Salvete omnes,
I got permission to post this excellent article from Mary in the
Imperial Rome discussion group. It really is informative, well
thought out and written!
Regards
Quintus Lanius Paulinus
From: "Mary Harrsch" <mharrsch@u...>
Date: Mon Apr 28, 2003 7:16 pm
Subject: Who Killed Julius Caesar
Well, I got back from Portland (OR) in time to watch the "Who Killed
Julius Caesar?" program on the Discovery Channel last night. I found
it interesting that the investigator used reenactments to determine
how many actual conspirators stabbed Caesar. From the reenactments
he determined that no more than 5 to 10 people could have had close
enough access to Caesar during the killing frenzy. In fact he
estimates the number closer to 5 since 10 people stabbing wildly with
daggers would have probably inflicted more wounds. He expressed his
opinion that the rest of the conspirators were probably engaged in
keeping the other senators back--in other words, crowd control.
Although Cassius' motives were clearly explained, the investigator
went on to study Caesar's own behavior and eventually concluded that
the conspirators simply played into Caesar's own hands as his
instruments to end his life in such a way as to ensure his designated
successor and "immortalize" Caesar for all posterity. His "contrived
suicide" theory was based on several incidents and observations. The
most convincing evidence, from his perspective, was a public
indescretion in which Caesar refused to rise for a group of senators
that approached him with a proclamation deifying him. He referred to
a passage by Suetonius but also mentioned a passage in Plutarch in
which Caesar was described as having a "fit" then, tearing his toga
open, demanding that the Senators kill him now and that he would not
resist. He also pointed out that Dio said Caesar's supporters had
claimed he had loose bowels and was afraid of disgracing himself if
he tried to stand. He said this indicated how ill Caesar really was.
This all appears to be a little convoluted. I found the passage in
Suetonius about the refusal to rise for an honor (not described as
deification): "But it was the following action in particular that
roused deadly hatred against him. When the Senate approached him in a
body with many highly honorary decrees, he received them before the
temple of Venus Genetrix without rising. Some think that when he
attempted to get up, he was held back by Cornelius Balbus; others,
that he made no such move at all, but on the contrary frowned angrily
on Gaius Trebatius when he suggested that he should rise." -
Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum, Divus Iulius, Book LXXVII
I also found a passage in Plutarch about Caesar telling a group of
Senators to go ahead and kill him but it was following the Lupercalia
incident with Antony and the diadem: "...twining a garland of bay
round a diadem, he ran up to the Rostra, and, being lifted up by his
companions, would have put it upon the head of Caesar, as if by that
ceremony he were declared king. Caesar seemingly refused, and drew
aside to avoid it, and was applauded by the people with great shouts.
Again Antony pressed it, and again he declined its acceptance. And so
the dispute between them went on for some time, Antony`s
solicitations receiving but little encouragement from the shouts of a
few friends, and Caesar`s refusal being accompanied with the general
applause of the people; a curious thing enough, that they should
submit with patience to the fact, and yet at the same time dread the
name as the destruction of their liberty. Caesar, very much
discomposed at what had past, got up from his seat, and, laying bare
his neck, said, he was ready to receive the stroke, if any one of
them desired to give it."
The I found the diarrhea passage in Dio: "when once they had voted to
him on a single day an unusually large number of these honours of
especial importance,— which had been granted unanimously by all
except Cassius and a few others, who became famous for this action,
yet suffered no harm, whereby Caesar's clemency was conspicuously
revealed,— they then approached him as he was sitting in the
vestibule of the temple of Venus in order to announce to him in a
body their decisions; for they transacted such business in his
absence, in order to have the appearance of doing it, not under
compulsion, but voluntarily. And either by some heaven-sent fatuity
or even through excess of joy he received them sitting, which aroused
so great indignation among them all, not only the senators but all
the rest, that it afforded his slayers one of their chief excuses for
their plot against him. Some who subsequently tried to defend him
claimed, it is true, that owing to an attack of diarrhoea he could
not control the movement of his bowels and so had remained where he
was in order to avoid a flux. They were not able, however, to
convince the majority, since not long afterwards he rose up and went
home on foot; hence most men suspected him of being inflated with
pride and hated him for his haughtiness, when it was they themselves
who had made him disdainful by the exaggerated character of their
honours."
The investigator also said Caesar appeared to provoke the
conspirators by other actions such as wearing purple--the historical
dress of kings.
However, Cassius Dio says: "First, then, they voted that he should
always ride, even in the city itself, wearing the triumphal dress,
and should sit in his chair of state everywhere except at the
games;" Dio goes on, "As he seemed to like all this, a gilded chair
was granted him, and a garb that the kings had once used." Dio
continues, "When he showed himself pleased with these honours also,
they accordingly voted that his golden chair and his crown set with
precious gems and overlaid with gold should be carried into the
theatres in the same manner as those of the gods, and that on the
occasion of the games in the Circus his chariot should be brought in.
And finally they addressed him outright as Jupiter Julius and ordered
a temple to be consecrated to him and to his Clemency, electing
Antony as their priest like some flamen Dialis."
So, Caesar's wearing apparel seemed to be dictated by the Senate, not
necessarily by Caesar's own whim.
The investigator also consulted a forensic psychologist who suggested
that Caesar's behavior indicated he may have suffered from temporal
epilepsy. He said Caesar's voracious sexual appetite, voluminous
writings, and increasing airs of superiority would be consistent with
a person suffering from this condition. He explained that temporal
epilepsy only grows worse over time and Caesar may have feared he
would eventually lose physical control and his precious dignitas if
his condition continued to worsen.
The investigator also pointed out that Caesar's autopsy revealed that
he clutched the very note warning him of the assassination. The
investigator could not believe that he did not read it despite what
the ancient sources said.
The thing that confuses me, though, is if Caesar intended to be
killed, why did he hesitate after learning of all the bad omens and
thinking about his and Calpurnia's warning dreams? Even Dio says he
had to be persuaded to go to the senate house by Decimus Brutus:
"He was warned of the plot in advance by soothsayers, and was warned
also by dreams. For the night before he was slain his wife dreamed
that their house had fallen in ruins and that her husband had been
wounded by some men and had taken refuge in her bosom; and Caesar
dreamed he was raised aloft upon the clouds and grasped the hand of
Jupiter. Moreover, omens not a few and not without significance came
to him: the arms of Mars, at that time deposited in his house,
according to ancient custom, by virtue of his position as high
priest, made a great noise at night, and the doors of the chamber
where he slept opened of their own accord. Moreover, the sacrifices
which he offered because of these occurrences were not at all
favourable, and the birds he used in divination forbade him to leave
the house. Indeed, to some the incident of his golden chair seemed
ominous, at least after his murder; for the attendant, when Caesar
delayed his coming, had carried it out of the senate, thinking that
there now would be no need of it. "
"Caesar, accordingly, was so long in coming that the conspirators
feared there might be a postponement--indeed, a rumour got abroad
that he would remain at home that day--and that their plot would thus
fall through and they themselves would be detected. Therefore they
sent Decimus Brutus, as one supposed to be his devoted friend, to
secure his attendance."
Maybe embracing this relatively modern suicide theory made the
program more sensational to increase the viewership.
- Libitina
Mary Harrsch
Network & Information Systems Manager
College of Education
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
(541) 346-3554
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch