It is not known why he joined the assassination , but Seneca states that he was motivated by ambition . His role was to set the stage for the attack by presenting to Caesar a petition to recall Cimber 's exiled brother Publius . Plutarch states that other assassins then pretended to add their own petitions to Cimber 's . According to Suetonius , Caesar gestured him away , but Cimber grabbed hold of him by the shoulders and pulled down Caesar 's tunic . Caesar then cried to Cimber " Why , this is violence ! " ( " '' Ista quidem vis est ! '' " ) . At the same time , Servilius Casca produced his dagger and made a glancing thrust at the dictator 's neck but instead hit his shoulder . The other assassins then joined in
assassination
Assassination of Julius Caesar
Tillius Cimber