No More Learning

It is not, however, only your arguments and your equal share, I may almost call it, in this affliction which comforts me, but also your authority ; because I hold it shame in me not to be bearing my trouble in a way that you, a man endowed with such wisdom, think it ought to be borne. But at times I do feel broken down, and I scarcely make any struggle against my grief, because those consolations fail me which under similar calamities were never wanting to any of those other people whom I put before myself as models for imitation. Both Fabius Maxim us, for example, when he lost a son who had held the consulship, the hero of many a famous exploit ; and Lucius Paulus, from whom two were taken in one week ; and your own kinsman Gallus ; and Marcus Cato, who was deprived of a son of the rarest talents and the rarest virtue, — all these lived in times when their individual affliction was capable of find ing a solace in the distinctions they used to earn from their country.
For me, however, after being stripped of all those distinc tions which you yourself recall to me, and which I had won for myself by unparalleled exertions, only that one solace remained
208 CORRESPONDENCE OF CICERO.
which has been torn away. My thoughts were not diverted by work for my friends, or by the administration of affairs of state ;
I could not I felt, as was indeed too true, that I had lost all the harvest of both my industry
there was no pleasure in pleading in the courts ; bear the very sight of the Senate House ;
and my success. But whenever I wanted to recollect that all this was shared with you and other friends I could name, and whenever I was breaking myself in and forcing my spirit to bear these things with patience, I always had a refuge to go to where I might find peace, and in whose words of comfort and sweet society I could rid me of all my pains and griefs. Whereas now under this terrible blow even those old wounds which seemed to have healed up are bleeding afresh ; for it is impossible for me now to find such a refuge from my sorrows at home in the business of the State, as in those days I did in that consolation of home which was always in store whenever I came away sad from thoughts of State, to seek for peace in her happiness.
And so I stay away both from home and from public life ; because home now is no more able to make up for the sorrow I feel when I think of our country than our country is for my sorrow at home. I am therefore looking forward all the more eagerly to your coming, and long to see you as early as that may possibly be ; no greater alleviation can be offered me than a meeting between us for friendly intercourse and conversation. I hope, however, that your return is to take place, as I hear it is, very shortly. As for myself, while there are abundant rea sons for wanting to see you as soon as possible, my principal one is in order that we may discuss together beforehand the best method of conduct for present circumstances, which must entirely be adapted to the wishes of one man only, a man nevertheless who is far-seeing and generous, and, also, as I think I have thoroughly ascertained, to me not at all ill dis posed and to you extremely friendly. But admitting this, it is still a matter for much deliberation what is the line, I do not say of action, but of keeping quiet, that we ought by his good leave and favor to adopt.
Farewell.
CORRESPONDENCE OF CICERO. 209
Fbom Cicero at the House of Matius near Rome, to Atticus at Rome, about April 7, B. C. 44.
On the Murder of Ccesar.
I have come on a visit to the subject of our conversation this morning. Desperation can go no farther. " The entangle ment was hopeless : for if so great a genius could find no"way out of it, who will find it now ? In short all," he said, was lost. " And I am not sure but that he may be right, only he says it with satisfaction, and is positive about a rising in Gaul before three weeks are over. As for himself, "since the Ides of March he had not entered into conversation with any body at all except Lepidus," and the summary was that " it would be impossible for such deeds to get off so lightly. " Oh for your delicacy, Oppius ! He grieves for his friend just as truly, and yet never says a word that could offend any good patriot. But enough of this. Please do not think it a trouble to write me any news there may be — there is much indeed that I am expecting to hear ; — among other things whether it is fully known about Sextus Pompeius, and above all what about our friend Brutus ? As to him indeed, I hear from the friend with whom I am staying that Caesar used to say, " It makes all the difference what our friend sets his heart on, but whatever he does it is with his whole heart ;" and that he had impressed him with this characteristic in his speech for Deio- tarus at Nicaea ; he seemed to be speaking with such extreme vehemence and freedom from restraint. Another fact — for I like jotting anything down just as it occurs to me : — quite recently when I called upon him at the entreaty of Sestius, and was sitting there waiting till I should be summoned, they say he remarked : " Can I have any doubt that I must be intensely
disliked when Marcus Cicero is sitting there, and cannot come in and see me at his own convenience ? Yet if anybody is easy- tempered it is he ; but for all that I have no doubt he hates me bitterly. " This and plenty more of the kind for you. But to my point : will you write anything, whatever it is, not only an important thing, but any little one as well ? I for my part will omit nothing at all.
vol. v. — 14
JULIUS CESAR.
JULIUS CJSSAR.
Bt SHAKESPEARE.
[William Shakespeare was bom 1664, and died 1616. ] Act III. — Scene I. After the Murder.
Brutus — Let no man abide this deed, But we the doers.
Reenter Trebonitts.
Cassius —
Where's Antony ?
Trebonius — Fled to his house amazed : Men, wives, and children stare, cry out, and run, As it were doomsday.
Brutus —
Fates ! we will know your pleasures :
That we shall die, we know ; 'tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon.
Cassius —
Why, he that cuts off twenty years of life, Cuts off so many years of fearing death.
Brutus —
Grant that, and then is death a benefit :
So are we Caesar's friends, that have abridged
His time of fearing death. — Stoop, Romans, stoop, And let us bathe our hands in Caesar's blood
Up to the elbows, and besmear our swords :
Then walk we forth, even to the market place : And, waving our red weapons o'er our heads,
Let's all cry, Peace ! Freedom ! and Liberty !
Cassius —
Stoop, then, and wash. How many ages hence, Shall this our lofty scene be acted over,
In states unborn, and accents yet unknown !
Brutus —
How many times shall Caesar bleed in sport, That now on Pompey's basis lies along,
No worthier than the dust !
Cassius — So oft as that shall be, So often shall the knot of us be called
The men that gave our country liberty.
JULIUS CESAR.
Decius —
What, shall we forth ?
Cassius — Ay, every man away : Brutus shall lead ; and we will grace his heels With the most boldest and best hearts of Rome.
Servant —
Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel ;
Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down :
And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say,
Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest ;
Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving :
Say, I love Brutus, and I honor him ;
Say, I feared Caesar, honored him, and loved him ; If Brutus will vouchsafe that Antony
May safely come to him, and be resolved
How Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,
Mark Antony shall not love Caesar dead
So well as Brutus living ; but will follow
The fortunes and affairs of noble Brutus
Thorough the hazards of this untrod state,
With all true faith. So says my master Antony.
Brutus —
Thy master is a wise and valiant Roman;
I never thought him worse.
Tell him, so please him come unto this place, He shall be satisfied ; and, by my honor, Depart untouched.
Enter a Servant.
Brutus —
Soft, who comes here ? A friend of Antony's.
Servant — I'll fetch him presently. Brutus —
I know that we shall have him well to friend. Cassius —
Iwish we may ; but yet have I
That fears him much ; and my misgiving still Falls shrewdly to the purpose.
_ — Reenter Antony. Brutus
But here comes Antony. — Welcome, Mark Antony. Antony —
O mighty Caesar ! Dost thou lie so low ?
Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure ? — Fare thee well. —
a mind,
JULIUS C-ESAR.
I know not, gentlemen, what you intend,
Who else must be let blood, who else is rank :
If I myself, there is no hour so fit
As Caesar's death's hour ; nor no instrument
Of half that worth, as those your swords, made rich With the most noble blood of all this world.
I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,
Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke, Fulfill your pleasure. Live a thousand years,
I shall not find myself so apt to die ;
No place will please me so, no mean of death,
As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,
The choice and master spirits of this age.
Brutus —
O Antony ! beg not your death of us.
Though now we must appear bloody and cruel,
As, by our hands, and this our present act,
You see we do ; yet see you but our hands,
And this the bleeding business they have done :
Our hearts you see not, they are pitiful ;
And pity to the general wrong of Rome
(As fire drives out fire, so pity, pity)
Hath done this deed on Caesar. For your part,
To you our swords have leaden points, Mark Antony : Our arms, in strength of malice, and our hearts,
Of brother's temper, do receive you in
With all kind love, good thoughts, and reverence.
Cassius —
Your voice shall be as strong as any man's, In the disposing of new dignities.
Brutus —
Only be patient, till we have appeased
The multitude, beside themselves with fear, And then we will deliver you the cause,
Why I, that did love Caesar when I struck him, Have thus proceeded.
