of gratitude and the
! movement suggested no suspicion. One had story
TO tell him; another some favor to ask. Tulus Cim
Der, whom he had just made Governor of Bithynia.
then came close TO him. with some request which he
was unwilling TO grant. Climber caught his gown
as if in entreaty and dragged it from his shoulders
| Cassius, who was standing behind, stabbed him III
| the throat. He started up with cry, and caught
Cassius's arm. Another pOpiard entered his breast,
giving mortal wound. elooked around, and see
ing not one friendly face but only ring of daggers
pointing at him, he drew his gown over his head,
gathered the folds about him that he might fall
decently. and sank down without uttering another
word Cicero was present. The feelings with which
he watched the scene are unrecOrded, but may
easily be imagined. Waving his dagger, dripping
| with Cesar's blood, Brutus shouted to Cicero by
name, congratuating him that liberty was restored
The Senate rose with shr1eks and confusion, and
rushed into the Forum. The crowd outside caught
| the words that Cesar was dead, and scattered to
their homes Antony guessing that those who had
killed Cesar would not spare himself, hurried off
| into concealment. The murderers, bleeding some
of them from wounds which they had given one
another in their eagerness, followed crying that the
! tyrant was dead, and that Rome was free and the
body of the great Cesar left alone in the house
| where a few weeks before Cicero told him that he
was so necessary to his country that every
| Senator would die before harm should reach himW
| In the composition of this work. Mr. FrOude has in
dulged in the freedom of historical narrative with
a wide license. His style is singularly free from
the set phrases of the verbal pedant from the starch