ABSTRACT
Romanes made his statue of brasse to be set up in the Capitoll, with the images of the kings, holding a naked sword in his hand: bicause he had valliantly put downe the Tarquines from their kingdom of Rome.l But that Junius Brutus being of a sower stearne nature, not softned by reason, being like unto sword blades of too hard a temper: was so subject to his choller and malice he bare unto the tyrannes, that for their sakes he caused his owne sonnes to be executed. But this Marcus Brutus in contrarie maner, whose life we presently wryte, having framed his manners of life by the rules of vertue and studie of Philosophie, and having imployed his wit, which was gentle and constant, in attempting of great things: me thinkes he was rightly made and framed unto vertue.2 So that his verie enemies which wish him most hurt, bicause of his conspiracy against Julius C<esar: if there were any noble attempt done in all this conspiracie, they referre it whollie unto Brutus, and all the cruell and violent actes unto Cassius, who was Brutus familiar frend, but not so well geven, and condicioned as he .... Marcus Cato the Philosopher was brother unto Servilia M. Brutus mother3 : whom Brutus studied most to follow of all the other Romanes, bicause he was his Uncle, and afterwards he maried his daughter. Now touching the Gr<ecian Philosophers, there was no sect nor Philosopher of them, but he heard and liked it: but above all the rest, he loved Pia toes sect best, and did not much geve him selfe to the new nor meane Academy as they call it, but altogether to the old Academy.4 Therefore he did ever greatly esteeme the Philosopher Antiochus, of the citie of Ascalon: but he was more familiar with his brother
