"might makes law." "the wheel ofdestiny threatens to crush us beneath it." "We are dying." "tell us what we must do." "Every people, every tribe needs its legend." "And every battle needs a hero." "Behold-- the sign ofthe coming ofa king." "the coming ofa king?" "We no longer have kings in Gaul." "perhaps, then, the Romans." "But they have no king either." "A hero must emerge from the darkness." "He alone... will keep the great wheel from crushing us beneath it." "I must go to seek him out." "Between a boy and a girl, there should be something more." "And don't forget" "Ifyour brother Celtill persists... you must obey our laws... and separate his soul from his corrupted body." "Gutuart is wrong." "there must not be a king in Gaul." "the feast has notyet begun." "You have no business here now." "I am returning the horse, Uncle." " What areyou doing, my son?" " Showing Epona the city, Mother." "Leticia, make sure there are flowers on every table." "Someday, you'll be my queen." "Your queen?" "I like the sound ofthat." "But there are no more kings in Gaul." "For the moment." "For the moment?" "It's a secret." "Follow me." "I welcomeyou, noble chieftains ofthe other peoples ofGaul." "And particularlyyou, Dumnorix... chieftain ofthe Eduens... and Diviciac, your brother and grand Druid." "And our friends from the North-- the great Commios and the valiant Mosa." "Chiefofthe Bellovaques." "You also, Gobannitio, my brother... and you, Calarix..." "Senator ofthe Arvernes." "Gutuart, our archidruid, will be present to witness our meeting." "Doyou imagineyourself... becoming the new Brennus, king ofthe Gauls, my brother?" "Haveyou forgotten that the Arvernes have proclaimed a republic?" "I haven't forgotten, Gobannitio... thatyou want to become chieftain ofthis aristocratic republic... which makes the rich richer... and the poor poorer." "But let us put aside these petty rivalries." "We Gauls are trapped between two great monsters-- to our north, the teutons... and at the south, the Romans." "Doyou forget that it was you... who hired the teuton mercenaries to conquer other lands?" " the Romans are no menace." " For the moment." " What areyou saying?" " I'm saying you went to Rome... to beg Caesar to come to Gaul." "I say that the legions of Rome... will devastate our lands... and destroy everything in which we believe." "I say, better, Diviciac, the people ofGaul united under a king." "And I tell you, my brother... rather a king at the head ofGaul... than your secret pacts with the Romans." "One day, I'll beyour queen." "Here is the crown once worn by the king ofthe Gauls." "Father!" "No!" "take the crown." "Run!" "Vercingetorix, go!" "this is between Arvernes." "Stay out ofit." "No, my boy." "Not that." "I want to save my father." "Yes, ofcourseyou want, butyou cannot." "I must save my father." "He has to accept his destiny... and so mustyou." "According to our law... we must separateyour spirit from your perverted body." "Foul reptile!" "It isn't the law thatyou serve... butyour own vile ambition." "And you, my brother, are no better." "Farewell, Celtill." "the Eduens will not be part ofsuch treason." "Norwill the Atrebates." "Farewell." "You're more afraid to kill me than I am to die." "Hand me the torch, Gobannitio." "You're not worthy ofsacrificing the brotheryou betrayed." "His death belongs to him alone." "the magic ofhis death must teach us the lesson ofhis sacrifice." "the greater the magic, the greater the price that must be paid." "I will kill you, Gobannitio." "I will kill you." "Get up." "Even ifeveryone in Gaul is divided... here there is neither tribe nor people." "No distinctive marks." "Drop that." "Get up." "Hurry up." "Where areyou going?" "It's time for me to do what I must." "I have a task to accomplish." "You are not ready." "Notyet." "Come with me." "I will introduceyou to a master." "Rhia, I've brought a young friend." "Just try not to hurt him." "Draw a single drop ofmy blood... and you can do whateveryou want." " I thought that was impossible." " It is impossible." "Look at me." "Learn my moves." "Learn to anticipate each other." "provokeyour partner." "Enticeyour opponent to dare." "Capture his rage and make ityour own." "Lead the dance." "Ifyou know whatyou want... your partner will want it too." "Attack again." "...and you will have to accomplish your destiny." "Didyouseeyour death, Vercingetorix?" "No." "I was king." "Whatdoes itmean?" "Theknowledge thatcomes toyou in dreamsisyours alone." "A man's destiny is alsohis alone." "Yes." "Then