Calpurnia barely touched the wine. It was only true that she was not feeling well. She thought she might vomit.

"Caesar, I was brought up an epicurean, and you have always added to my love of reason." she managed a little smile."I know how omens and portents can be read in different ways and you yourself have shown me how to get around bad auspices. Spurinna however is an Etruscan haruspex; he has a different knowledge of the forces that play around in this earth.
But there is a sombre mood these days in Rome. I have never felt this way before, not when you went away to Gaul, not when you were fighting Pompey, not when you were in deadly danger in Munda.
My ancestors on my father's side were Etruscan too, as you know. Perhaps I am sensitive to the malice in the air. People are not themselves. Yesterday I saw Decimus Brutus being almost rude to Antony.

Tonight, Caesar, I dreamed that you had been killed. You had been stabbed to death, and you were laying in a pool of your own blood."

She covered her mouth with her hand, then took courage and went on.

"I held you in my arms. You were dead. And I dreamed that the house was falling, falling around me... Please, Caesar. I have never asked you anything like this. Please. Don't go to the Senate today. Please stay with me. Say anything - say I'm silly, say what you will, but stay home."