Antony — Idoubt not of your wisdom. Let each man render me his bloody hand :
First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you : — Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand;
Now, Decius Brutus, yours; — now yours, Metellus; Yours, Cinna ; — and, my valiant Casca, yours ; — Though last, not least in love, yours, good Trebonius. Gentlemen all, — alas ! what shall I say ?
My credit now stands on such slippery ground,
JULIUS CESAR.
That one of two bad ways you must conceit me, Either a coward, or a flatterer. —
That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true :
If then thy spirit look upon us now,
Shall it not grieve thee, dearer than thy death, To see thy Antony making his peace,
Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes,
Most noble ! in the presence of thy corse ? Had I
as many eyes as thou hast wounds,
Weeping as fast as they stream forth thy blood,
It would become me better, than to close
In terms of friendship with thine enemies.
Pardon me, Julius ! — Here wast thou bayed, brave hart Here didst thou fall ; and here thy hunters stand, Signed in thy spoil, and crimsoned in thy lethe.
O world! thou wast the forest to this hart; —
And this, indeed, O world, the heart of thee.
How like a deer, stricken by many princes,
Dost thou here lie !
Cassius —
Mark Antony,
Antony — Pardon me, Caius Cassius, The enemies of Caesar shall say this ;
Then, in a friend, it is cold modesty.
Cassius —
1 blame you not for praising Caesar so ;
But what compact mean you to have with us ? Will you be pricked in number of our friends ; Or shall we on, and not depend on you ?
Antony —
Therefore I took your hands ; but was, indeed, Swayed from the point, by looking down on Caesar. Friends am
Upon this hope, that you shall give me reasons, Why, and wherein, Caesar was dangerous.
I with you all, and love you all ;
Brutus —
Or else were this a savage spectacle :
Our reasons are so full of good regard, That were you, Antony, the son of Caesar, You should be satisfied.
Antony — That's all I seek : And am moreover suitor, that Imay Produce his body to the market place ;
And in the pulpit, as becomes a friend, Speak in the order of his funeral.
214
JULIUS CiESAR.
Brutus —
You shall, Mark Antony.
Cassius — Brutus, a word with you. —
You know not what you do ; Do not consent, That Antony speak in his funeral :
Know you how much the people may be moved By that which he will utter ?
[Aside.
Brutus — By your pardon; I will myself into the pulpit first,
And show the reason of our Caesar's death : What Antony shall speak, I will protest
He speaks by leave and by permission ; And that we are contented, Caesar shall Have all true rites, and lawful ceremonies. It shall advantage more, than do us wrong.
Cassius —
I know not what may fall ;
I like it not.
Brutus —
Mark Antony, here, take you Caesar's body. You shall not in your funeral speech blame us, But speak all good you can devise of Caesar ; And say, you do't by our permission ;
Else shall you not have any hand at all
About his funeral : And you shall speak
In the same pulpit whereto I am going,
After my speech is ended.
Brutus —
Prepare the body then, and follow us.
Antony — Be it so ; I do desire no more.
[Exeunt aM but Antony.
Antony —
O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,
That I am meek and gentle with these butchers ! Thou art the ruins of the noblest man,
That ever lived in the tide of times.
Woe to the hand that shed this costly blood ! Over thy wounds now do I prophesy —
Which, like dumb mouths, do ope their ruby lips, To beg the voice and utterance of my tongue ; — A curse shall light upon the limbs of men ; Domestic fury, and fierce civil strife,
Shall cumber all the parts of Italy ;
Blood and destruction shall be so in use.
And dreadful objects so familiar,
JULIUS CESAR. 215
That mothers shall but smile, when they behold Their infants quartered with the hands of war; All pity choked with custom of fell deeds :
And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge,
With Ate" by his side, come hot from hell, Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice, Cry, Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men groaning for burial.
Scene II. — The Forum.
Brutus and a throng of Citizens. Brutus goes into the Rostrum.
Citizen —
The noble Brutus is ascended : Silence !
Brutus —
Be patient till the last.
Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent that ye may hear; believe me for mine honor; and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe: censure me in your wisdom ; and awake your senses that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his. If then that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer, — Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves ; than that Caesar were dead to live all free men ? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him ; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him: but, as he was ambitious, I slew him : There is tears, for his love ; joy, for his fortune; honor, for his valor; and death, for his am bition. Who is here so base that would be a bondman ? If any, speak ; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I
pause for a reply.
Citizens — None, Brutus, none. [Several speaking at once.
Brutus — Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar, than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol: his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offenses enforced, for which he suffered death.
Enter Antony and others, with Cesar's body.
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony : Who, though he
216 JULIUS CJESAR.
had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth: As which of you shall not? With this I depart : That as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.
Citizens —
Live, Brutus, live ! live !
1 Citizen —
Bring him with triumph home unto his house.
2 Citizen —
Give him a statue with his ancestors.
3 Citizen —
Let him be Caesar.
4 Citizen — Caesar's better parts Shall now be crowned in Brutus.
1 Citizen —
We'll bring him to his house with shouts and clamors.
Peace; silence! Brutus speaks.
[Exit.
4 Citizen —
'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here.
Brutus —
My countrymen,
2 Citizen — 1 Citizen —
Peace, ho ! Brutus —
Good countrymen, let me depart alone,
And, for my sake, stay here with Antony :
Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his speech Tending to Caesar's glories : which Mark Antony, By our permission, is allowed to make.
I do entreat you not a man depart,
Save I alone, till Antony have spoke.
Citizens —
Stay, ho ! and let us hear Mark Antony.
3 Citizen —
Let him go up into the public chair ; We'll hear him : — Noble Antony, go up.
Antony —
For Brutus' sake, I am beholden to you.
4 Citizen —
What does he say of Brutus ?
5 Citizen — He says, for Brutus' sake, He finds himself beholden to us all.
1 Citizen —
This Caesar was a tyrant.
JULIUS CESAR.
5 Citizen — Nay, that's certain : We are blessed that Rome is rid of him.
2 Citizen —
Peace ; let us hear what Antony can say.
Antony —
You gentle Romans,
Citizens — Peace, ho ! let us hear him. Antony —
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears ; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil, that men do, lives after them ;
The good is oft interred with their bones ;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus Hath told you, Caesar was ambitious ;
If it were so, it was a grievous fault ;
And grievously hath Caesar answered it. Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest, (Tor Brutus is an honorable man ;
So are they all, all honorable men ;)
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me :
But Brutus says he was ambitious ;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome, Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill :
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious ?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff :
Yet Brutus says, he was ambitious ;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
You all did see, that on the Lupercal,
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition ? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious ;
And, sure, he is an honorable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause ; What cause withholds you then to mourn for him ? O judgment, thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason ! — bear with me ; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
1 Citizen —-
Methinks there is much reason in his sayings.
218
JULIUS CESAR.
2 Citizen —
If thou consider rightly of the matter, Caesar has had great wrongs.
3 Citizen — Has he, masters ? I fear, there will a worse come in his place.
4 Citizen —
Marked ye his words ? He would not take the crown
Therefore, 'tis certain, he was not ambitious. 1 Citizen —
If it be found so, some will dear abide it. 2 Citizen —
Poor soul ! his eyes are red as fire with weeping. 8 Citizen —
There's not a nobler man in Rome than Antony. 4 Citizen —
Now mark him, he begins again to speak. Antony —
But yesterday, the word of Caesar might
Have stood against the world : now lies he there, And none so poor to do him reverence.
0 masters ! if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
1 should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong, Who, you all know, are honorable men :
I will not do them wrong ;
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself, and you, Than I will wrong such honorable men.
But here's a parchment, with the seal of Caesar,
I found it in his closet, 'tis his will :
Let but the commons hear this testament,
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,)
And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds, And dip their napkins in his sacred blood ;
Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills Bequeathing as rich legacy,
Unto their issue.
Citizen —
We'll hear the will read Mark Antony.
Citizens —
The will, the will we will hear Caesar's will.
Antony —
Have patience, gentle friends, must not read it; It not meet you know how Caesar loved you. You are not wood, you are not stones, but men
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JULIUS CESAR. 219
And being men, hearing the will of Caesar,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad : "lis good you know not that you are his heirs, For if you should, O, what would come of it !
