I am Julius Caesar, newly departed from life as I watch the doings and travails of my friends and enemies. First my gaze travels from the point of death in the Capitol to the home of Brutus, my former friend and now; my murderer. But he is not at home. His wife is alone in her chamber, the unwatchful servants do not attend her. She madly speaks to the night of Marcus Antonius and how he with Lepidus and newly arrived Octavius ruin Rome. She grows more anguished as she talks to the darkness – almost to the point of suicide, but I know not. My attention has been diverted by the newly-formed trinity of Antony, Lepidus and Octavius and it is there my gaze wanders. Plotting has much changed Antony. He has no one to follow and instead lists the people who he cannot have under his new regime. This is not the Antony I knew. Plotting and grief have changed him from the man who ran at the Lupercal races. They do not, however, mention those who conspired against me. The crowds follow whoever gives them the best speeches and no one is concerned with avenging my wrongful death. I force gaze from the mobs of Romans and far from Antony's house. Where are those who conspire against me? They do not hold their power here in Rome, but instead, according to the whispers, are near Sardis, preparing to fight at Philippi. Reluctantly, I leave the city of my and life and death to see the conspirators and Brutus. Cassius the lean and Brutus talk in Brutus' tent. They argue and differ in opinion. This Cassius is not the same man I was wary of in life. He seems to lose hope and even some of his sanity. Would I still have been wary of this Cassius? He offers his dagger to Brutus, even asking for death. This I do not understand. Why take the power from me if he did not want to keep it? As he talks on I turn attention on his attender, my friend Brutus. For, according to the whispers in the capitol and from Brutus' demeanor, I see I have only underestimated him. He loves Rome and me. In that order. This I cannot relate to, but I do understand it. Will Cassius never leave Brutus' company? Brutus needs more observation. Perhaps he needs a visit from me to cement his thoughts. For now I drift from Rome to Philippi to Sardis and across my empire.