Imustfollowit." "Thegreateryour destiny, thegreater theprice thatyoumustpay." "Since the flames consumed my childhood... all I've done is study." "And now I've been told it's time to act." "Just don't abandon the path ofknowledge... when you take the road ofaction." "Beware ofthis course ofaction." "Foryears our chiefs have been victims oftheir own demons." "they have formed alliances and betrayed each other." "You have chosen the world ofaction." "I'll showyou where this will lead you." "the Romans act without true knowledge." "See what they do." "A sword ofstone right through the living heart ofthe land." "You must travel this road for a while..." "Look." " Now kick me in the ass." " All right." "Go away!" "Come on!" "Go away!" " Oh, please!" " And don't come back!" "I'm sorry." "Halt!" " Where is the Druid?" " What Druid?" "the man in the white robe." "A beggar, nothing more." "Who would dare lay hands on a Druid?" "You know me, Arverne?" "You'd be a hard man to forget, for the son ofCeltill." " We thoughtyou were dead." " Where areyou going?" "Gergovia." "Well, I am going to Bibracte... to meet the other chiefs ofGaul." "Would you like tojoin me?" "For a while." "What keeps you here, so far from Rome?" "the same thing that kept you hidden in the woods... and now sets you on my road to destiny." "Spoken like a Druid." "Actually, I was once a Druid ofsome kind-- a high priest of Rome." "It cost me a lot ofmoney." " Areyou a Druid?" " No, I chose another path." "So did I. I chose to serve Rome" "Rome, to which all roads lead." "Bridges, aqueducts, roads... the free movement ofgoods and men..." "Assembleyourwarriors." "Join me on my expedition to Britain." "Win fame, glory... and Roman citizenship." "And halfofeverything... you seize." "So." "Our paths diverge now... but not too long, I think." "thankyou for the horse." "I will return it." "Doyou think he could win back Gergovia by himself?" "that boy-- somehow, Gistus..." "I do believe he could." "Who areyou?" "What doyou thinkyou're doing?" "Setting my house in order... and avenging my father." "I come to offeryou adventure." "I will lead you and the otherwarriors ofGaul... to invade the island of Britain." "I offeryou glory and fortune." "I have the word ofCaesar... that we will shall have halfthe booty." "And to prove it... he's given me his horse." "Halfofthe booty!" "Can you believe it?" "You are welcome among us." "Ride at the head ofourArverne troops... and represent us proudly before Caesar." "Why haven'tyour spies... found the archidruid?" "He is my true enemy." "Mosa's daughter Epona might recognize me." "I saluteyou... friends... and allies of Rome." "Dumnorix and Litavic... chieftains ofthe Eduens." "Diviciac, Commios... the valiant Mosa, chiefofthe Bellovaques." "I liberated you from the teutons... and I broughtyou peace." "Caesar offers pardon to those who fought against him... and his friendship... to those who will serve him." "Here" "Britain-- a rich land... inhabited by barbarians... so primitive... that they paint their faces blue when they go to war." "Let's invade Britain... and halfthe booty is yours." "Yeah!" "I can't go." "Why not?" "I get seasick." "the gods are with us, Dumnorix." "And I guaranteeyou the sea will be calm." "Caesar gratefully accepts your children... as guarantee thatyou will be loyal." "Epona... princess ofthe Bellovaques... will take care oftheyounger ones." "Dumnorix takes hostages." "He doesn't give them." "Never." "Hmm?" "this is what I want in exchange for the booty." "No, Caesar." "this is an incredible total." "For the arms?" "For thejewellery?" "For the thousands ofslaves?" "You still owe us... whatyou borrowed to pay for the festivals." "popularity is expensive." "I don't oweyou anything anymore." "But from now on, you will owe me." "the taxes will be divided between Rome and you and me." "I need another four legions." "to conquer Britain?" "I'm sending the Gauls." "I have to get rid ofthem." " What cynicism." " Anotherword for politics." "You were right about Vercingetorix." "He's done it." "He's here." "that's the gift ofthe Gauls." "And I knew it." "Another future victory... for Gaiusjulius Caesar... proconsul oftransalpine Gaul." "For the moment." "A victory over the Bretons-- will bring me no closer to a triumphal return to Rome... and Rome no closer to the government it must have." "Julius Caesar, King ofthe Romans." "King?" "Vercingetorix, no." "A king who founds a dynasty is a hero... but his son, a mediocrity... and his grandson, a half-wit... or