Suppose that Caesar, at thirty years of age, instead of being merely the first roue of Rome, had been its greatest citizen; suppose his campaign in Gaul had been made; that his campaign in Egypt was over, his campaign in Spain happily concluded; suppose that he was thirty years old instead of fifty--don't you think he would have been both Caesar and Augustus ?" "Yes, unless he found Brutus, Cassius, and Casca on his path." "So," said Bonaparte, sadly, "my enemies are reckoning on assassination, are they?
In that case the thing is easy, and you, my enemy, have the first chance.

What hinders you at this moment, if you feel like Brutus, from striking me as he struck Caesar?
I am alone with you, the doors are shut; and you would have the time to finish me before any one could reach you." Cadoudal made a step backward.
"No," said he, "we do not count upon assassination, and I think our extremity must be great indeed before any of us would become a murderer; but there are the chances of war.

A single reverse would destroy your prestige.

One defeat would bring the enemy to the heart of France.

The camp-fires of the Austrians can already be seen from the frontiers of Provence.