Senatus conveniendum est.

Inasmuch as it may be good and fortunate for the Roman people of the Quirites, we bring before you, conscript fathers, the matter of the death of our illustrious leader, Gaius Julius Caesar. His untimely and gruesome assassination has left this body with innumerable griefs as well as matters needing our immediate attention. What is to be done with his murderers? What is to be done about his funeral? How is the government to be structured and administered now? Where does power truly lie in our state? With Caesar having power, we have accepted the rule of one preeminent man over our state, but with Caesar having been slain, where do we turn? He did not name a successor; the people did not approve a successor; and the problems with the Republic that forced his hand have still not been dealt with. Shall we turn authority over the state back into the hands of a republic that has proven itself unable to deal with the problems presently confronting it? The government of this state has not grown proportionately with her territory. Serious changes are needed if we intend to revert to a republic. Shall we allow impetuous youths, who do not remember the violent atrocities that followed the queues of Marius and Sulla, to vie for the empty seat of power? Shall we see how their clemency matches Caesar’s, once they have taken power? Shall we allow the senate house to serve as a funeral pyre for Julius Caesar? Need I mention the heads on pikes outside the city after Sulla’s proscriptions? Need I mention the madness following the death of Publius Clodius Pulcher? Many of you here remember them as clearly as I do. I do not want to see this happen. We must establish order, and we must establish a lasting, peaceful government in this critical period. As magister equitum for a murdered dictator, I, like the Republic itself, do not know where I stand. But I do know one thing. I do not want to see violent riots and conflagrations follow the murder of our beloved Caesar. We have suffered enough lawlessness already for the sake of peace. Something must be done. Under Caesar, my imperium would have allowed me to see to it that the republic suffer no harm at this time of crisis, but I do not want to show myself to be another dictator or tyrant against the senate and people of Rome. I am, however, in a position to provide assistance for the senate while it decides on the matter of Caesar's death. My troops are in Rome. If the senate will allow me, I will obey any and all of its orders in using these forces to maintain peaceful order and curb lawlessness until these problems have been dealt with. As Caesar saw me fit to carry out this duty under his leadership, I hope that the senate will see me fit to keep up my post as magister equitum under its leadership. I will once again prove my loyal service to the Republic, as I have done previously as consul and praetor. Through this, I will protect all of your interests by providing time and security in deciding the future of our great state. As I do not want to be dictator, I do not want to see anyone else take over by force and place my name on their proscription lists. We have already lost as great a leader as we could hope to have, and the situation of his death must take immediate precedence in our minds and discussions. What does it please you should be done about this matter?