The Ides of March

A retrospective comment in verse from the other world on the assassination of Julius Caesar by one of the conspirators

I nearly pulled it off, I did. I all but fooled the lot:

Fleeced Caesar, Cassius, the Bard, and others like as not.

‘The noblest Roman of them all’? Oh no! A saint I ain’t –

Just good at playing innocent and acting like a saint.

Call me sly, a sneak, a cad – I’ll take it on the chin,

I couldn’t wait to bring him down and put the dagger in.

‘Et tu Brute?’ The pompous ass, as if I wouldn’t dare!

I never really liked the fool. Why shouldn’t I be there?

But sucking up to Antony? That was my big mistake,

Agreeing he could have his say to give the guy a break.

‘Friends, Romans, countrymen…blah-blah’. Now that was truly snide.

He knew a thing or two to get the rabble on his side!

No sword, no laurel wreath for me, and worse was still to come,

Letting Strato hold my sword! How could I be so dumb?

I thought he’d bottle out and run away, or hoped he would.

He didn’t run – he ran me through, and now I’m done for good.