The Death of Caesar

February 23, 2015
Strauss (Masters of Command), a professor of history and classics at Cornell University, provides a glimpse of the events surrounding March 15, 44 B.C.E., when Julius Caesar, Roman "dictator in perpetuity," was stabbed to death in the Senate chambers by a crowd of conspirators. With a keen focus on the conspiracy itself, Strauss examines Caesar's rise to power while looking closely at his colleagues, soldiers, and friends (many of whom turned on him). He runs through the many reasons the perpetrators had for committing such a shocking act, outlines the various alliances and honor codes, and addresses the assassination's aftermath. The political intrigue receives ample attention, as Strauss follows players such as Brutus, Cassius, and Decimus through subsequent political and cultural events. He also goes into detail about what the immediate scene might have looked like, covering funeral customs of the day: the wax masks of the deceased worn by actors walking in the procession, the roles different figures played in the funeral. Strauss's writing is stilted and the material may be most accessible to those with some knowledge of ancient Rome, but most readers will find this an informative and dramatic tale. Agent: Cathy Hemming, McCormick & Williams Literary Agency.

February 1, 2015

Strauss (classics, history, Cornell Univ.; Spartacus War) presents a riveting portrayal of Caesar's assassination on the Ides of March, 44 BCE. The author explains successfully very complicated political situations in laymen's terms, propelling the reader through Caesar's dramatic rise to his shocking murder in Pompey's Senate House, and its messy fallout. The work is divided into three parts documenting Caesar's dominant stance in Rome's military-political structure, the conspiracy and assassination, and the struggle afterward between republican and Caesarian factions. Thus, the book skillfully fleshes out a solid context for a general audience. The motives of important republicans and Caesarists are thoroughly discussed, including that of Decimus, a key conspirator who is often overlooked. Strauss has a superlative handle on the ancient sources, routinely comparing and contrasting the events through the writings of Suetonius, Plutarch, Cicero, and others. The author provides a handy biographical reference regarding the main personages involved, as well as a convenient chronological listing of important events. Useful maps and a thorough annotated bibliography round out the volume. VERDICT Both enriching and exciting to read, this work will interest and enlighten both classicists and general readers with a interest in history or political philosophy.--Jeffrey Meyer, Mt. Pleasant P.L., IA

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