ABSTRACT
91 Julius Ctesar chiefest frendes, and of greatest authoritie and credit about him. Howebeit Cassius frendes did disswade him from it (for Cassius and he were not yet reconciled together sithence their first contencion and strife for the Prretorship) and prayed him to beware of Cresars sweete intisements, and to flie his tyrannicall favors: the which they sayd Cresar gave him, not to honor his vertue, but to weaken his constant minde, framing it to the bent of his bowe. Now Cresar on the other side did not trust him overmuch, nor was not without tales brought unto him against himl: howbeit he feared his great minde, authority, and frends. Yet on the other side also, he trusted his good nature, and fayer condicions. For, intelligence being brought him one day, that Antonius and Dolabella did conspire against him: he aunswered, that these fat long heared men made him not affrayed, but the leane and whitely faced fellowes, meaning that, by Brutus and Cassius.2 At an other time also when one accused Brutus unto him, and bad him beware of him: What, sayd he againe, clapping his hand on his brest: thinke ye that Brutus will not tarie till this bodie dye?3 Meaning that none but Brutus after him was meete to have suche power as he had. And surelie, in my opinion, I am perswaded that Brutus might in dede have come to have bene the chiefest man of Rome, if he could have contented him selfe for a time and have bene next unto Cresar, and to have suffred his glorie and authoritie, which he had gotten by his great victories, to consume with time. But Cassius being a chollericke man, and hating Cresar privati ie, more then he did the tyrannie openlie: he incensed Brutus against him. 4 It is also reported, that Brutus coulde evill away with the tyrannic, and that Cassius hated the tyranne: making many complayntes for the injuries he had done him, and amongest others, for that he had taken away his Lyons from him. Cassius had provided them for his sportes, when he should be £dilis, and they were found in the citie of Megara, when it was wonne by Calenus, and Cresar kept them. The rumor went, that these Lyons did marvelous great hurt to the Magarians. For when the citie was taken, they brake their cages where they were tied up, and turned them loose, thinking they would have done great mischiefe to the enemies, and have kept them from setting uppon them: but the Lyons contrarie to expectacion, turned upon them selves that fled unarmed, and did so cruelly tare some in peces, that it pitied their enemies to see them. And this was the cause, as some do report, that made Cassius conspire against Cresar. But this holdedl