4 Citizen —
Read the will ; we will hear Antony, You shall read us the will Caesar's will.
Antony —
Will you be patient Will you stay awhile
have o'ershot myself, to tell you of it.
fear, wrong the honorable men, Whose daggers have stabbed Caesar
Citizen —
They were traitors Honorable men
Citizens —
The will the testament
do fear it.
Citizen —
They were villains, murderers The will read the will
Antony —
You will compel me then to read the will Then make ring about the corpse of Caesar, And let me show you him that made the will.
Shall— descend Citizens
Come down. Citizen —
Descend. Citizen —
And will you give me leave
[2Ze comes down from the pulpit
You shall have leave. Citizen —
A ring stand round. Citizen —
Stand from the hearse, stand from the body.
Citizen — — Room for Antony
most noble Antony.
Antony —
Nay, press not so upon me stand far off.
Citizens —
Stand back room bear back
Antony —
If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle remember The first time ever Caesar put on
'Twas on summer's evening in his tent; That day he overcame the Nervii —
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220
JULIUS C^SAR.
Look ! in this place, ran Cassius' dagger through : See, what a rent the envious Casca made : Through this, the well-beloved Brutus stabbed : And, as he plucked his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Caesar followed
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Brutus so unkindly knocked, or no
For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar's angel Judge, you gods, how dearly Caesar loved him This was the most unkindest cut of all
For when the noble Caesar saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquished him then burst his mighty heart And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statua,
Which all the while ran blood, great Caesar fell.
what a fall was there, my countrymen
Then and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourished over us.
O, now you weep and, perceive, you feel
The dint of pity these are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you, when you but behold Our Caesar's vesture wounded Look you here, Here himself, marred, as you see, with traitors.
Citizen —
piteous spectacle
Citizen — noble Caesar
Citizen — woeful day
Citizen —
traitors, villains
Citizen —
most bloody sight
Citizen —
We will be revenged.
Citizens —
Revenge about, — seek, — burn, — fire, — kill, — slay — let
not traitor live. Antony —
Peace there — Hear the noble Antony.
Citizen — We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with
him.
Stay, countrymen. Citizen —
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JULIUS CESAR. 221
Antony —
Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They, that have done this deed, are honorable ;
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it ; they are wise and honorable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts ;
I am no orator, as Brutus is :
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my friend : and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him.
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood :
I tell you that, which you yourselves do know ;
Show you sweet Caesar's wounds, poor, poor dumb mouths, And bid them speak for me : But were I Brutus,
And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Caesar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.
I only speak right on;
Citizens —
We'll mutiny.
1 Citizen —
We'll burn the house of Brutus.
2 Citizen —
Away then, come, seek the conspirators.
Antony —
Yet hear me, countrymen, yet hear me speak.
Citizens —
Peace, ho ! Hear Antony, most noble Antony.
Antony —
Why, friends, you go to do you know not what: Wherein hath Caesar thus deserved your loves ?
Alas, you know not : —
You have forgot the will I told you of.
Citizens — — Most true ;
the will ;
—
let's stay, and hear the will.
Antony —
Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal.
To every Roman citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
2 Citizen —
Most noble Caesar ! — we'll revenge his death.
I must tell you then :
—
222 JULIUS CESAR.
5 Citizen —
O royal Caesar !
Antony —
Hear me with patience.
Citizens — Peace, ho !
Antony —
Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,
His private arbors, and new-planted orchards, On this side Tyber : he hath left them you, And to your heirs forever ; common pleasures, To walk abroad and recreate yourselves.
Here was a Caesar : When comes such another ?
1 Citizen— — Never, never;
Come, away, away : We'll burn his body in the holy place,
And with the brands fire the traitors' houses.
Take up the body. 2 Citizen —
Go, fetch fire. S Citizen —
Pluck down benches. 4 Citizen —
Pluck down forms, windows, anything.
Antony —
Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt !
Servant —
Sir, Octavius is already come to Rome.
Antony —
Where is he ?
Servant —
He and Lepidus are at Caesar's house.
[Exeunt Citizens with the body.
Enter A Servant.
How now, fellow ?
