I've been slowly making my way through Suetonius's _Lives of
the Caesars_, and came across this passage in the section on
Caligula:
Then giving up or postponing his triumph, he entered the
city on his birthday in an ovation; and within four months
he perished, having dared great crimes and meditating
still greater ones. For he had made up his mind to move
to Antium, and later to Alexandria, after first slaying the
noblest members of the two orders. That no one may
doubt this, let me say that among his private papers two
books were found with different titles, one called _The
Sword_ and the other _The Dagger_, and both containing
the names and marks of identification of those whom he
had doomed to death.
...and couldn't help being reminded of a certain pair of assassins.
Intentional allusion, or coincidence?
I'm leaning toward coincidence -- "The Sword" and "The Dagger"
are likely enough names for a Dragaeran/Easterner team, one of
whom uses a greatsword and the other, knives -- but it would be
cool if it wasn't.
Rae