around his chair at the back, and others presented themselves before him, as if their purpose" was to support the prayers of Tillius Cimber on behalf of his exiled brother; and they all joined in entreaty, following Cæsar as far as his seat. When he had taken his seat, and was rejecting their entreaties, and as they urged3 him still more strongly, began to show displeasure towards them individually, Tillius, taking hold of his toga with both hands, pulled it downward from the neck, which was the signal for the attack." Casca was the first to strike° him on the neck with his sword, a blow neither mortal nor severe; for,a as was natural at the beginning of so bold a deed, he was confused, and Cæsar" turning round seized the blade and held it fast.

2. And it happened that at the same moment he who was struck" cried out in the Roman language, "You villain Casca, what are you doing?" and he who had given the blow cried' out to his brother' in Greek, "Brother, help!" Such being the beginning, those who were not privy to the conspiracy were prevented by consternation and horror at what was going on either from flying or going to aid, and they did not even venture to utter a word. And now each of the conspirators bared his sword; and Cæsar being hemmed in all round, in whatsoever direction he turned meeting blows and swords aimed against his eyes and face, driven about like a wild beast, was caught in the hands of his enemies; for it was arranged that all of them should take a part in and taste of the deed of blood.1

3. Accordingly also Brutus gave him one blow in the groin. It is said by some authorities, that he 3 Lesson 22, 3.

4 Lesson 31, 2. d.

defended himself against the rest, moving' about his body hither and thither, and calling out, till he saw that Brutus had drawn his sword; when he pulled his toga over his face and offered no further resistance, having been driven either by chance or the conspirators to the base on which the statue of Pompey stood. And the base was drenched with blood, as if Pompey was directing the vengeance upon his enemy, who was stretched beneath his feet, and writhingje under many wounds; for he is said to have received" three and twenty wounds." Many of the conspirators were wounded by one another, while they were aiming so many blows against one body.

5 tum vero.

XV. DEATH OF MARCUS ANTONIUS.

I. THE orator, Marcus Antonius, found a faithful friend in these dangerous times, but still he did not escape. This friend," though a poor man and of the lower class, received in his house one of the most illustrious" of the Romans, and wishing to entertain him as well as he could, sent a slave to one of the neighboring wine-shops to get some wine. As the slave was more curious than usual in tasting it, and told the man to give him some better wine, the merchant asked what could be the reason" that he did not buy the new wine, as usual, and the ordinary wine," but wanted some of good quality" and high price." The slave replied in his simplicity," as he was speaking to an old acquaintance, that his master was entertaining Marcus Antonius, who was concealed at his house. The wine-dealer," a faithless and unprincipled wretch,"

as soon as the slave left him, hurried off to Marius, who was at supper, and having gained admission, told him he would betray Marcus Antonius to him.

2. On hearing1 this," Marius is said to have uttered a loud shout, and to have clapped his hands with delight; and he was near2 getting up and going to the place himself, but his friends stopped him, and he despatched Annius with some soldiers with orders' to bring him the head of Antonius immediately. On reaching the house, Annius waited at the door, and the soldiers mounting the stairs" entered the room; but, on seeing Antonius, every man began to urge some of his companions, and push him forward to do the deed instead" of himself. And so persuasive was the charm of his eloquence, when Antonius began to speak and plead for his life, that not a man of them could" venture to lay hands on him or look him in the face, but they all bents their heads down and shed tears. this caused some delay, Annius went up stairs," where he saw Antonius speaking, and the soldiers awed and completely softened by his eloquence: on which he abused them, and running up to Antonius, cut off his head with his own hand.

1 Lesson 22, 3. b.

XVI.

2 Lesson 31, 2. b, d.

3 Lesson 22, 2.

DESTRUCTION OF CARTHAGE.

As

I. BUT when, yielding" to famine, the most resolute of them set fire to the temple, Hasdrubal could not endure to face' death; alone he ran forth to the victor, and falling upon his neck pleaded for his life. It was granted ; but when his wife, who with her children was amongst the rest on the roof of the temple, saw him at the feet of Scipio, her proud"

heart swelled at this disgrace brought on her beloved perishing home,' and with bitter words bidding her husband be careful to save his life, she plunged first her sons and then herself into the flames. The struggle was at an end. The joy in the camp and at Rome was boundless: the noblest of the Romans alone were in secret ashamed of the most recent achievement of the nation.

dd

2. The senate ordered the general to level the city of Carthage and the suburb of Magalia with the ground, and to do the same with all the places which had held by Carthage to the last; and thereafter to pass the plough over the site of Carthage, so as to put an end in legal formad to the existence of the city, and to curse the soil and site for ever, that neither house nor corn-field might ever reappear on the spot. The command was punctually obeyed. The ruins burned for seventeen days. Recently, when the remains of the city wall were excavated, they were found to be covered with a layer" of ashes from four to five feet deep, filled with half-charred pieces of wood,a fragments of iron, and projectiles. Where the industrious Phoenicians had bustled and trafficked for five hundred years, Roman slaves henceforth pastured the herds of their distant masters.

XVII. XENOPHON AT THE SEA.

1. THEY had crossed1 the plain to the foot of the hills in the dark, during the last watch of the night, and found the passes2 unguarded. But the people' fled from the villages at their approach, and though the Greeks at first spared their property, could not 1 pervenire with trans. 2 Insert quidem (qq).

be induced to listen to any pacific' overtures. But having recovered from their first surprise, ands collected a part of their forces, they fell upon the rear of the Greeks, and with their missiles made some slaughter among the last troops" which issued in the dusk of the evening" from the long and narrow defile. In the night the watch"-fires of the Carduchians were seen blazing on the peaks of the surrounding hills; signals3 which warned the Greeks that they might expect to be attacked by the collected forces of their tribes.

2. On the fifth day, as the army was ascending Mount Theche, a lofty ridge distinguished by the name of the Sacred Mountain, Xenophon and the rearguard observed a stoppage" and an unusual clamor in the foremost ranks," which had reached the summit, and they supposed at first that they saw an enemy before them. But when Xenophon rode up to ascertain the cause, the first shouts that struck his ear were, The sea, the sea! The glad sound ran quickly till it reached the hindmost, and all pressed forward to enjoy the cheering spectacle. The Euxine spreade its waters before their eyes; waters which rolled on to the shores of Greece, and which washed the walls of many Greek cities on the nearest coast of Asia.

8 In relative clause.
6 Part in dus(y).

XVIII.

4 Infinitive. 5 Lesson 8, 3. 7 Lesson 25, 2. b. 8 adeo ut (p).

VERCINGETORIX, with all the gallant gayety" of his nation,1 clads himself in his most splendid armour, and mounted his noblest charger. Cæsar had drawn3 up his troops, and had seated himself to receive his

1 ut fere Galli (ƒ)..