Antony —
And thither will I straight to visit him : He comes upon a wish. Fortune is merry, And in this mood will give us anything.
Servant —
I heard him say, Brutus and Cassius
Are rid like madmen through the gates of Rome.
Antony —
Belike they had some notice of the people,
How I had moved them. Bring me to Octavius.
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. 223
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. By PLUTARCH.
[Plutabch : A Greek writer of biographies and miscellaneous works ; born about a. d. 50. He came of a wealthy and distinguished family and received a careful philosophical training at Athens under the Peripatetic philosopher Ammonius. After this he made several journeys, and stayed a considerable time in Rome, where he enjoyed friendly intercourse with persons of distinction, and conducted the education of the future Emperor Hadrian. He died about a. d. 120 in his native town, in which he held the office of archon and priest of the Pythian Apollo. His fame as an author is founded upon the celebrated " Parallel Lives," consisting of the biographies of forty-six Greeks and Romans, divided into pairs. Each pair contains the life of a Greek and a Roman, and generally ends with a comparison of the two. Plutarch's other writings, short treatises on a great variety of subjects, are grouped under the title of "Morals. "]
The grandfather of Antony was the famous pleader, whom Marius put to death for having taken part with Sylla. His father was Antony, surnamed of Crete, not very famous or dis tinguished in public life, but a worthy good man, and particu larly remarkable for his liberality, as may appear from a single example. He was not very rich, and was for that reason checked in the exercise of his good nature by his wife. A friend that stood in need of money came to borrow of him. Money he had none, but he bade a servant bring him water in a silver basin, with which, when it was brought, he wetted his face, as if he meant to shave, and, sending away the servant upon another errand, gave his friend the basin, desiring him to turn it to his purpose. And when there was afterwards a great inquiry for it in the house, and his wife was in a very ill humor, and was going to put the servants one by one to the search, he acknowledged what he had done, and begged her pardon.
Antony grew up a very beautiful youth, but by the worst of misfortunes he fell into the acquaintance and friendship of Curio, a man abandoned to his pleasures, who, to make Antony's dependence upon him a matter of greater necessity, plunged him into a life of drinking and dissipation, and led him through a course of such extravagance, that at that early age he ran into debt to the amount of two hundred and fifty talents [$300,000]. For this sum, Curio became his surety ; on hearing which, the elder Curio, his father, drove Antony out of his house. After this, for some short time he took part with Clodius, the most insolent and outrageous demagogue of the time, in his course of
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violence and disorder; but getting weary before long of his madness, and apprehensive of the powerful party forming against him, he left Italy and traveled into Greece, where he spent his time in military exercises and in the study of eloquence. He took most to what was called the Asiatic taste in speaking, which was then at its height, and was in many ways suitable to his ostentatious, vaunting temper, full of empty flourishes and unsteady efforts for glory. . . .
In all the great and frequent skirmishes and battles, he gave continual proofs of his personal valor and military conduct. Nor was his humanity towards the deceased Archelaus less taken notice of. He had been formerly his guest and acquaintance, and as he was now compelled, he fought him bravely while alive ; but on his death, sought out his body and buried it with royal honors. The consequence was that he left behind him a great name among the Alexandrians, and all who were serving in the Roman army looked upon him as a most gallant soldier.
He had also a very good and noble appearance ; his beard was well grown, his forehead large, and his nose aquiline, giving him altogether a bold, masculine look, that reminded people of the faces of Hercules in paintings and sculptures. It was moreover an ancient tradition that the Antonys were descended from Hercules, by a son called Anton; and this opinion he thought to give credit to also by the fashion of his dress.
What might seem to some very insupportable, his vaunt ing, his raillery, his drinking in public, sitting down by the men as they were taking their food, and eating, as he stood, off the common soldiers' tables, made him the delight and pleasure of the army. In love affairs also he was very agree able : he gained many friends by the assistance he gave them in theirs, and took other people's raillery upon his own with good humor. And his generous ways, his open and lavish hand in gifts and favors to his friends and fellow-soldiers, did a great deal for him in his first advance to power, and after he had become great, long maintained his fortunes when a thousand follies were hastening their overthrow. One instance of his
liberality I must relate. He had ordered payment to one of his friends of twenty-five decies [over $1,000,000] ; and his steward, wondering at the extravagance of the sum, laid all the silver in a heap, as he should pass by. Antony, seeing the heap, asked what it meant ; his steward replied, " The money you have ordered to be given to your friend. " So, perceiv
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ing the man's malice, said he : "I thought the decies had been much more : 'tis too little ; let it be doubled. "
When the Roman state finally broke up into two hostile factions, the aristocratical party joining Pompey, who was in the city, and the popular side seeking help from Caesar, who was at the head of an army in Gaul, Curio, the friend of Antony, having changed his party and devoted himself to Caesar, brought over Antony also to his service. . . .
