Messala
says that Cassius supped in private with some of his
most intimate friends; and that, contrary to his usual
manner, he was pensive and silent.
says that Cassius supped in private with some of his
most intimate friends; and that, contrary to his usual
manner, he was pensive and silent.
Plutarch - Lives - v7
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? MARCUS BRUTUS. ' 169
Octaviua; and that if he did not fall in the approach-
ing battle, they would very soon be at variance with
each otherin which he seems to have been a true
prophet.
? Whilst they were at Smyrna, Brutus desired Cassius
to let him have part of the vast treasure he had col-
lected, because his own was chiefly expended in equip-
ping a fleet, to gain superiority at sea. But the friends
of Cassius advised him against this; alleging that it
would be absurd to give Brutus that money which he
had saved with so much frugality, and acquired with
so much envy, merely that Brutus might increase his
popularity by distributing it amongst the soldiers.
Cassius, however, gave him a third of what he had,
and then they parted for their respective commands.
Cassius behaved with great severity on the taking of
Rhodes: though when he first entered the city, and
was saluted with the title of king and master, he an-
swered, 'That he was neither their king nor their mas-
ter, but the destroyer of him who would have been
both. ' Brutus demanded supplies of men and money
from the Lycians; but Naucrates, an orator, persuaded
the cities to rebel, and some of the inhabitants posted
themselves on the hills with an intent to oppose the
passage of Brutus. Brutus, at first, despatched a party
of horse, which surprised them at dinner, and killed
six hundred of them. But afterwards, when he had
taken the adjacent towns and villages, he gave up the
prisoners without ransom, and hoped to gain them to
his party by clemency. Their former sufferings, how-
ever, made them reject his humanity; and those that
still resisted being driven into the city of Xanthus,
were there besieged. As a river ran close by the
town, several attempted to escape by swimming and
diving; but they were prevented by nets let down for
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? 170
PLUTARCH.
that purpose, which had little bells at the top, to give
notice when any one was taken. The Xanthians after-
wards made a sally in the night, and set fire to several
of the battering engines; but they were perceived and
driven back by the Romans: at the same time the vio-
lence of the winds drove the flames on the city, so that
several houses near the battlements took fire. Brutus
being apprehensive that the whole city would be de-
stroyed, sent his own soldiers to assist the inhabitants
in quenching the fire. But the Lycians were seized
with an incredible despair, a kind of frensy, which can
no otherwise be described than by calling it a pas-
sionate desire of death. Women and children, free-
men and slaves, people of all ages and conditions,
strove to repulse the soldiers as they came to their
assistance from the walls. With their own hands they
collected wood and reeds, and all manner of combus-
tibles, to spread the fire over the city, and encouraged
its progress by every means in their power. Thus
assisted, the flames flew over the whole with dreadful
rapidity; whilst Brutus, extremely shocked at this
calamity, rode round the walls, and stretching forth
his hands to the inhabitants, intreated tbem to spare
themselves and their city. Regardless of his intrea-
ties, they sought by every means to put an end to their
lives. Men, women, and even children, with hideous
cries, leaped into the flames. Some threw themselves
headlong from the walls, and others fell on the swords
of their parents, opening their breasts, and begging to
be slain.
When the city was in a great measure reduced to
ashes, a woman was found who had hanged herself,
with her young child fastened to her neck, and the
torch in her hand, with which she had fired her house.
This deplorable object so much affected Brutus, that
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
171
he wept when he was told of it, and proclaimed a re-
ward to any soldier who could save a Xanthian. It is
said that no more than a hundred and fifty were pre-
served, and those against their will. Thus the Xan-
thians, as if fate had appointed certain periods for their
destruction, after a long course of years, sunk into that
deplorable ruin, in. which the same rash despair had in-
volved their ancestors in the Persian war: for they too
burned their city, and destroyed themselves.
After this, when the Patareans likewise made resist-
ance, Brutus was under great anxiety whether he should
besiege them; for he was afraid they would follow the
desperate measures of the Xanthians. However, having
some of their women whom he had taken prisoners, he
dismissed them without ransom; and those returning
to their husbands and parents, who happened to be peo-
ple of the first distinction, so much extolled the justice
and moderation of Brutus, that they prevailed on them
to submit, and put their city in his hands. The adja-
cent cities followed their example, and found that his
humanity exceeded their hopes. Cassius compelled
every Rhodian to give up all the gold and silver in his
possession, by which he amassed eight thousand talents;
and yet he laid the public under a fine of five hundred
talents more ; but Brutus took only a hundred and fifty
talents of the Lycians, and, without doing them any
other injury, led his army into Ionia.
Brutus, in the course of this expedition, did many
acts of justice, and was vigilant in the dispensation of
rewards and punishments. An instance of this I shall
relate, because both he himself, and every honest Ro-
man, was particularly pleased with it. When Pompey
the Great, after his overthrow at Pharsalia, fled into
Egypt, and landed near Pelusium, the tutors and mi-
nisters of young Ptolemy consulted what measures
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? 172
PLUTARCH.
they should take on the occasion. But they were of
different opinions. Some were for receiving him, others
for excluding him out of Egypt. Theodotus, a Chian
by birth, and a teacher of rhetoric by profession, who
then attended the king in that capacity, was, for want
of abler ministers, admitted to the council. This man
insisted that both were in the wrong--those who were
for receiving, and those who were for expelling Pom-
pey. The best measure they could take, he said, would
be to put him to death; and concluded his speech with
the proverb that' dead men do not bite. ' The council
entered into his opinion; and Pompey the Great, an
example of the incredible mutability of fortune, fell a
sacrifice to the arguments of a sophist, as that sophist
lived afterwards to boast. Not long after, on Caesar's
arrival in Egypt, some of the murderers received their
proper reward, and were put to death; but Theodotus
made his escape. Yet, though for a while he gained
from fortune the poor privilege of a wandering and
despicable life, he fell at last into the hands of Brutus,
as he was passing through Asia; and by paying the
forfeit of his baseness, became more memorable from
his death than from any thing in his life.
About this time Brutus sent for Cassius to Sardis,
and went with his friends to meet him. The whole
army being drawn up, saluted both the leaders with
the title of imperator. But, as it usually happens in
great affairs, where many friends and many officers are
engaged, mutual complaints and suspicions arose be-
tween Brutus and Cassius. To settle these more pro-
perly, they retired into an apartment by themselves.
Expostulations, debates, and accusations followed.
And these were so violent, that they burst into tears.
Their friends without were surprised at the loudness
and asperity of the conference; but though they were
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
173
apprehensive of the consequence, they durst not inter-
fere, because they had been expressly forbidden to
enter. Favonius, however, an imitator of Cato, but
rather an enthusiast than rational in his philosophy,
attempted to enter. The servants in waiting endea-
vored to prevent him; but it was not easy to stop the
impetuous Favonius. He was violent in his whole
conduct, and valued himself less on his dignity as a
senator, than on a kind of cynical freedom in saying
every thing he pleased; nor was this unentertaining to
those who could bear with his impertinence. However,
he broke through the door, and entered the apartment,
pronouncing, in a theatrical tone, what Nestor says in
Homer,
Young men, be ruled--I'm older than you both.
Cassius laughed: but Brutus thrust him out, telling
him that he pretended to be a cynic, but was in reality
a dog. This, however, put an end to the dispute; and
for that time they parted. Cassius gave an entertain-
ment in the evening, to which Brutus invited his
friends. When they were seated, Favonius came in
from bathing. Brutus called aloud to him, telling him
he was not invited, and bade him go to the lower end
of the table. Favonius, notwithstanding, thrust him-
self in, and sat down in the middle. On that occasion
there was much learning and good-humor in the con-
versation.