a monster." "And his great-grandson, probably both." "I don't seek to destroy the Republic." "Only to rule it." "A modest enough ambition." "When Alexander the Great was ten years younger than I am today... he had conquered the entire civilized world." "Atyour age, he was dead." "All the more reason to hurry." "Dine with me tonight." "I am sure... you will fi nd it interesting." "I pray to the gods that Caesar sends 1 00 legions after us." "the Gauls only fear having the sky fall on their heads." "the Gaul who said that to Alexander... was struck dead by lightning." "take this lightning and eat it!" "Listen to me!" "So, Dumnorix, still afraid ofthe sea?" "I guarantee that the sea will be calm." "It's not the seasickness I fear... but Caesar." "He offers us halfthe booty." " that's not enough foryou?" " It's too much." " What does he mean?" " We must respect the pact." "It was you-- you, my brother, who made the pact on behalfofthe Eduens." "And it's not for me or my sons to respect it." " What areyou going to do?" " Whatever I can." "Whenever I can." "I do believe... thatyou know each other." "I do?" "Or haveyou forgotten the girl you asked to beyour queen?" "Your queen?" "the king's wife?" "When I met him in his village..." "I was a little provincial girl... impressed by the son ofa local chieftain... who was even more impressed with himself." "And what haveyou become now?" "A civilized and educated woman." "Impressed by a Roman general... who is even more impressed with himself?" "I am, after all... an impressive man." "We are all impressive people." "You know... sometimes I think... thatyour father... was ahead ofhis time... and... he had very good ideas." "to driveyour legions from Gaul?" "too many tribes-- you have too many tribes." "And each chieftain has to be elected everyyear." "that's a mess." "I want to govern Rome." "that's my destiny." "the destiny ofthe Gauls might be to... have a king... chosen by Rome." "Why not a king chosen by destiny?" "I knewyou would come." "You seem to know Caesar prettywell." "Caesarvisits me often." "You'rejealous?" "I think often oftheyoung boy ofGergovia... to whom I gave a token ofmy fidelity." "Why doyou think he brought us together?" "It is always wise to assume that Caesar knows everything he should know." "Dumnorix doesn't trust him." "I trust him to be exactly what he is" "Julius Caesar." "I trust him as much as I trustyou." "You are and will always be... the leader ofgreat warriors." "Dumnorix-- he stormed into our camp." "He massacred our soldiers and then fled." "Continue loading the boats." "Your brother" "I knew he would betray me." " We should kill all the hostages." " No, please!" "Don't do that, Caesar." "Dumnorix must be tried according to our rules." " I want to see him." " Let me send Litavic after him." "I don't trust the Eduens anymore, and I don't trustyou." "then send Vercingetorix." "He's an Arverne." "Well... ifthat is your choice." "No hostages are to be executed." "Bring him back." "Alive." "Like the mercenaries of Rome... you still wearyour cloak on your right shoulder." "I came to bring you back." "Is it the silver-tongued Vercingetorix who is trying to convince me... or the leader ofthe great warriors who wants to bring me back by force?" "We might as well talk." "We can always fight to the death later." "What order ofCaesar did you come to execute... riding his own horse?" "to bring you back-- to be tried according to our laws." "Your brother demanded it." "I'm very thankful." "I am overjoyed to see myself being condemned... by my brothers, in the camp ofCaesar." "Ifyou don't come back... the Eduen hostages will be executed... and maybe others with them." "No, no, no." "What areyou saying?" "Even ifhe were furious-- and he must be" "Caesarwill never kill the hostages." "What Gaul would embark for Britain ifhe executed his children?" "He will not do it." "What do we do now?" "I thought to offeryou my horse... and then together... let's go to avenge the death ofyour father." "Haveyou never asked yourself who would set Eduens against Eduens... and Arverne against Arverne?" "Who profited the most from the death ofCeltill?" "Vercingetorix, go!" "Bring back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar." "And give my tribute to him." "Your fatherwas a good man." "I thinkwe should go to Gergovia-- right now." "Let's go." "What does this hand mean?" "that we have made an enemy." "And it would have been much better to have him as a friend." "throw the hostages into prison... and lock