Chapter 52

He then assembled his army at a single rendezvous and pitched camp near Corduba. There at a parade he explained to his troops the scheme it was his duty to carry out on Caesar’s instructions, and promised to give them 100 sesterces apiece when lie had crossed over into Mauretania. The Fifth legion, he explained, would be in Spain. Then, after the parade, he returned to Corduba. That same afternoon, when he was entering the judgment hall, a certain Minucius Silo, who was a client of L. Racilius and was dressed as a soldier, handed him a note, as if he had some petition to make of him; then, following behind Racilius—who was walking beside Cassius—as though he were waiting for an answer, he quickly wormed his way in between them when the chance offered, seized Longinus from behind with his left hand and with his right stabbed him twice with a dagger. No sooner was the alarm raised than all the conspirators joined in the attack. Munatius Flaccus ran the nearest lictor through with his sword, killed him and then wounded Q. Cassius, Longinus’ deputy. Thereupon T. Vasius and M. Mercello displayed a like audacity in going to the help of Flaccus, their fellow-townsman; for they all hailed from Italica. L. Licinius Squillus rushed up to Longinus himself and inflicted minor wounds upon him as he lay prostrate.