The day following, one Lucius Pella, who had been
pretor, and employed in offices of trust, being im-
peached by the Sardians of embezzling the public
money, was disgraced and condemned by Brutus.
This was very mortifying to Cassius; for, a little
before, two of his own friends had been accused of
the same crime; but he had absolved them in public,
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? 174
PLUTARCH.
and contenting himself with giving them a private re-
proof, continued them in office. Of course he charged
Brutus with too rigid an exaction of the laws at a time
when lenity was much more politic. Brutus, on the
other hand, reminded him of the ides of March, the
time when they had killed Caesar; who was not, per-
sonally speaking, the scourge of mankind, but only
abetted and supported those that were with his power.
He bade him consider, that if the neglect of justice
were in any case to be connived at, it should have been
done before, and that they had better have borne with
the oppressions of Caesar's friends, than suffered the
malpractices of their own to pass with impunity: 'For
then,' continued he, ' we could have been blamed only
for cowardice; but now, after all we have undergone,
we shall lie under the imputation of injustice. ' Such
tyere the principles of Brutus.
When they were about to leave Asia, Brutus, it is
said, had an extraordinary apparition. Naturally
watchful, sparing in his diet, and assiduous in business,
he allowed himself but little time for sleep. In the day
he never slept, nor in the night, till all business was
over, and, the rest being retired, he had nobody to con-
verse with. But at this time, involved as he was in the
operations of war, and solicitous for the event, he only
slumbered a little after supper, and spent the rest of
the night in ordering his most urgent affairs. When
these were despatched, he employed himself in reading
till the third watch, when the tribunes and centurions
came to him for orders. Thus, a little before be left
Asia, he was sitting alone in his tent, by a dim light,
and at a late hour. The whole army lay in sleep and
silence, while the general, wrapt in meditation, thought
he perceived something enter his tent: turning towards
the door, he saw a horrible and monstrous spectre stand-
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? MARCUS BRUTU6.
175
ing silently by his side. 'What art thou V said he
boldly. 'Art thou god or man? And what is thy busi-
ness with me? ' The spectre answered, 'I am thy evil
genius, Brutus! Thou wilt see me at Philippi. ' To
which he calmly replied, ' I'll meet thee there. ' When
the apparition was gone, he called his servants, who
told him they had neither heard any noise, nor had
seen any vision. That night he did not go to rest, but
went early in the morning to Cassius, and told him
what had happened. Cassius, who was of the school
of Epicurus, and used frequently to dispute with Bru-
tus on these subjects, answered him thus: ' It is the
opinion of our sect, that not every thing we see is real;
for matter is evasive, and sense deceitful. Besides,
the impressions it receives are, by that quick and subtle
influence of imagination, thrown into a variety of forms,
many of which have no archetypes in nature: and this
the imagination effects as easily as we may make an
impression on wax. The mind of man, having in itself
the plastic powers, and the component parts, can fashion
and vary its objects at pleasure. This is clear from the
sudden transition of dreams, in which the imagination
can educe from the slightest principles such an amazing
variety of forms, and call into exercise all the passions
of the soul. The mind is perpetually in motion, and
that motion is imagination, or thought. But, when the
body, as in your case, is fatigued with labor, it natu-
rally suspends, or perverts the regular functions of the
mind. On the whole, it is highly improbable that
there should be any such beings as demons, or spirits;
or, that if there were such, they should assume a human
shape or voice, or have any power to affect us. At the
same time I own I could wish there were such beings,
that we might not rely on fleets and armies, but find
the concurrence of the gods in this our sacred and
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? 17G
PLUTARCH.
glorious enterprise. ' Such were the arguments he
made use of to satisfy Brutus.
When the army began to march, two eagles perched
on the two first standards, and accompanied them as
far as Philippi, being constantly fed by the soldiers;
but the day before the battle they flew away. Brutus
had already reduced most of the nations in these parts;
nevertheless he traversed the sea-coast over-against
Thasus, that, if any hostile power remained, he might
bring it into subjection. Norbanus, who was encamped
m the straits near Symbolum, they surrounded in such
a manner, that they obliged him to quit the place. In-
deed, he narrowly escaped losing his whole army, which
had certainly been the case, had not Antony come to
his relief with such amazing expedition, that Brutus
could not believe it to be possible. Caesar, who had
been kept behind by sickness, joined his army about
ten days after. Brutus was encamped over-against
him; Cassius was opposite to Antony. The space be-
tween the two armies the Romans call the plains of
Philippi. Two armies of Romans, equal in numbers
to these, had never before met to engage each other.
Caesar's was something superior in numbers; but, in
the splendor of arms and equipage, was far exceeded
by that of Brutus; for most of their arms were of gold
and silver, which their general had liberally bestowed
on them. Brutus, in other things, had accustomed his
officers to frugality; but the riches which his soldiers
carried about with them, would at once, he thought,
add to the spirit of the ambitious, and make the covet-
ous valiant in the defence of those arms which were
their principal wealth.
Caesar made a lustration of his army within the
camp, and gave each private man a little corn, and five
drachmas only for the sacrifice. But Brutus, to show
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
177
his contempt of the poverty, or the avarice of Caesar,
made a public lustration of his army in the field, and
not only distributed cattle to each cohort for the sacri-
fice, but gave fifty drachmas on the occasion to each
private man. Of course he was more beloved by his
soldiers, and they were more ready to fight for him.
It is reported that, during the lustration, an unlucky
omen happened to Cassius. The garland he was to
wear at the sacrifice was presented to him the wrong
side outwards. It is said too, that at a solemn pro-
cession, some time before, the person who bore the
golden image of Victory before Cassius happened to
stumble, and the image fell to the ground. Several
birds of prey hovered daily about the camp, and swarms
of bees were seen within the trenches. On which the
soothsayers ordered the part where they appeared to be
shut up: for Cassius, with all his Epicurean philoso-
phy, began to be superstitious, and the soldiers were
extremely disheartened by these omens.
For this reason Cassius was inclined to protract the
war, and unwilling to hazard the whole of the event of
a present engagement. What made for this measure too
was, that they were stronger in money and provisions,
but inferior in numbers. Brutus, on the other hand, was,
as usual, for an immediate decision; that he might either
give liberty to his country, or rescue his fellow-citizens
from the toils and expenses of war. He was encouraged
likewise by the success his cavalry met with in several
skirmishes; and some instances of desertion and mu-
tiny in the camp brought over many of the friends of
Cassius to his opinion. But there was one Atellius,
who still opposed an immediate decision, and advised
to put it off till the next winter. When Brutus asked
him what advantages he expected from that, he answered,
'If I gain nothing else, I shall at least live so much the
PLUT. VoL. VII. M
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? 178
PLUTARCH.
longer. ' Both Cassius and the rest of the officers were
displeased with this answer; and it was determined to
give battle the day following.
Brutus that night expressed great confidence and
cheerfulness; and having passed the time of supper in
philosophical conversation, he went to rest.
Messala
says that Cassius supped in private with some of his
most intimate friends; and that, contrary to his usual
manner, he was pensive and silent. He adds, that after
supper he took him by the hand, and pressing it close,
as he commonly did, in token of his friendship, he said
in Greek,--' Bear witness, Messala, that I am reduced
to the same necessity with Pompey the Great, of ha-
zarding the liberty of my country on one battle. Yet
I have confidence in our good fortune, on which we
ought still to rely, though the measures we have re-
solved on are indiscreet. ' These, Messala tells us, ?
were the last words that Cassius spoke before he bade
him farewell; and that the next day, being his birth-
day, he invited Cassius to sup with him.
