[125] As has been seen (chap. 22, note [109]) there were, in fact, no guards. See also Appian 2, 118: ‘there was no detachment of soldiers about Caesar, for he did not care for guards.’
[126] A slight lacuna exists here.
[127] The second speech of Brutus was delivered in the afternoon of March 15. So also Plutarch, Brut., 18, 3-4. Plutarch, Caes., 67, 3 seems to imply that this same address took place on the following day: ‘μεθ’ ἡμέραν δὲ τῶν περὶ [Βροῦτον] κατελθόντων καὶ ποιησαμένων λόγους.’ Appian 2, 122 states that Brutus descended from the Capitoline, the wound in his hand still fresh, and, together with Cassius, spoke in the forum. The rather unexpected praise of Brutus may be an indication that Nicolaus is using Pollio’s histories.
27.[128] This is the ‘contio Capitolina prima’ which was held on March 15, late in the day, and at which Cicero was present. He endeavored to secure a convocation of the senate, to be summoned by Brutus and Cassius on their authority as praetors, so that they might be legally confirmed as tyrannicides, thus forestalling any attempt on the part of the Caesarians and the Antonians to have them proclaimed murderers (Cic., Att. 14, 10, 1, ‘meministine me clamare illo ipso primo Capitolino die debere senatum in Capitolium a praetoribus vocari,’ etc. Also Cic., Phil., 2, 89). This meeting on the Capitoline should not be confused with a second ‘contio Capitolina’ referred to by Cicero (Att., 15, 1 b, 2), and which seems to have been subsequent to the meeting of the senate in the temple of Tellus on March 17, when Cicero was able to secure only a rather unsatisfactory compromise for the members of the republican faction. See the note of Tyrrell and Purser, The Correspondence of Cicero, vol. 5, p. 307.
[129] The temple of [Jupiter] Capitolinus is, of course, to be understood.
[130] The despatch of messengers from the conspirators to Antony and Lepidus is also told of by Appian 2, 123.
[131] Appian 2, 126 and Dio 44, 22 both make special note of the fact that Lepidus had an armed force in the city before daybreak on March 17. Appian, however, in the same passage asserts that Antony did not bring in any troops, so as not to disturb the city.
[132] Reading ἐκ νεωτερισμοῦ with E. Schwartz, Hermes 33, p. 184, instead of δὲ καὶ.
[133] Dio 44, 34, says that Lepidus was only making a pretense of advocating vengeance: ‘ὁ μὲν γὰρ Λέπιδος πρόσχημα τὴν τοῦ Καίσαρος τιμωρίαν ποιούμενος’, etc., while Appian 2, 151-152, states that Lepidus was employed as a tool both by those who desired revenge and those who favored amnesty with the assassins.
[134] ἄλλος, codex. E. Schwartz, Hermes 33, p. 184 suggests the emendation Βάλβος, which is very plausible.