Epona in a cell." "Let it be known... that Caesarwill be grateful... to the man... who fi nds Vercingetorix." "Close the gates." "You are banned from the city." "Caesar has put a price on your head." "they massacred all ofthe Druids." "But I came back to wait." "Is Gutuart still alive?" "Brother and sister ofthe sword." "Nowyou can dispose ofmy life." "the game will be over soon, then." "Stay here." "Keep an eye on them." "We want Vercingetorix as our leader." "Senators... we command you elect him chieftain ofthe Arvernes." "I will not be elected by these cowards... but by the acclamations ofmy people." "Caesar cannot make me an outlaw." "He is my enemy, and I would beyour king." "Long live Vercingetorix!" "We want Vercingetorix as our leader!" "Long live Vercingetorix!" "Long live Vercingetorix... king ofthe Arvernes." "In the memory ofmy father..." "I proudly accept!" "King!" "King!" "people ofGaul!" "Let us be what we must be-- a free and united people." "togetherwe will chase the Romans out ofGaul." "they are our enemies... and all who serve them, traitors." "Burn all the harvests!" "Come on!" " Burn the reserves and the barns." " You want to ruin us?" "Do as I say or I'll burn them myself." "Hey children!" "He's burning all ofGaul while your legions are dying ofhunger." "the men are starting to cast hungry looks at their horses." "Evacuate the city... or I will burn it to ashes with your people still inside." "What right doyou have, Arverne?" "I can't let the Romans take Avaricum with all its supplies." "I would burn Gergovia, my own town, ifI had to." "then defend the citywith us." "the besieged can't win." "Because ofour stupidity..." "Caesarwould snatch his victory from thejaws ofdefeat... in which I have trapped him." "One life for a city." "I offeryou the innocent life ofmy child." "Ifyou really believe it will serve the cause ofGaul... great King Vercingetorix, kill him." "May he live to become a man worthy ofhis mother." "MayAvaricum survive to see it." "I'm going to Gergovia." "We should fight them now." "We must help them to defend themselves!" "Don't go!" "Did I do the right thing... orwill I live to regret it?" "You did whatyou thought was right... instead ofwhatyou knew was necessary." "Was that a mistake?" "Might does not make right, nor does wrong." "But might is part ofthis world ofhuman conflict... where we all are prisoners." "that's the real trap." "Your incomprehensible talking does not help me." "Doyou think so?" "Now we will do what Vercingetorix hasn't done." "Like the scorpion... victory or death." "We'll kill all the inhabitants." "I want a bloodbath." "Caesar, it's not necessary." "All the women... all the elders... even all the children-- thanks toyou, they've all perished." "You abandoned them." "You refused to fight." "You are a coward." "And you'll turn us all into cowards." "You promised to lead us to victory." "What victory?" "the one he promised to Caesar?" "You accuse me oftreason?" "then kill me." "Yes, I betrayed Gaul." "Yes, I was a coward." "Your anger is my anger-- at myself!" "." "Because I made one mistake." "I listened toyou." "the city had to burn... and would I had done it... the inhabitants would still be alive... and the troops ofCaesar famished." "But Caesar made a worse mistake... when he ordered this slaughter... which horrifies and revolts my heart and yours... and the hearts ofall Gauls." "Now, ifyou think you've done me a favor... by giving me this command... and ifyou think I'm no longerworthy... ofthis honor..." "I'll hand it back toyou right now." "Disgusting!" "It was a real useless... slaughter." "Useless?" "Now we will have a decisive battle." "I've found the secret ofthe Gallic sword." "We march to Gergovia." " Letus seeyou!" " They don'tdare showthemselves!" "I wonderifanyoneis reallyin there?" "Showyourselves!" "We're notgoing to eatyou!" "position the catapults!" "Load them!" " Hurry up!" " Why?" "there's no one there." "Form your lines." "Get ready." "the catapults are loaded." "Vercingetorix is surrounded." "He doesn't dare show himself." "Let's attack." "What are we waiting for?" "For them to die behind those walls?" "Your ally Litavic hasjust arrived." "On myword!" "Hey, you men!" "We've got something foryou." "Look up here!" " Come a little closer!" " It's waiting foryou!" "Come on." "We're waiting foryou." "So shy!" "Come taste this, my pretties." "take a look!" "I mean to be the fi rst!" "It tastes good!" "Form a pyramid." "You'll get to see... what real men are like." "Come on up here!" "So