Artemidorus returned to his small insula apartment on the Esquiline and climbed the three flights of stairs to his chambers. He'd spent the morning, as a client should, at Brutus' house, speaking to the Lady Porcia. At one point, he'd excuse himself to go to the lavatory and passed by the tablinum where Brutus was meeting with Gaius Cassius.

Every fine Roman used the Tablinum to greet special clients, to display the busts of his famous ancestors, to keep familial records; a public office, if you will. In Brutus' house, there were citrus sliding wooden doors to give some privacy on two sides and beautiful mosaic floors. The doors were closed as he passed, but the voices were quite clear.

He heard Cassius mention the upcoming Senatorial meeting on the Ides; then in the silence, Brutus said, "In that case I would not remain silent. It would be my duty to defend my country and to die for it´s liberty."

Artemidorus froze. Die for it's liberty? A whole series of half-understood phrases seemed automatically to fall into place. Nervously, he continued through the garden towards the lavatory, thinking hard. The dinner the other night, in which Casca had spoken of the placards throughout Rome, about Brutus' ancestor who killed the last king of Rome. Looks he'd intercepted, as a teacher and philosopher, about Greek actions to destroy tyrants. Cassius, for no good reason, suddenly telling the traditional story of Verginia, and how her father killed her rather than see his daughter dishonored; then the odd atmosphere that followed in discussing how Romans should always be willing to sacrifice for liberty.

Caesar, Artemidorus thought with a hairlifting shudder. Are they planning to kill Caesar?

He thought of Caesar's new laws, who protected foreign nationals like himself, as teachers, and offered them new libraries for their studies, state support for their research. In a flash, he saw Caesar's smile as they had discussed the Greek rhetorician, Molon, whom Caesar had sought out in his youth, merely to sit at his feet and learn from a master.

Worse, he thought of just what assassination would do to the fragile state of the Roman state. If recent history was any guide, Rome would again fall to civil war.

What to do? He was a loyal client of Brutus, who had always seemed close to Caesar, and an admirer of the Dictator. Could he stand by and do nothing?

Of course, he had no facts - only hints, half-looks, rumors. Before he decided, he must confirm what, in fact, was going on.