Chapter 30 The Prophet and the Banquet (Part 1)

"As a general, caution is more important than bravery. {Vertex}{小}say 3" - Augustus

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At this time, there was another exclamation in the square, and the crowd gathered more and more. Word of mouth spread. After hearing the explosive news, many senators and nobles first went to Aetius's house, and then the legal officer learned that After Antony actually presented Caesar with a crown on the Festival of Wolves, he said with great indignation: "This must be a trick played by Caesar and Antony in collusion to deceive the people."

"Should we rush together now to observe Caesar's choice?" Casca asked.

Spinzel, who was next to him, raised his hand and said no. This would make Caesar wary of us. Then he nuzzled his lips and suggested to Aetius, "Call two little guys to explore first." Let’s talk about the direction of the wind.”

The so-called two minor characters were the tribunes Flavius ​​and Malulus. After receiving the order, they hurried to the square, where Antony was presenting a crown made of golden laurel leaves for the second time and shouting: He said, "You are the great Julius Caesar. You have drained the filthy swamps of Quinta so that diseases and plagues will no longer plague the city of Rome. You are preparing to open up the isthmus of Corinth. You are also going to demolish Ossia." O all the rocks of Tia, your sword is about to penetrate the Parthian capital, and the Roman army is about to enter the city of Seleucia. Are you not worthy of such a high honor?"

As soon as Anthony finished speaking, two tribunes shouted the slogan "I object" and entered the crowd. Most of the people covered their faces with their hands and groaned and sighed in dissatisfaction.

So Caesar remained calm. He refused the crown again. "In the presence of the tribunes," he said. "I will never accept this crown, which will bring terrible misfortune to the country and to me personally. Although it is made of gold on the surface, it is actually stained with blood." Thorns." Then, he looked down at the two tribunes who had just shouted slogans, and asked loudly in public, "Tell me your names, two tribunes!" When Flavius ​​and Malu! After Rath said his name, Caesar rose from his throne. shouted, "Antony, I now demand of you with a hundred and twenty thousand severity that you immediately hang this crown on the colonnade over the square, and then, under the supervision of the tribunes, inscribe today's date on the pedestal , and said that Julius refused the gift of the crown twice because he did not want to be the king! Yes, the words were carved into the stone as a warning that would be passed down forever. "

Only then did the people burst into heartfelt cheers. They were all shouting Hail Caesar, and countless hands were waving. Brutus also came at this time. He squeezed in the crowd and inquired about what had just happened. As a result, a priest-like man wearing a black cloak climbed onto the statue and shouted to Caesar, " Julius, Julius, I am a prophet from Tuscany, and I have something very important to tell you!”

Because the crowd was too loud, he shouted several times before Caesar noticed him and asked everyone to be quiet so that he could hear what the prophet had to say to him.

"Pay attention to March 15th, you may not survive the moment when the expedition leaves the city." The prophet said.

As a result, Caesar looked expressionless and replied, "My friend, you are dreaming." Then he was about to step down from the throne and the high platform. When he was about to take his wife's arm, the prophet shouted again, "Look out. On March 15th, there will be a comet passing over the square and the synagogue, and you will fall under the sword of the enemy in a pool of blood, and your legs and feet will be lame! "

"Take him away, bastard, gibbering bastard!" Just when Brutus was surprised, Cassio suddenly appeared on the other side of the crowd, commanding a group of armed slaves to pull the prophet away. Come down, "Put him in the dungeon and see if he can accurately predict today's bad luck."

"No, Cassio, let him go, you are too excited and nervous. Under my rule, nonsense without bad intentions is completely acceptable." After Caesar finished speaking, he continued to prepare to step off the platform.

"Sir, I'm worried about your thoughtfulness." Kaxiyue flattered the audience.

Caesar smiled and nodded to him, and then he whispered to Antony beside him, "Pay attention to this guy named Cassio. He doesn't like games, gambling, reading, or music. When he sees me or Anyone standing taller than him will have terrifying and agitated thoughts. Anthony, don’t let this pale, skinny guy with dark eyes continue to follow me.”

"Yes, as ordered." Anthony replied with a very sunny expression on his face.

As a result, the crowd burst into loud noises again. Several people actually climbed up to the high pillars and took off the crown. Then they rushed in front of Caesar, prostrated themselves at his feet, and raised their heads again. Lifting up the crown, he asked Caesar a third time to place it on his head.

"That's enough!" The two tribunes were furious and asked the retinue to arrest the leading men. The people were noisy, but even more people appreciated the tribunes' actions.

But at this time Caesar suddenly became angry. He asked Flavius ​​and Malulus, "Why do you want to arrest these people?"

"Dear Dictator, can't you see that they have tried to persuade you three times to call yourself king?" Flavius ​​replied.

"What I saw was that after you two showed up, they urged me to wear the crown for the third time. Did you two plot to put the crime of restoring the monarchy on me?" Caesar said angrily, and then added, "You two are dismissed and expelled from the Senate, and you are disqualified from gathering in the synagogue." Then Marulus loudly protested in public that the position of the tribune cannot be arbitrarily deprived, and personal safety cannot be arbitrarily violated, so Caesar has no power to dismiss them.

"Then I will change your names. Flavius, you are now called Brutti, and Marulas, you are now called Kumi. You two are like those two uncivilized tribes, one is a fool, the other is a fool. Now get out of here, don't taint my sight. I am not on guard against anyone, because it is extremely unfortunate for a head of state to be on guard forever, but it does not mean that I will not be angry and punish despicable villains. Brutti, Kumi, even if you are a tribune, you cannot use the veto power against the dictator." After saying that, Caesar left a sentence and asked the legal officer to judge them, and then he left.

But during the quarrel, Caesar suddenly foamed at the corners of his mouth. Amidst Korpurnia's screams, he lost his balance and rolled down the steps of the platform. Antony, Brutus, Cassius and others rushed up to help him up. Then his wife cried and asked him to cover him with his purple robe. The people were furious. Many of them even climbed onto their own arcades and terraces to watch the dictator's epileptic seizure.

Caesar made a beast-like sound at this time, rolling his eyes. Antony stuffed a cork into his mouth and tore open his robe. After a long period of violent swinging and twitching, Caesar finally woke up slowly, and then he said, "Just now, didn't I say anything nonsense?" (To be continued...)