Next morning, as soon as it was light, the scarj/et
robe, which was the signal for battle, was hung out in
the tents of Brutus and Cassius; and they themselves
met on the plain between the- two armies. On this
occasion Cassius thus addressed himself to Brutus:--
'May the gods, Brutus, make this day successful, that
we may pass the rest of our days together in prosperity.
But as the most important of human events are the most
uncertain; and as we may never see each other any
more, if we are unfortunate on this occasion, tell me
what is your resolution concerning flight and death V
Brutus answered, 'In the younger and less expe-
rienced part of my life, I was led, on philosophical
principles, to condemn the conduct of Cato, in killing
himself. I thought it at once impious and unmanly
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
179
to sink beneath the stroke of fortune, and to refuse the
lot that had befallen us. In my present situation,
however, I am of a different opinion. So that if hea-
ven should now be unfavorable to our wishes, I will
no longer solicit my hopes or my fortune, but die con-
tented with it, such as it is. On the ides of March I
devoted my life to my country; and since that time I
have lived in liberty and glory. ' At these words Cas-
sius smiled, and embracing Brutus, said, 'Let us
march then against the enemy; for with these resolu-
tions, though we should not conquer, we have no-
thing to fear. ' They then consulted with their friends
concerning the order of battle. Brutus desired that
he might command the right wing, though the post was
thought more proper for Cassius on account of his ex-
perience. Cassius, however, gave it up to him, and
placed Messala, with the best of his legions, in the
same wing. Brutus immediately drew out his cavalry,
which were equipped with great magnificence; and the
foot followed close on them.
Antony's soldiers were at this time employed in
making a trench from the marsh where they were en-
camped, to cut off Cassius' communication with the
sea. Caesar lay still in his tent, confined by sickness.
His soldiers were far from expecting that the enemy
would come to a pitched battle. They supposed that
they were only making excursions to harass the
trench-diggers with their light arms; and not per-
ceiving that they were pouring in close on them, they
were astonished at the outcry they heard from the
trenches. Brutus, in the mean time, sent tickets to
the several officers with the word of battle, and rode
through the ranks to encourage his men. There were
few who had patience to wait for the word. The greatest
part, before it could reach them, fell with loud shouts
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? 180
PLUTARCH.
on the enemy. This precipitate onset threw the army
into confusion, and separated the legions. Messala's
legion first got beyond the left wing of Caesar, and
was followed by those that were stationed near him.
In their way they did nothing more than ttfrow some of
the outmost ranks into disorder, and killed few of the
enemy: their great object was to fall on Caesar's camp,
and they made directly up to it. Caesar himself, as he
tells ns in his Commentaries, had but just before been
conveyed out of his tent, in consequence of a vision
of his friend Artorius, which commanded that he should
be carried out of the camp. This made it believed
that he was slain; for the soldiers had pierced his
empty litter in many places with darts. Those who
were taken in the camp were put to the sword, amongst
whom were two thousand Lacedaemonian auxiliaries.
Those who attacked Caesar's legions in front easily
put them to the rout, and cut three legions in pieces.
After this, borne along with the impetuosity of victory,
they rushed into the camp at the same time with the fu-
gitives, and Brutus was in the midst of them. The flank
of Brutus' army was now left unguarded, by the separa-
tion of the right wing, which was gone off too far in
the pursuit; and the enemy perceiving this, endeavored
to take advantage of it. They accordingly attacked it
with great fury, but could make no impression on the
main body, which received them with firmness and un-
shaken resolution. The left wing, however, which
was under the command of Cassius, was soon put to the
rout; for the men were in great disorder, and knew no-
thing of what had passed in the right wing. The enemy
pursued him into the camp, which they plundered and
destroyed, though neither of their generals were pre-
sent. Antony, it is said, to avoid the fury of the first
onset, had retired into the adjoining marsh; and Caesar,
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
181
who had been carried sick out of the camp, was no
where to be found. Nay, some of the soldiers would
have persuaded Brutus that they had killed Caesar, de-
scribing his age and person, and showing him their
bloody swords.
The main body of Brutus' army had now made pro-
digious havoc of the enemy; and Brutus, in his de-
partment, was no less absolutely conquered than Cas-
sius was conquered. The want of knowing this was
the ruin of their affairs. Brutus neglected to relieve
Cassius, because he knew not that he wanted relief.
When Brutus had destroyed the camp of Caesar,
and was returning from the pursuit, he was surprised
that he could neither perceive the tent of Cassius above
the rest, as usual, nor any of those that were about it;
for they had been demolished by the enemy, on their
first entering the camp. Some, who were of quicker
sight than the rest, told him that they could perceive
a motion of shining helmets and silver targets in the
camp of Cassius, and supposed, from their numbers
and their armor, that they could not be those who were
left to guard the camp; though, at the same time, there
was not so great an appearance of dead bodies as there
must have been after the defeat of so many legions.
This gave Brutus the first suspicion of Cassius' mis-
fortune; and, leaving a sufficient guard in the enemy's
camp, he called off the rest from the pursuit, and led
them, in order, to the relief of Cassius.
The case of that general was this:--he was cha-
grined, at first, by the irregular conduct of Brutus'
soldiers, who began the attack without waiting for the
command; and, afterwards, by their attention to plun-
der, whereby they neglected to surround and cut off
the enemy. Thus dissatisfied, he trifled with his com-
mand, and, for want of vigilance, suffered himself to
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? 182
PLUTARCH.
be surrounded by the enemy's right wing; on which
his cavalry quitted their post, and fled towards the sea.
The foot likewise began to give way; and though he
labored as much as possible to stop their flight, and
snatching an ensign from the hand of one of the fugi-
tives, fixed it at his feet, yet he was hardly able to
keep his own pretorian band together: so that, at
length, he was obliged to retire, with a very small
number, to a hill that overlooked the plain. Yet here
he could discover nothing; for he was short-sighted,
and it was with some difficulty that he could perceive
his own camp plundered. His companions, however,
saw a large detachment of horse, which Brutus had
sent to their relief, making up to them. These Cassius
concluded to be the enemy that were in pursuit of him;
notwithstanding which, he despatched Titinius to re-
connoitre them. When the cavalry of Brutus saw this
faithful friend of Cassius approach, they shouted for
joy. His acquaintance leapt from their horses to em-
brace him, and the rest rode round him with clash-
ing of arms, and all the clamorous expressions of glad-
ness. This circumstance had a fatal effect. Cassius
took it for granted that Titinius was seized by the
enemy, and regretted that, through a weak desire of
life, he had suffered his friend to fall into their hands.
When he had expressed himself to this effect, he re-
tired into an empty tent, accompanied only by his
freedman Pindarus, whom, ever since the defeat of
Crassus, he had retained for a particular purpose. In
that defeat he escaped out of the hands of the Par-
thians; but now, wrapping his robe about his face, he
laid bare his neck, and commanded Pindarus to cut off
his head. This was done; for his head was found
severed from his body; but whether Pindarus did it
by his master's command, has been suspected; be-
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
18:5
cause he never afterwards appeared. It was soon dis-
covered who the cavalry were, and Titinius, crowned
with garlands, came to the place where he left Cassius.
