The bed was then taken up, with the body upon it, and borne out into the Forum, preparatory to conveying it to the pile which had been prepared for it upon the Field of Mars, A question, however, here arose among the multitude assembled in respect to the proper place for burning the body.

The people seemed inclined to select the most honorable place which could be found within the limits of the city.

Some proposed a beautiful temple on the Capitoline Hill.

Others wished to take it to the senate-house, where he had been slain.

The Senate, and those who were less inclined to pay extravagant honors to the departed hero, were in favor of some more retired spot, under pretense that the buildings of the city would be endangered by the fire.
This discussion was fast becoming a dispute, when it was suddenly ended by two men, with swords at their sides and knees in their hands, forcing their way through the crowd with lighted torches, and setting the bed and its canopy on fire where it lay.
[Illustration: BURNING OF CAESAR'S BODY.] [Sidenote: The body burned in the Forum.] This settled the question, and the whole company were soon in the wildest excitement with the work of building up a funeral pile upon the spot.