ABSTRACT

Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes 95 no water. For Cassius even from his cradell could not abide any maner of tyrans,l as it appeared when he was but a boy, and went unto the same schoole that Faustus, the sonne of Sylla did. And Faustus bragging among other boyes, highly boasted of his fathers kingdom: Cassius rose up on his feete, and gave him two good whirts on the eare. Faustus governors would have put this matter in sute against Cassius: but Pompey woulde not suffer them, but caused the two boyes to be brought before him, and asked them howe the matter came to passe. Then Cassius, as it is wrytten of him, said unto the other: Goe to, Faustus, speake againe and thou darest, before this noble man here, the same wordes that made me angrie with thee, that my fistes may walke once againe about thine eares. Suche was Cassius hotte stirring nature. But for Brutus, his frendes and contrie men, both by divers procurementes, and sundrie rumors of the citie, and by many bil1s also, did openlie call and procure him to doe that he did.2 For, under the image of his auncester Junius Brutus, that drave the kinges out of Rome,3 they wrote: 0, that it pleased the goddes thou wert now alive, Brutus: and againe, that thou wert here amonge us nowe. His tribunall (or chaire) where he gave audience during the time he was Prretor, was full of suche billes: Brutus, thou art a sleepe, and art not Brutus in deede.4 And of all this, Cresars flatterers were the cause: who beside many other exceeding and unspeakeable honors they dayly devised for him, in the night time they did put Diadeames uppon the heades of his images, supposinge thereby to allure the common people to call him kinge, in steade of Dictator. Howebeit it turned to the contrarie, as we have wrytten more at large in Julius Cresars life. Nowe when Cassius felt his frendes, and did stirre them up against Cresar: they all agreed and promised to take parte with him, so Brutus were the chiefe of their conspiracie. For they told him, that so high an enterprise and attempt as that, did not so muche require men of manhoode, and courage to drawe their swordes: as it stoode them uppon to have a man of suche estimacion as Brutus, to make everie man boldlie thinke, that by his onelie presence the fact were holie, and just. If he tooke not this course, then that they shoulde goe to it with fainter hartes, and when they had done it, they shoulde be more fearefull: bicause evcrie man woulde thinke that Brutus woulde not have refused to have made one with them, if the cause had bene good and honest. Therefore Cassius considering this matter with him selfe, did first of all speake to Brutus, since they grewe straunge

9 together for the sute they had for the Pnetorshippe.1 So when he was reconciled to him againe, and that they had imbraced one an other: Cassius asked him if he were determined to be in the Senate house, the first day of the moneth of Marche, bicause he heard say that Cresars frendes shoulde move the counsell that day, that Cresar shoulde be called king by the Senate. Brutus aunswered him he would not be there. But if we be sent for sayd Cassius: howe then? For my selfe then sayd Brutus, I meane not to holde my peace, but to withstande it, and rather dye then lose my libertie. Cassius being bolde, and taking holde of this worde: Why, quoth he, what Romane is he alive that will suffer thee to dye for the libertie? What, knowest thou not that thou art Brutus?2 Thinkest thou that they be cobblers, tapsters, or suche like base mechanic all people, that wryte these billes and scrowles which are founde dayly in thy Prretor's chaire, and not the noblest men and best citizens that doe it? No, be thou well assured, that of other Prretors they looke for giftes, common distribucions amongest the people, and for common playes, and to see fensers fight at the sharpe, to shew the people pastime: but at thy handes, they specially require (as a due det unto them) the taking away of the tyranny, being fully bent to suffer any extremity for thy sake, so that thou wilt shew thy selfe to be the man thou art taken for, and that they hope thou art. Thereuppon he kissed Brutus, and imbraced him: and so each taking leave of other, they went both to speake with their frendes about it. Nowe amongest Pompeys frendes, there was one called Caius Ligarius,3 who had bene accllsed unto Cresar for taking parte with Pompey, and Cresar discharged him. But Ligarius thanked not Cresar so muche for his discharge, as he was offended with him for that he was brought in daunger by his tyrannicall power. 4 And therefore in his hearte he was alway his mortall enemie, and was besides verie familiar with Brutus, who went to see him beinge sicke in his bedde, and sayed unto him: 0 Ligarius, in what a time art thou sicke! Ligarius risinge uppe in his bedde, and taking him by the right hande, saye~ unto him: Brutus, sayed he, if thou hast any great enterprise in hande worthie of thy selre, I am whole. After that time they beganne to feele all their acquaintaunce whome they trusted, and layed their heades together consul tinge uppon it, and did not onelie picke out

310-34. cr. C.esar, 11.2.111-13.