When the lamentations of his friends informed him of
the unhappy fate of his general, he severely reproached
himself for the tardiness which had occasioned it, and
fell on his sword. '
Brutus, when he was assured of the defeat of Cassius,
made all possible haste to his relief; but he knew no-
thing of his death till he came up to his camp. There
he lamented over his body, and called him ' the last of
Romans;' intimating, that Rome would never produce
another man of equal spirit. He ordered his funeral
to be celebrated at Thasus, that it might not occasion
any disorder in the camp. His dispersedand dejected
soldiers he collected and encouraged; and as they
had been stripped of every thing by the enemy, he
promised them two thousand drachmas a man. This
munificence at once encouraged and surprised them:
they attended him at his departure with great accla-
mations, and complimented him as the only general of
the four who had not been beaten. Brutus was con-
fident of victory, and the event justified that con-
fidence; for, with a few legions, he overcame all that
opposed him; and if most of his soldiers had not
passed the enemy, in pursuit of plunder, the battle
must have been decisive in his favor. He lost eight
thousand men, including the servants, whom he calls
Briges. Messala says he supposes the enemy lost
more thau twice that number: and, of course, they
were more discouraged than Brutus, till Demetrius,
a servant of Cassius, went over to Antony in the even-
ing, and carried him his master's robe and sword,
which he had taken from the dead body. This so
effectually encouraged the enemy, that they were
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PLUTARCH.
drawn up in form of battle by break of day. Both
camps, in the occupation of Brutus, involved him in
difficulties. His own, full of prisoners, required a
strong guard. At the same time many of the soldiers
of Cassius murmured at their change of master, and
the vanquished were naturally envious and jealous of
the victors. He therefore thought proper to draw up
his army, but not to fight.
All the slaves he had taken prisoners, being found
practising with his soldiers, were put to the sword:
but most of the freemen and citizens were dismissed;
and he told them, at the same time, that they were
more truly prisoners in the hands of the enemy than
in his: with them, he said, they were slaves indeed;
but with him, freemen and citizens of Rome. He was
obliged however to dismiss them privately; for they
had implacable enemies amongst his own friends and
officers. Amongst the prisoners were Volumnius, a
mimic, and Saculio, a buffoon, of whom Brutus took
no notice till they were brought before him, and ac-
cused of continuing, even in their captivity, their scur-
rilous jests and abusive language. Yet, still taken up
with more important concerns, he paid no regard to
the accusation; but Messala Corvinus was of opinion
that they should be publicly whipped, and sent naked
to the enemy, as proper associates and convivial com-
panions for such generals. Some were entertained
with the idea, and laughed; but Publius Casca, the
first that wounded Caesar, observed that it was indecent
to celebrate the obsequies of Cassius with jesting and
laughter. 'As for you, Brutus,' said he, 'it will be
seen what esteem you have for the memory of that
general, when you have either punished or pardoned
those who ridicule and revile him. ' Brutus resented
this expostulation, and said, 'Why is this business
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
185
thrown on me, Casca? Why do not you do what you
think proper V This answer was considered as an as-
sent to their death; so the poor wretches were carried
off and slain.
He now gave the promised rewards to his soldiers;
and after gently rebuking them for beginning the as-
sault without waiting for the word of battle, he pro-
mised, that if they acquitted themselves to his satis-
faction in the next engagement, he would give them up
the cities of Lacedaemon and Thessalonica to plunder.
This is the only circumstance in his life for which no
apology can be made: for though Antony and Caesar
afterwards acted with more unbounded cruelty in re-
warding their soldiers; though they deprived most of
the ancient inhabitants of Italy of their lands, and gave
them to those who had no title to them ; yet they acted
consistently with their first principle, which was the
acquisition of empire and arbitrary power. But Bru-
tus maintained such a reputation for virtue, that he
was neither allowed to conquer, nor even to save him-
self, except on the strictest principles of honor and
justice; more particularly since the death of Cassius,
to whom, if any act of violence were committed, it was
generally imputed. However, as sailors, when their
rudder is broken in a storm, substitute some other
piece of wood in its place, and though they cannot
steer so well as before, do the best they can in their
necessity, so Brutus, at the head of so vast an army,
and such important affairs, unassisted by any officer
that was equal to the charge, was obliged to make use
of such advisers as he had; and he generally followed
the counsel of those who proposed any thing that might
bring Cassius' soldiers to order: for these were ex-
tremely untractable; insolent in the camp for want of
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PLUTARCH.
their general, though cowardly in the field, from the
remembrance of their defeat.
The affairs of Caesar and Antony were not in a much
better condition. Provisions were scarce, and the
marshy situation of their camp made them dread the
winter. They already began to fear the inconveniences
of it; for the autumnal rains had fallen heavy after the
battle, and their tents were filled with mire and water;
which, from the coldness of the weather, immediately
froze. In this situation they received intelligence of
their loss at sea. Their fleet, which was coming from
Italy with a large supply of soldiers, was met by that
of Brutus, and so totally defeated, that the few who
escaped were reduced by famine to eat the sails and
tackle of the ships. It was now determined, on Cae-
sar's side, that they should come to battle before Bru-
tus was made acquainted with his success. It appears
that the fight, both by sea and land, was on the same
day; but, by some accident, rather than the fault of
their officers, Brutus knew nothing of his victory till
twenty days after. Had he been informed of it, he
would never, certainly, have hazarded a second battle;
for he had provisions sufficient for a considerable length
of time, and his army was so advantageously posted,
that it was safe both from the injuries of the weather
and the incursions of the enemy. Besides, knowing
that he was wholly master at sea, and partly victorious
by land, he would have had every thing imaginable to
encourage him, and could not have been urged to any
dangerous measures by despair.
But it seems that the republican form of government
was no longer to subsist in Rome; that it necessarily
required a monarchy; and that Providence, to remove
the only man who could oppose its destined master,
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
187
kept the knowlege of that victory from him till it was
too late. And yet, how near was he to receiving the
intelligence! The very evening before the engage-
ment a deserter, named Clodius, came over from the
enemy to tell him that Caesar was informed of the loss
of his fleet, and that this was the reason of his hasten-
ing the battle. The deserter, however, was considered
either as designing or ill informed: his intelligence
was disregarded, and he was not even admitted into
the presence of Brutus.
That night, they say, the spectre appeared again to
Brutus, and assumed its former figure, but vanished
without speaking. Yet Publius Volumnius, a philo-
sophical man, who had borne arms with Brutus during
the whole war, makes no mention of this prodigy;
though he says that the first standard was covered
with a swarm of bees; and that the arm of one of the
officers sweated oil of roses, which would not cease
though they often wiped it off. He says too, that im-
mediately before the battle two eagles fought in the
space between the two armies; and that there was an
incredible silence and attention in the field, till that on
the side of Brutus was beaten and flew away. The
story of the Ethiopian is well known, who, meeting the
standard-bearer opening the gate of the camp, was cut
in pieces by the soldiers; for that they interpreted as
an ill omen.
When Brutus had drawn up his army in form of
battle, he paused some time before he gave the word.
While he was visiting the ranks, he had suspicions of
some, and heard accusations of others. The cavalry
he found had no ardor for the attack, but seemed wait-
ing to see what the foot would do. Besides, Camula-
tus, a soldier in the highest estimation for valor, rode
close by Brutus, and went over to the enemy in his
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PLUTARCH.
sight. This hurt him inexpressibly ; and, partly out of
anger, partly from fear of farther desertion and trea-
chery, he led his forces against the enemy about three
in the afternoon. Where he fought in person he was
still successful. He charged the enemy's left wing,
and the cavalry following the impression which the
foot had made, it was put to the rout. But when the
other wing of Brutus was ordered to advance, the infe-
riority of their numbers made them apprehensive that
they should be surrounded by the enemy. For this
reason they extended their ranks in order to cover
more ground; by which means the centre of the wing
was so much weakened, that it could not sustain the
shock of the enemy, but fled at the first onset. After
their dispersion, the enemy surrounded Brutus, who
did every thing that the bravest and most expert ge-
neral could do in his situation, and whose conduct at
least intitled him to victory.