Antony was not long in getting the hearts of the soldiers, joining with them in their exercises, and for the most part living amongst them, and making them presents to the utmost of his abilities ; but with all others he was unpopular enough. He was too lazy to pay attention to the complaints of persons who were injured ; he listened impatiently to petitions, and he had an ill name for familiarity with other people's wives. In short, the government of Caesar (which, so far as he was con cerned himself, seemed like anything rather than a tyranny) got a bad repute through his friends. And of these friends, Antony, as he had the largest trust and committed the great est errors, was thought the most deeply in fault. . . .
This triumvirate was very hateful to the Romans, and Antony most of all bore the blame, because he was older than Caesar and had greater authority than Lepidus ; and withal he was no sooner settled in his affairs, but he turned to his luxurious and dissolute way of living. Besides the ill reputation he gained by his gen eral behavior, it was some considerable disadvantage to him his living in the house of Pompey the Great, who had been as much admired for his temperance and his sober, citizenlike habits of life, as ever he was for having triumphed three times. They could not without anger see the doors of that house shut against magistrates, officers, and envoys, who were shamefully refused admittance, while it was filled inside with players, jug glers, and drunken flatterers, upon whom were spent the great est part of the wealth which violence and cruelty procured. For they did not limit themselves to the forfeiture of the estates of such as were proscribed, defrauding the widows and families, nor were they contented with laying on every possible kind of tax and imposition ; but hearing that several sums of money were as well by strangers as citizens of Rome deposited
with the vestal virgins, they went and took the money away by force. When it was manifest that nothing would ever be enough for Antony, Caesar at last called for a division of property.
vol. v. — 16
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Leaving Lucius Censorinus in Greece, he crossed over into Asia, and there laid his hands on the stores of accumulated wealth, while kings waited at his door, and queens were rival ing one another, who should make him the greatest presents or appear most charming in his eyes. Thus, whilst Caesar in Rome was wearing out his strength amidst seditions and wars, Antony, with nothing to do amidst the enjoyments of peace, let his passions carry him easily back to the old course of life that was familiar to him. A set of harpers and pipers, Anaxenor and Xuthus, the dancing man, Metrodorus, and a whole Bacchic rout of the like Asiatic exhibitors, far outdoing in license and buffoonery the pests that had followed him out of Italy, came in and possessed the court ; the thing was past patience, wealth of all kinds being wasted on objects like these. The whole of Asia was like the city in Sophocles, loaded, at one time,
with incense in the air, Jubilant songs, and outcries of despair.
When he made his entry into Ephesus, the women met him dressed up like Bacchantes, and the men and boys like Satyrs and Fauns, and throughout the town nothing was to be seen but spears wreathed about with ivy, harps, flutes, and psalteries, while Antony in their songs was Bacchus, the Giver of Joy, and the Gentle. And so indeed he was to some, but to far more the Devourer and the Savage ; for he would deprive persons of worth and quality of their fortunes to gratify villains and flatterers, who would sometimes beg the estates of men yet living, pretending they were dead, and, obtaining a grant, take possession. He gave his cook the house of a Magnesian citizen, as a reward for a single highly successful supper; and at last, when he was proceeding to lay a second whole tribute on Asia, Hybreas, speaking on behalf of the cities, took courage, and told him broadly, but aptly enough for Antony's taste, " if you can take two yearly tributes, you can doubtless give us a couple of summers and a double harvest time ; " and put it to him in the plainest and boldest way, that Asia had raised two hundred thousand talents for his service: " If this has not been paid to you, ask your collectors for it ; if it has, and is all gone, we are ruined men. "
These words touched Antony to the quick, who was simply ignorant of most things that were done in his name ; not that he was so indolent, as he was prone to trust frankly in all
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about him. For there was much simplicity in his character ; he was slow to see his faults, but when he did see them, was extremely repentant, and ready to ask pardon of those he had injured ; prodigal in his acts of reparation, and severe in his punishments, but his generosity was much more extravagant than his severity ; his raillery was sharp and insulting, but the edge of it was taken off by his readiness to submit to any kind of repartee ; for he was as well contented to be rallied, as he was pleased to rally others. And this freedom of speech was, indeed, the cause of many of his disasters. He never imagined those who used so much liberty in their mirth would natter or deceive him in business of consequence, not knowing how common it is with parasites to mix their flattery with boldness, as confec tioners do their sweetmeats with something biting, to prevent the sense of satiety. Their freedoms and impertinences at table were designed expressly to give to their obsequiousness in council the air of being not complaisance, but conviction.
