He was surrounded and assassinated by six men, of whom three were Italians and three Aetolians.

His companions fled, crying out for help; and a great uproar ensued among the people, who ran up and down, through all parts of the city, with lights; but the assassins made their escape through the nearest gate.

At the first dawn, a full assembly was called together in the theatre, by the voice of a crier, as if in consequence of a previous appointment.
Many openly clamoured that Brachyllas was killed by those detestable wretches who accompanied him; but their private conjectures pointed to Zeuxippus, as author of the murder.

It was resolved, however, that those who had been in company with him should be seized and examined in their presence.

While they were under examination, Zeuxippus, with his usual composure, came into the assembly, for the purpose of averting the charge from himself; yet said, that people were mistaken in supposing that so daring a murder was the act of such effeminate wretches as those who were charged with it, urging many plausible arguments to the same purpose.