? MARCUS BRUTUS. ' 169
Octaviua; and that if he did not fall in the approach-
ing battle, they would very soon be at variance with
each otherin which he seems to have been a true
prophet.
? Whilst they were at Smyrna, Brutus desired Cassius
to let him have part of the vast treasure he had col-
lected, because his own was chiefly expended in equip-
ping a fleet, to gain superiority at sea. But the friends
of Cassius advised him against this; alleging that it
would be absurd to give Brutus that money which he
had saved with so much frugality, and acquired with
so much envy, merely that Brutus might increase his
popularity by distributing it amongst the soldiers.
Cassius, however, gave him a third of what he had,
and then they parted for their respective commands.
Cassius behaved with great severity on the taking of
Rhodes: though when he first entered the city, and
was saluted with the title of king and master, he an-
swered, 'That he was neither their king nor their mas-
ter, but the destroyer of him who would have been
both. ' Brutus demanded supplies of men and money
from the Lycians; but Naucrates, an orator, persuaded
the cities to rebel, and some of the inhabitants posted
themselves on the hills with an intent to oppose the
passage of Brutus. Brutus, at first, despatched a party
of horse, which surprised them at dinner, and killed
six hundred of them. But afterwards, when he had
taken the adjacent towns and villages, he gave up the
prisoners without ransom, and hoped to gain them to
his party by clemency. Their former sufferings, how-
ever, made them reject his humanity; and those that
still resisted being driven into the city of Xanthus,
were there besieged. As a river ran close by the
town, several attempted to escape by swimming and
diving; but they were prevented by nets let down for
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PLUTARCH.
that purpose, which had little bells at the top, to give
notice when any one was taken. The Xanthians after-
wards made a sally in the night, and set fire to several
of the battering engines; but they were perceived and
driven back by the Romans: at the same time the vio-
lence of the winds drove the flames on the city, so that
several houses near the battlements took fire. Brutus
being apprehensive that the whole city would be de-
stroyed, sent his own soldiers to assist the inhabitants
in quenching the fire. But the Lycians were seized
with an incredible despair, a kind of frensy, which can
no otherwise be described than by calling it a pas-
sionate desire of death. Women and children, free-
men and slaves, people of all ages and conditions,
strove to repulse the soldiers as they came to their
assistance from the walls. With their own hands they
collected wood and reeds, and all manner of combus-
tibles, to spread the fire over the city, and encouraged
its progress by every means in their power. Thus
assisted, the flames flew over the whole with dreadful
rapidity; whilst Brutus, extremely shocked at this
calamity, rode round the walls, and stretching forth
his hands to the inhabitants, intreated tbem to spare
themselves and their city. Regardless of his intrea-
ties, they sought by every means to put an end to their
lives. Men, women, and even children, with hideous
cries, leaped into the flames. Some threw themselves
headlong from the walls, and others fell on the swords
of their parents, opening their breasts, and begging to
be slain.
When the city was in a great measure reduced to
ashes, a woman was found who had hanged herself,
with her young child fastened to her neck, and the
torch in her hand, with which she had fired her house.
This deplorable object so much affected Brutus, that
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
171
he wept when he was told of it, and proclaimed a re-
ward to any soldier who could save a Xanthian. It is
said that no more than a hundred and fifty were pre-
served, and those against their will. Thus the Xan-
thians, as if fate had appointed certain periods for their
destruction, after a long course of years, sunk into that
deplorable ruin, in. which the same rash despair had in-
volved their ancestors in the Persian war: for they too
burned their city, and destroyed themselves.
After this, when the Patareans likewise made resist-
ance, Brutus was under great anxiety whether he should
besiege them; for he was afraid they would follow the
desperate measures of the Xanthians. However, having
some of their women whom he had taken prisoners, he
dismissed them without ransom; and those returning
to their husbands and parents, who happened to be peo-
ple of the first distinction, so much extolled the justice
and moderation of Brutus, that they prevailed on them
to submit, and put their city in his hands. The adja-
cent cities followed their example, and found that his
humanity exceeded their hopes. Cassius compelled
every Rhodian to give up all the gold and silver in his
possession, by which he amassed eight thousand talents;
and yet he laid the public under a fine of five hundred
talents more ; but Brutus took only a hundred and fifty
talents of the Lycians, and, without doing them any
other injury, led his army into Ionia.
Brutus, in the course of this expedition, did many
acts of justice, and was vigilant in the dispensation of
rewards and punishments. An instance of this I shall
relate, because both he himself, and every honest Ro-
man, was particularly pleased with it. When Pompey
the Great, after his overthrow at Pharsalia, fled into
Egypt, and landed near Pelusium, the tutors and mi-
nisters of young Ptolemy consulted what measures
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? 172
PLUTARCH.
they should take on the occasion. But they were of
different opinions. Some were for receiving him, others
for excluding him out of Egypt. Theodotus, a Chian
by birth, and a teacher of rhetoric by profession, who
then attended the king in that capacity, was, for want
of abler ministers, admitted to the council. This man
insisted that both were in the wrong--those who were
for receiving, and those who were for expelling Pom-
pey. The best measure they could take, he said, would
be to put him to death; and concluded his speech with
the proverb that' dead men do not bite. ' The council
entered into his opinion; and Pompey the Great, an
example of the incredible mutability of fortune, fell a
sacrifice to the arguments of a sophist, as that sophist
lived afterwards to boast. Not long after, on Caesar's
arrival in Egypt, some of the murderers received their
proper reward, and were put to death; but Theodotus
made his escape. Yet, though for a while he gained
from fortune the poor privilege of a wandering and
despicable life, he fell at last into the hands of Brutus,
as he was passing through Asia; and by paying the
forfeit of his baseness, became more memorable from
his death than from any thing in his life.
About this time Brutus sent for Cassius to Sardis,
and went with his friends to meet him. The whole
army being drawn up, saluted both the leaders with
the title of imperator. But, as it usually happens in
great affairs, where many friends and many officers are
engaged, mutual complaints and suspicions arose be-
tween Brutus and Cassius. To settle these more pro-
perly, they retired into an apartment by themselves.
Expostulations, debates, and accusations followed.
And these were so violent, that they burst into tears.
Their friends without were surprised at the loudness
and asperity of the conference; but though they were
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
173
apprehensive of the consequence, they durst not inter-
fere, because they had been expressly forbidden to
enter. Favonius, however, an imitator of Cato, but
rather an enthusiast than rational in his philosophy,
attempted to enter. The servants in waiting endea-
vored to prevent him; but it was not easy to stop the
impetuous Favonius. He was violent in his whole
conduct, and valued himself less on his dignity as a
senator, than on a kind of cynical freedom in saying
every thing he pleased; nor was this unentertaining to
those who could bear with his impertinence. However,
he broke through the door, and entered the apartment,
pronouncing, in a theatrical tone, what Nestor says in
Homer,
Young men, be ruled--I'm older than you both.
Cassius laughed: but Brutus thrust him out, telling
him that he pretended to be a cynic, but was in reality
a dog. This, however, put an end to the dispute; and
for that time they parted. Cassius gave an entertain-
ment in the evening, to which Brutus invited his
friends. When they were seated, Favonius came in
from bathing. Brutus called aloud to him, telling him
he was not invited, and bade him go to the lower end
of the table. Favonius, notwithstanding, thrust him-
self in, and sat down in the middle. On that occasion
there was much learning and good-humor in the con-
versation.