shy!" "Death to Caesar!" "Wait for the signal!" "Stay calm!" "At the ready!" "Death to Caesar!" "Forward!" "Kill them all!" "Death to the Roman dogs!" "To the death!" "We're notafraidofany Roman!" "I hopeyour allies will tip the balance." "the Eduans are with you." "Caesar has massacred Avaracum." "He's no longer our friend." "You, who have united us in this fight, you are my brother." "Here!" "Death to Caesar!" "I don't believe it!" "that bastard, Litavic." "May every single Gaul be cursed." "Let's attack!" "Victory!" " Victory!" " Victory!" "King ofthe Avernes... leader ofgreat warriors." "What doyou see after this victory?" "I see all the peoples ofGaul united." "United?" "Under the dark desire ofrevenge?" "No." "I want to force Caesar... back on the same road he himselfbuilt." "It's roads which use the pretext ofthe free movement ofgoods and men... to accelerate the orders ofthe empire... which strangles us to satisfy its ambition." "In my father's memory, I will realize... the magic he wanted to create:" "Chase the Germans and the Romans out ofGaul." "Gauls." "I welcomeyou to Bibracte." "Vercingetorix has done what no one has ever done before:" "He has defeated the mighty Caesar at the head ofhis legions!" "Six legions ofthem at least." "ten!" "A hundred!" "A hundred!" "Ourwomen have proven that they can take care ofa hundred legions." "Shall we elect Vercingetorix... commander in chief ofthe army ofGaul... to get rid ofthe Romans and the teutons?" "I don't want a battle, even ifwe win." "And ifwe do..." "Rome will not rest until that victory's turned into defeat." "We will be victorious." "I took arms for the freedom ofall." "I pledge my life up to the last drop ofmy blood... no matterwhat sacrifice destiny may call upon me to make." "Be with me... and I will lead you to victory... into thejaws ofdeath with a battle song in my heart!" "Dance with me!" "Vercingetorix, here's to freedom!" "Sweet, sweet victory!" "Now, let us choose... our capital." " Should be pabracs." " Swine!" "the Cadurques should follow... the orders ofthe Eduen." "the capital should be Genabum." "Fools!" "It should be Genabum!" "Not foryou!" "Wait, wait." "I want to talk toyou." "Wait." "Between a boy and a girl, there should be something more." "I onlywantyou as my queen." "Ah!" "You are beautiful." "Go and warn the others." "I want to know what the teutons are doing here." " Send out scouts." " Yes." "We must hurry." "We need shelter." "Come on." "Let's go." "You want to be my squire?" "Yes." "It's good to be inside." "to us." "Doyou know who the goddess ofAlesia is?" "No, who?" "It's the horse goddess, Epona." "You crackyourselfup, Fancy Helmet?" "Caesar is coming to besiege us." "too risky for him." "He knows we have an immense army." "He must know." "But that's what I believe he will do." "We should leave here now." "Leave here?" "I thoughtyou wanted one great fi nal battle,just like Caesar." "Is it what Gaul really needs?" "No." "But now the die is already cast." "the battleyou longed for... has already begun." "Raise the palisades." "We've got food for one month." "Cut the rations in half." "Equal rations for the army and for the civilians." "You must ride to the fourwinds... gather a huge army ofrelief and return." "It is your challenge." "Make it work." "Ifyou want to win this battle... you must return before the next moon." "You will be the hammer... and I will be the anvil." "And please remember, do not attack." " What?" " Do not attack." "the Gauls will send a reliefarmy." "I know." "And I will be ready before they arrive." "Caesar's fortifications worry me and demoralize the army." "But not me." "He won't have time to fi nish them." "the teutons are everywhere." "But our spies can't really fi nd out... what they are really here for." "Caesar bought them." "there we are open, open to the valley." "I'll letyou pass ifyou tell me... whereyour archidruid is." "We don't know." "We don't understand him anyway, so how can we tell you about him?" "Strange." "You want tojoin Vercingetorix, to aid him against me." "We don't interfere with yourworld ofstrife." "YourVercingetorix dealt me some... superb and unexpected blows." "And you enjoy it as much as I do." "toyou, the prize ofvictory is indispensable, Caesar." "Without it, your life is meaningless." "Druids." "I have to establish an absolute place to stand." "Always the same." "Immutable." "I have to extend an empire... and to hold it together." "that is destiny." "Yourwords reduce others to silence." "But when you have