The title character in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, written in 1599, is stabbed to death by Roman senators. The play draws on the real-life assassination of Julius Caesar, 2,061 years ago.
Julius Caesar ... years of life cuts off so many years of fearing death. Marcus Brutus:Stoop, Romans, stoop, and let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood up to the elbows, and besmear our swords ...