The day following, one Lucius Pella, who had been
pretor, and employed in offices of trust, being im-
peached by the Sardians of embezzling the public
money, was disgraced and condemned by Brutus.
This was very mortifying to Cassius; for, a little
before, two of his own friends had been accused of
the same crime; but he had absolved them in public,
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PLUTARCH.
and contenting himself with giving them a private re-
proof, continued them in office. Of course he charged
Brutus with too rigid an exaction of the laws at a time
when lenity was much more politic. Brutus, on the
other hand, reminded him of the ides of March, the
time when they had killed Caesar; who was not, per-
sonally speaking, the scourge of mankind, but only
abetted and supported those that were with his power.
He bade him consider, that if the neglect of justice
were in any case to be connived at, it should have been
done before, and that they had better have borne with
the oppressions of Caesar's friends, than suffered the
malpractices of their own to pass with impunity: 'For
then,' continued he, ' we could have been blamed only
for cowardice; but now, after all we have undergone,
we shall lie under the imputation of injustice. ' Such
tyere the principles of Brutus.
When they were about to leave Asia, Brutus, it is
said, had an extraordinary apparition. Naturally
watchful, sparing in his diet, and assiduous in business,
he allowed himself but little time for sleep. In the day
he never slept, nor in the night, till all business was
over, and, the rest being retired, he had nobody to con-
verse with. But at this time, involved as he was in the
operations of war, and solicitous for the event, he only
slumbered a little after supper, and spent the rest of
the night in ordering his most urgent affairs. When
these were despatched, he employed himself in reading
till the third watch, when the tribunes and centurions
came to him for orders. Thus, a little before be left
Asia, he was sitting alone in his tent, by a dim light,
and at a late hour. The whole army lay in sleep and
silence, while the general, wrapt in meditation, thought
he perceived something enter his tent: turning towards
the door, he saw a horrible and monstrous spectre stand-
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? MARCUS BRUTU6.
175
ing silently by his side. 'What art thou V said he
boldly. 'Art thou god or man? And what is thy busi-
ness with me? ' The spectre answered, 'I am thy evil
genius, Brutus! Thou wilt see me at Philippi. ' To
which he calmly replied, ' I'll meet thee there. ' When
the apparition was gone, he called his servants, who
told him they had neither heard any noise, nor had
seen any vision. That night he did not go to rest, but
went early in the morning to Cassius, and told him
what had happened. Cassius, who was of the school
of Epicurus, and used frequently to dispute with Bru-
tus on these subjects, answered him thus: ' It is the
opinion of our sect, that not every thing we see is real;
for matter is evasive, and sense deceitful. Besides,
the impressions it receives are, by that quick and subtle
influence of imagination, thrown into a variety of forms,
many of which have no archetypes in nature: and this
the imagination effects as easily as we may make an
impression on wax. The mind of man, having in itself
the plastic powers, and the component parts, can fashion
and vary its objects at pleasure. This is clear from the
sudden transition of dreams, in which the imagination
can educe from the slightest principles such an amazing
variety of forms, and call into exercise all the passions
of the soul. The mind is perpetually in motion, and
that motion is imagination, or thought. But, when the
body, as in your case, is fatigued with labor, it natu-
rally suspends, or perverts the regular functions of the
mind. On the whole, it is highly improbable that
there should be any such beings as demons, or spirits;
or, that if there were such, they should assume a human
shape or voice, or have any power to affect us. At the
same time I own I could wish there were such beings,
that we might not rely on fleets and armies, but find
the concurrence of the gods in this our sacred and
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? 17G
PLUTARCH.
glorious enterprise. ' Such were the arguments he
made use of to satisfy Brutus.
When the army began to march, two eagles perched
on the two first standards, and accompanied them as
far as Philippi, being constantly fed by the soldiers;
but the day before the battle they flew away. Brutus
had already reduced most of the nations in these parts;
nevertheless he traversed the sea-coast over-against
Thasus, that, if any hostile power remained, he might
bring it into subjection. Norbanus, who was encamped
m the straits near Symbolum, they surrounded in such
a manner, that they obliged him to quit the place. In-
deed, he narrowly escaped losing his whole army, which
had certainly been the case, had not Antony come to
his relief with such amazing expedition, that Brutus
could not believe it to be possible. Caesar, who had
been kept behind by sickness, joined his army about
ten days after. Brutus was encamped over-against
him; Cassius was opposite to Antony. The space be-
tween the two armies the Romans call the plains of
Philippi. Two armies of Romans, equal in numbers
to these, had never before met to engage each other.
Caesar's was something superior in numbers; but, in
the splendor of arms and equipage, was far exceeded
by that of Brutus; for most of their arms were of gold
and silver, which their general had liberally bestowed
on them. Brutus, in other things, had accustomed his
officers to frugality; but the riches which his soldiers
carried about with them, would at once, he thought,
add to the spirit of the ambitious, and make the covet-
ous valiant in the defence of those arms which were
their principal wealth.
Caesar made a lustration of his army within the
camp, and gave each private man a little corn, and five
drachmas only for the sacrifice. But Brutus, to show
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
177
his contempt of the poverty, or the avarice of Caesar,
made a public lustration of his army in the field, and
not only distributed cattle to each cohort for the sacri-
fice, but gave fifty drachmas on the occasion to each
private man. Of course he was more beloved by his
soldiers, and they were more ready to fight for him.
It is reported that, during the lustration, an unlucky
omen happened to Cassius. The garland he was to
wear at the sacrifice was presented to him the wrong
side outwards. It is said too, that at a solemn pro-
cession, some time before, the person who bore the
golden image of Victory before Cassius happened to
stumble, and the image fell to the ground. Several
birds of prey hovered daily about the camp, and swarms
of bees were seen within the trenches. On which the
soothsayers ordered the part where they appeared to be
shut up: for Cassius, with all his Epicurean philoso-
phy, began to be superstitious, and the soldiers were
extremely disheartened by these omens.
For this reason Cassius was inclined to protract the
war, and unwilling to hazard the whole of the event of
a present engagement. What made for this measure too
was, that they were stronger in money and provisions,
but inferior in numbers. Brutus, on the other hand, was,
as usual, for an immediate decision; that he might either
give liberty to his country, or rescue his fellow-citizens
from the toils and expenses of war. He was encouraged
likewise by the success his cavalry met with in several
skirmishes; and some instances of desertion and mu-
tiny in the camp brought over many of the friends of
Cassius to his opinion. But there was one Atellius,
who still opposed an immediate decision, and advised
to put it off till the next winter. When Brutus asked
him what advantages he expected from that, he answered,
'If I gain nothing else, I shall at least live so much the
PLUT. VoL. VII. M
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PLUTARCH.
longer. ' Both Cassius and the rest of the officers were
displeased with this answer; and it was determined to
give battle the day following.
Brutus that night expressed great confidence and
cheerfulness; and having passed the time of supper in
philosophical conversation, he went to rest.
Messala
says that Cassius supped in private with some of his
most intimate friends; and that, contrary to his usual
manner, he was pensive and silent. He adds, that after
supper he took him by the hand, and pressing it close,
as he commonly did, in token of his friendship, he said
in Greek,--' Bear witness, Messala, that I am reduced
to the same necessity with Pompey the Great, of ha-
zarding the liberty of my country on one battle. Yet
I have confidence in our good fortune, on which we
ought still to rely, though the measures we have re-
solved on are indiscreet. ' These, Messala tells us, ?
were the last words that Cassius spoke before he bade
him farewell; and that the next day, being his birth-
day, he invited Cassius to sup with him.
