ABSTRACT
Julius Ctesar shadowed with wodde on either side. Popilius the Colonell taking some souldiers with him, ranne about on the outside of the lanes to take him at his comming out of them: and Herennius on thother side entred the lanes. Cicero hearing him comming, commaunded his men to set downe his litter, and taking his beard in his left han de, as his manner was, he stowtly looked the murderers in the faces, his heade and beard being all white, and his face leane and wrinckled, for the extreame sorowes he had taken: divers of them that were by, helde their handes before their eyes, whilest Herennius did cruelly murder him.l So Cicero being three score and foure yeares of age, thrust his necke out of the litter, and had his head cut of by Antonius commaundement, and his hands also, which wrote the Orations (called the Philippians) against him. For so did Cicero call the Orations he wrote against him, for the malice he bare him: and do yet continue the same name untill this present time. When these poore dismembred members were brought to Rome, Antonius by chaunce was busily occupied at that time about the election of certaine officers: who when he heard of them and saw them, he cried out alowde that now all his outlawries and proscriptions were executed: and thereuppon commaunded his head and his hands should straight be set up over the pUlpit for Orations, in the place called Rostra.2 This was a fearefull and horrible sight unto the Romanes, who thought they saw not Ciceroes face, but an image of Antonius life and disposicion: who among so many wicked deedes as he committed, yet he did one act only that had some shew of goodnes, which was this. He delivered Philologus into the handes of Pomponia, the wife of Quintus Cicero: and when she had him, besides other cruell tormentes she made him abide, she compelled him to cut his owne flesh of by lide morsells, and to broyle them, and then to eate them.3 Some historiographers doe,thus reporte it. But Tyro who was a slave infranchised by Cicero, made no mencion of the treason of this Philologus. Howbeit I understoode that Cresar Augustus, long time after that, went one day to see one of his Nephewes, who had a booke in his hande of Ciceroes: and he fearing least his Uncle woulde be angrie to finde that booke in his handes, thought to hide it under his gowne. Cresar saw it, and tooke it from him, and red the most parte of it standing, and then delivered it to the young boy, and sayd unto him: He was a wise man in deede, my childe, and loved his contrie well.4