Such being his temper, the last and crowning mischief that could befall him came in the love of Cleopatra, to awaken and kindle to fury passions that as yet lay still and dormant in his nature, and to stifle and finely corrupt any elements that yet made resistance in him of goodness and a sound judgment. He fell into the snare thus. When making preparation for the Parthian war, he sent to command her to make her personal appearance in Cilicia, to answer an accusation that she had given great assistance, in the late wars, to Cassius. Dellius, who was sent on this message, had no sooner seen her face, and remarked her adroitness and subtlety in speech, but he felt convinced that Antony would not so much as think of giving any molestation to a woman like this ; on the contrary, she would be the first in favor with him. So he set himself at once to pay his court to the Egyptian, and gave her his advice, " to go," in the Homeric style, to Cilicia, " in her best attire," and bade her fear nothing from Antony, the gentlest and kindest of soldiers.
She had some faith in the words of Dellius, but more in her own attractions ; which, having formerly recommended her to Caesar and the young Cnaeus Pompey, she did not doubt might prove yet more successful with Antony. Their acquaintance was with her when a girl, young and ignorant of the world; but she was to meet Antony in the time of life when women's beauty is most splendid, and their intellects are in full maturity.
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She made great preparation for her journey, of money, gifts and ornaments of value, such as so wealthy a kingdom might afford, but she brought with her her surest hopes in her own magic arts and charms.
She received several letters, both from Antony and from his friends, to summon her, but she took no account of these orders ; and at last, as if in mockery of them, she came sailing up the river Cydnus, in a barge with gilded stern and outspread sails of purple, while oars of silver beat time to the music of flutes and fifes and harps. She herself lay all along under a canopy of cloth of gold, dressed as Venus in a picture, and beautiful young boys, like painted Cupids, stood on each side to fan her. Her maids were dressed like Sea Nymphs and Graces, some steering at the rudder, some working at the ropes. The perfumes diffused themselves from the vessel to the shore, which was covered with multitudes, part following the galley up the river on either bank, part running out of the city to see the sight. The market place was quite emptied, and Antony at last was left alone sitting upon the tribunal, while the word went through all the multitude, that Venus was come to feast with Bacchus, for the common good of Asia. On her arrival, Antony sent to invite her to supper. She thought it fitter he should come to her ; so, willing to show his good humor and courtesy, he complied, and went. He found the preparations to receive him magnificent beyond expression, but nothing so admirable as the great number of lights ; for on a sudden there was let down altogether so great a number of branches with lights in them so ingeniously disposed, some in squares, and some in circles, that the whole thing was a spectacle that has seldom been equaled for beauty.
The next day, Antony invited her to supper, and was very desirous to outdo her as well in magnificence as contrivance ; but he found he was altogether beaten in both, and was so well convinced of that he was himself the first to jest and mock at his poverty of wit, and his rustic awkwardness. She, perceiving that his raillery was broad and gross, and savored more of the soldier than the courtier, rejoined in the same taste, and fell into at once, without any sort of reluctance or reserve. For her actual beauty, said, was not in itself so remarkable that none could be compared with her, or that no one could see her without being struck by it, but the con tact of her presence, you lived with her, was irresistible
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the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation, and the character that attended all she said or did, was something bewitching.