Next morning, as soon as it was light, the scarj/et
robe, which was the signal for battle, was hung out in
the tents of Brutus and Cassius; and they themselves
met on the plain between the- two armies. On this
occasion Cassius thus addressed himself to Brutus:--
'May the gods, Brutus, make this day successful, that
we may pass the rest of our days together in prosperity.
But as the most important of human events are the most
uncertain; and as we may never see each other any
more, if we are unfortunate on this occasion, tell me
what is your resolution concerning flight and death V
Brutus answered, 'In the younger and less expe-
rienced part of my life, I was led, on philosophical
principles, to condemn the conduct of Cato, in killing
himself. I thought it at once impious and unmanly
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
179
to sink beneath the stroke of fortune, and to refuse the
lot that had befallen us. In my present situation,
however, I am of a different opinion. So that if hea-
ven should now be unfavorable to our wishes, I will
no longer solicit my hopes or my fortune, but die con-
tented with it, such as it is. On the ides of March I
devoted my life to my country; and since that time I
have lived in liberty and glory. ' At these words Cas-
sius smiled, and embracing Brutus, said, 'Let us
march then against the enemy; for with these resolu-
tions, though we should not conquer, we have no-
thing to fear. ' They then consulted with their friends
concerning the order of battle. Brutus desired that
he might command the right wing, though the post was
thought more proper for Cassius on account of his ex-
perience. Cassius, however, gave it up to him, and
placed Messala, with the best of his legions, in the
same wing. Brutus immediately drew out his cavalry,
which were equipped with great magnificence; and the
foot followed close on them.
Antony's soldiers were at this time employed in
making a trench from the marsh where they were en-
camped, to cut off Cassius' communication with the
sea. Caesar lay still in his tent, confined by sickness.
His soldiers were far from expecting that the enemy
would come to a pitched battle. They supposed that
they were only making excursions to harass the
trench-diggers with their light arms; and not per-
ceiving that they were pouring in close on them, they
were astonished at the outcry they heard from the
trenches. Brutus, in the mean time, sent tickets to
the several officers with the word of battle, and rode
through the ranks to encourage his men. There were
few who had patience to wait for the word. The greatest
part, before it could reach them, fell with loud shouts
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PLUTARCH.
on the enemy. This precipitate onset threw the army
into confusion, and separated the legions. Messala's
legion first got beyond the left wing of Caesar, and
was followed by those that were stationed near him.
In their way they did nothing more than ttfrow some of
the outmost ranks into disorder, and killed few of the
enemy: their great object was to fall on Caesar's camp,
and they made directly up to it. Caesar himself, as he
tells ns in his Commentaries, had but just before been
conveyed out of his tent, in consequence of a vision
of his friend Artorius, which commanded that he should
be carried out of the camp. This made it believed
that he was slain; for the soldiers had pierced his
empty litter in many places with darts. Those who
were taken in the camp were put to the sword, amongst
whom were two thousand Lacedaemonian auxiliaries.
Those who attacked Caesar's legions in front easily
put them to the rout, and cut three legions in pieces.
After this, borne along with the impetuosity of victory,
they rushed into the camp at the same time with the fu-
gitives, and Brutus was in the midst of them. The flank
of Brutus' army was now left unguarded, by the separa-
tion of the right wing, which was gone off too far in
the pursuit; and the enemy perceiving this, endeavored
to take advantage of it. They accordingly attacked it
with great fury, but could make no impression on the
main body, which received them with firmness and un-
shaken resolution. The left wing, however, which
was under the command of Cassius, was soon put to the
rout; for the men were in great disorder, and knew no-
thing of what had passed in the right wing. The enemy
pursued him into the camp, which they plundered and
destroyed, though neither of their generals were pre-
sent. Antony, it is said, to avoid the fury of the first
onset, had retired into the adjoining marsh; and Caesar,
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
181
who had been carried sick out of the camp, was no
where to be found. Nay, some of the soldiers would
have persuaded Brutus that they had killed Caesar, de-
scribing his age and person, and showing him their
bloody swords.
The main body of Brutus' army had now made pro-
digious havoc of the enemy; and Brutus, in his de-
partment, was no less absolutely conquered than Cas-
sius was conquered. The want of knowing this was
the ruin of their affairs. Brutus neglected to relieve
Cassius, because he knew not that he wanted relief.
When Brutus had destroyed the camp of Caesar,
and was returning from the pursuit, he was surprised
that he could neither perceive the tent of Cassius above
the rest, as usual, nor any of those that were about it;
for they had been demolished by the enemy, on their
first entering the camp. Some, who were of quicker
sight than the rest, told him that they could perceive
a motion of shining helmets and silver targets in the
camp of Cassius, and supposed, from their numbers
and their armor, that they could not be those who were
left to guard the camp; though, at the same time, there
was not so great an appearance of dead bodies as there
must have been after the defeat of so many legions.
This gave Brutus the first suspicion of Cassius' mis-
fortune; and, leaving a sufficient guard in the enemy's
camp, he called off the rest from the pursuit, and led
them, in order, to the relief of Cassius.
The case of that general was this:--he was cha-
grined, at first, by the irregular conduct of Brutus'
soldiers, who began the attack without waiting for the
command; and, afterwards, by their attention to plun-
der, whereby they neglected to surround and cut off
the enemy. Thus dissatisfied, he trifled with his com-
mand, and, for want of vigilance, suffered himself to
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PLUTARCH.
be surrounded by the enemy's right wing; on which
his cavalry quitted their post, and fled towards the sea.
The foot likewise began to give way; and though he
labored as much as possible to stop their flight, and
snatching an ensign from the hand of one of the fugi-
tives, fixed it at his feet, yet he was hardly able to
keep his own pretorian band together: so that, at
length, he was obliged to retire, with a very small
number, to a hill that overlooked the plain. Yet here
he could discover nothing; for he was short-sighted,
and it was with some difficulty that he could perceive
his own camp plundered. His companions, however,
saw a large detachment of horse, which Brutus had
sent to their relief, making up to them. These Cassius
concluded to be the enemy that were in pursuit of him;
notwithstanding which, he despatched Titinius to re-
connoitre them. When the cavalry of Brutus saw this
faithful friend of Cassius approach, they shouted for
joy. His acquaintance leapt from their horses to em-
brace him, and the rest rode round him with clash-
ing of arms, and all the clamorous expressions of glad-
ness. This circumstance had a fatal effect. Cassius
took it for granted that Titinius was seized by the
enemy, and regretted that, through a weak desire of
life, he had suffered his friend to fall into their hands.
When he had expressed himself to this effect, he re-
tired into an empty tent, accompanied only by his
freedman Pindarus, whom, ever since the defeat of
Crassus, he had retained for a particular purpose. In
that defeat he escaped out of the hands of the Par-
thians; but now, wrapping his robe about his face, he
laid bare his neck, and commanded Pindarus to cut off
his head. This was done; for his head was found
severed from his body; but whether Pindarus did it
by his master's command, has been suspected; be-
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
18:5
cause he never afterwards appeared. It was soon dis-
covered who the cavalry were, and Titinius, crowned
with garlands, came to the place where he left Cassius.