suppressed all your adversaries... there will be no more combat, Caesar." "Yourword would be irresistible and your isolation complete." "I won't letyou go to Alesia." "We must elect the general ofthe reliefarmy." "time is short, Gauls." "Vercingetorix desperately awaits our coming." "Each ofyou take a ball to vote." "Each in turn!" "ten!" "ten!" "I said each in turn!" "When will this famous army ofyours arrive?" "I'm saving the rat... for those traitors." "We'll cut their balls and eat them." "Ifthey ever get here, the miserable cowards." "theywill come." "Vercingetorix escapes us again." "the Gauls don't eat their horses." "they send them out... because they can't feed them." "But he has stayed." "Let's attack now... while we still have our strength." "We must endure... for the sake ofthe army ofGauls coming tojoin us." "the fear oftheir coming... is what keeps the Romans working night and day to build their fortifications." "Ifthey fi nd themselves... fighting over our corpses... what heart doyou think theywill have for it?" "Oryou doubt their faithfulness because they haven't arrived yet?" "I'm sorry." "You're right." "We cannot survive much longer... on the food we have left." "We must send everyone who cannot fight out ofAlesia." "they might have more chances ofsurvival in the countryside." "Don't send out the children." "I'll take care ofthem." "You're right." "the hammerwill never meet the anvil." "I will win this battle... ifthe army obeys me." "What areyou afraid of?" "the deep silence ofothers." "twenty balls for Litavic." "twenty balls forVirido." " twenty balls for Commios." " pig heads!" "the general has to have a majority." "twenty balls for Cassivelan." " this is intolerable!" " the leader must be me!" "I'm the one!" "A parisii!" "Silence!" "We've lost too much time already." "there will be no leader, but four equal generals." "Me!" "Me!" "Virido, Commios..." "Cassivelan and me." "Our orders are still not to attack?" "Yes." "We can't stay here doing nothing." "What is it going to change?" "Spring will still come... grass will still grow by itself... and now Caesar is besieged in his own fortifications... and the teutons won't attack... ifwe staywell organized." "But whatifthey don'tattack?" "then we die." "It's triumph or death." "And what will decide?" "Destiny, Brutus." "Destiny." "Won'tyou playwith us?" "One toss, catch with one hand." "those are the rules." "IfI get the same score, we play again." "All right." "We're even. play again." "You said one toss with one hand." "Oh, no. the rules have changed." "You always change the rules." "You can't play like that." "He's right." "You're even." "He's not playing to lose or to win." "He wants to keep the game from ending... because he wants us to stay together." "Go to her." "there will not be many more nights." "Donotattack." "Donotattack." "Carnix?" "Carnix?" "they're attacking from all sides." "As I always told you... that's what happens... ifyou don't have a commander in chief." "You." "You want to fight?" "You want to die?" "You want to live forever?" "then I will lead you." "And together... we will become immortal!" "Don't be afraid, Brutus." "And now unleash the cavalry." "He has always refused the decisive battle." "I'm sure he's up to something." "And I don't understand what... and I do not like what I don't understand." "the fi nal battle he neverwanted... is a real massacre... and Litavic is dead." "He wanted to hire the teutons... and we stopped him." "And now what are we to do?" "It's up to him." "We can onlywait... and see what he'll do." "What does it matter in the end... to win whatyour enemywill lose... or to lose what he will win?" "Where will it lead you?" "As far as my energywill allow." "So the great wheel ofdestiny... will followits course... eternallymovedbylove... as far as necessity demands." "I have always known that I would always loveyou." "I will not have another queen... butyou." "He's going where nothing more can be written." "the greater the magic... the greater the price that must be paid." "I have only started what I will never fi nish." "I come to offeryou the glory ofyourvictory... which Rome will forever honor... with inscriptions in stone... and eternal flames." "the light ofmyvictorywill make... my invisible past failures heavier." "I offered to makeyou a king." "So accept the surrender ofa king." "Caesar was neveremperorofRome." "On the Ides ofMarch, in theyear44 BC... he was assassinatedon thesteps oftheSenate." "His faithful Brutus struck the fatalblow."