Conclusion of Events
The
Roman republic was in turmoil. Just a matter of days after Caesar had refused
the opportunity to declare himself king at the festival of Lupercal he was
dead. Caesar had been ambushed and killed in theatre of Pompey. Accounts may
have been exaggerated but it was certainly a brutal killing. No accounts were
needed for Titus. He was one of the Senators who conspired against Caesar for
many years and had eventually felt the time had come to remove the great
dictator from power. Titus was not sure what to do. He had been an avid
supporter of Pompey for all his years in the Senate and was almost certain to
be a suspect, and rightly so. Although it had not been he who held the knife that
had killed Caesar he certainly could not deny a hand in the murder. After the initial
pardon from Marc Antony outrage rose in the city and revenge was their aim.
Titus
knew if he ran that it would imply guilt but what else was he to do? He could
stay and wait to find his fate or he could take destiny into his hands and
leave for Greece to safety. Caecilius watched on as his once kind and powerful
master now a shadow of the man he once was, and he took pity on him for what he
had become. But now was his chance he hoped. Caecilius and his master’s wife Julia
had been in love for years. Titus preoccupied with the Senate neglected the
beautiful Julia and she had fallen into the arms of Caecilius. The household was
in disarray as a hurried operation was undertaken to leave for Greece. However
as Titus worried about moving he was unaware of the plot a lot closer to home
unfolding. Julia had persuaded Titus that Caecilius and a select few other slave
to be freed upon his death. Julia and Caecilius had been conspiring for years
to try and be together and this was their chance. They plotted that on the long
journey to Greece they were to take Titus’ life and start theirs together. They
had waited years for this, but now was the time for their dreams to become a
reality. As the final preparations were
made to leave so were those for the murder of Titus. The journey ahead was a
long and dangerous one for all involved.