When the lamentations of his friends informed him of
the unhappy fate of his general, he severely reproached
himself for the tardiness which had occasioned it, and
fell on his sword. '
Brutus, when he was assured of the defeat of Cassius,
made all possible haste to his relief; but he knew no-
thing of his death till he came up to his camp. There
he lamented over his body, and called him ' the last of
Romans;' intimating, that Rome would never produce
another man of equal spirit. He ordered his funeral
to be celebrated at Thasus, that it might not occasion
any disorder in the camp. His dispersedand dejected
soldiers he collected and encouraged; and as they
had been stripped of every thing by the enemy, he
promised them two thousand drachmas a man. This
munificence at once encouraged and surprised them:
they attended him at his departure with great accla-
mations, and complimented him as the only general of
the four who had not been beaten. Brutus was con-
fident of victory, and the event justified that con-
fidence; for, with a few legions, he overcame all that
opposed him; and if most of his soldiers had not
passed the enemy, in pursuit of plunder, the battle
must have been decisive in his favor. He lost eight
thousand men, including the servants, whom he calls
Briges. Messala says he supposes the enemy lost
more thau twice that number: and, of course, they
were more discouraged than Brutus, till Demetrius,
a servant of Cassius, went over to Antony in the even-
ing, and carried him his master's robe and sword,
which he had taken from the dead body. This so
effectually encouraged the enemy, that they were
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PLUTARCH.
drawn up in form of battle by break of day. Both
camps, in the occupation of Brutus, involved him in
difficulties. His own, full of prisoners, required a
strong guard. At the same time many of the soldiers
of Cassius murmured at their change of master, and
the vanquished were naturally envious and jealous of
the victors. He therefore thought proper to draw up
his army, but not to fight.
All the slaves he had taken prisoners, being found
practising with his soldiers, were put to the sword:
but most of the freemen and citizens were dismissed;
and he told them, at the same time, that they were
more truly prisoners in the hands of the enemy than
in his: with them, he said, they were slaves indeed;
but with him, freemen and citizens of Rome. He was
obliged however to dismiss them privately; for they
had implacable enemies amongst his own friends and
officers. Amongst the prisoners were Volumnius, a
mimic, and Saculio, a buffoon, of whom Brutus took
no notice till they were brought before him, and ac-
cused of continuing, even in their captivity, their scur-
rilous jests and abusive language. Yet, still taken up
with more important concerns, he paid no regard to
the accusation; but Messala Corvinus was of opinion
that they should be publicly whipped, and sent naked
to the enemy, as proper associates and convivial com-
panions for such generals. Some were entertained
with the idea, and laughed; but Publius Casca, the
first that wounded Caesar, observed that it was indecent
to celebrate the obsequies of Cassius with jesting and
laughter. 'As for you, Brutus,' said he, 'it will be
seen what esteem you have for the memory of that
general, when you have either punished or pardoned
those who ridicule and revile him. ' Brutus resented
this expostulation, and said, 'Why is this business
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
185
thrown on me, Casca? Why do not you do what you
think proper V This answer was considered as an as-
sent to their death; so the poor wretches were carried
off and slain.
He now gave the promised rewards to his soldiers;
and after gently rebuking them for beginning the as-
sault without waiting for the word of battle, he pro-
mised, that if they acquitted themselves to his satis-
faction in the next engagement, he would give them up
the cities of Lacedaemon and Thessalonica to plunder.
This is the only circumstance in his life for which no
apology can be made: for though Antony and Caesar
afterwards acted with more unbounded cruelty in re-
warding their soldiers; though they deprived most of
the ancient inhabitants of Italy of their lands, and gave
them to those who had no title to them ; yet they acted
consistently with their first principle, which was the
acquisition of empire and arbitrary power. But Bru-
tus maintained such a reputation for virtue, that he
was neither allowed to conquer, nor even to save him-
self, except on the strictest principles of honor and
justice; more particularly since the death of Cassius,
to whom, if any act of violence were committed, it was
generally imputed. However, as sailors, when their
rudder is broken in a storm, substitute some other
piece of wood in its place, and though they cannot
steer so well as before, do the best they can in their
necessity, so Brutus, at the head of so vast an army,
and such important affairs, unassisted by any officer
that was equal to the charge, was obliged to make use
of such advisers as he had; and he generally followed
the counsel of those who proposed any thing that might
bring Cassius' soldiers to order: for these were ex-
tremely untractable; insolent in the camp for want of
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PLUTARCH.
their general, though cowardly in the field, from the
remembrance of their defeat.
The affairs of Caesar and Antony were not in a much
better condition. Provisions were scarce, and the
marshy situation of their camp made them dread the
winter. They already began to fear the inconveniences
of it; for the autumnal rains had fallen heavy after the
battle, and their tents were filled with mire and water;
which, from the coldness of the weather, immediately
froze. In this situation they received intelligence of
their loss at sea. Their fleet, which was coming from
Italy with a large supply of soldiers, was met by that
of Brutus, and so totally defeated, that the few who
escaped were reduced by famine to eat the sails and
tackle of the ships. It was now determined, on Cae-
sar's side, that they should come to battle before Bru-
tus was made acquainted with his success. It appears
that the fight, both by sea and land, was on the same
day; but, by some accident, rather than the fault of
their officers, Brutus knew nothing of his victory till
twenty days after. Had he been informed of it, he
would never, certainly, have hazarded a second battle;
for he had provisions sufficient for a considerable length
of time, and his army was so advantageously posted,
that it was safe both from the injuries of the weather
and the incursions of the enemy. Besides, knowing
that he was wholly master at sea, and partly victorious
by land, he would have had every thing imaginable to
encourage him, and could not have been urged to any
dangerous measures by despair.
But it seems that the republican form of government
was no longer to subsist in Rome; that it necessarily
required a monarchy; and that Providence, to remove
the only man who could oppose its destined master,
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? MARCUS BRUTUS.
187
kept the knowlege of that victory from him till it was
too late. And yet, how near was he to receiving the
intelligence! The very evening before the engage-
ment a deserter, named Clodius, came over from the
enemy to tell him that Caesar was informed of the loss
of his fleet, and that this was the reason of his hasten-
ing the battle. The deserter, however, was considered
either as designing or ill informed: his intelligence
was disregarded, and he was not even admitted into
the presence of Brutus.
That night, they say, the spectre appeared again to
Brutus, and assumed its former figure, but vanished
without speaking. Yet Publius Volumnius, a philo-
sophical man, who had borne arms with Brutus during
the whole war, makes no mention of this prodigy;
though he says that the first standard was covered
with a swarm of bees; and that the arm of one of the
officers sweated oil of roses, which would not cease
though they often wiped it off. He says too, that im-
mediately before the battle two eagles fought in the
space between the two armies; and that there was an
incredible silence and attention in the field, till that on
the side of Brutus was beaten and flew away. The
story of the Ethiopian is well known, who, meeting the
standard-bearer opening the gate of the camp, was cut
in pieces by the soldiers; for that they interpreted as
an ill omen.
When Brutus had drawn up his army in form of
battle, he paused some time before he gave the word.
While he was visiting the ranks, he had suspicions of
some, and heard accusations of others. The cavalry
he found had no ardor for the attack, but seemed wait-
ing to see what the foot would do. Besides, Camula-
tus, a soldier in the highest estimation for valor, rode
close by Brutus, and went over to the enemy in his
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PLUTARCH.
sight. This hurt him inexpressibly ; and, partly out of
anger, partly from fear of farther desertion and trea-
chery, he led his forces against the enemy about three
in the afternoon. Where he fought in person he was
still successful. He charged the enemy's left wing,
and the cavalry following the impression which the
foot had made, it was put to the rout. But when the
other wing of Brutus was ordered to advance, the infe-
riority of their numbers made them apprehensive that
they should be surrounded by the enemy. For this
reason they extended their ranks in order to cover
more ground; by which means the centre of the wing
was so much weakened, that it could not sustain the
shock of the enemy, but fled at the first onset. After
their dispersion, the enemy surrounded Brutus, who
did every thing that the bravest and most expert ge-
neral could do in his situation, and whose conduct at
least intitled him to victory.
