ABSTRACT
IIB Julius Cd!sar their goods and lands. 1 Now when they came to muster their armies, Octavius Cresar tooke the muster of his army within the trenches of his campe, and gave his men onely a little corne, and five silver Drachmas to every man to sacrifice to the gods, and to pray for victory. But Brutus skorning this miserie and niggardlines, first of all mustered his arm ie, and did purifie it in the fields, according to the manner of the Romanes: and then he gave unto every band a number of wethers to sacrifice, and fiftie silver Drachmas to every souldier. So that Brutus and Cassius souldiers were better pleased, and more coragiously bent to fight at the daye of the battell, then their enemies souldiers were. Notwithstanding, being busily occupied about the ceremonies of this purification, it is reported that there chaunced certaine unlucky signes unto Cassius. 2 For one of his Sergeaunts that caried the roddes before him, brought him the garland of flowers turned backwards, the which he should have worne on his head in the tyme of sacrificing. Moreover it is reported also, that at another tyme before, in certaine sportes and triumphe where they caried an image of Cassius victorie of deane gold, it fell by chaunce, the man stumbling that caried it. And yet further, there were seene a marvelous number of fowles of praye, that feede upon dead carkasses3 : and beehives also were founde, where bees were gathered together in a certaine place within the trenches of the campe: the which place the Soothsayers thought good to shut out of the precinct of the campe, for to take away the superstitious feare and mistrust men would have of it. The which beganne somewhat to alter Cassius minde from Epicurus opinions,4 and had put the souldiers also in a marvelous feare. Thereuppon Cassius was of opinion not to trye this warre at one batteH, but rather to delay tyme, and to drawe it out in length, considering that they were the stronger in money, and the weaker in men and armors.5 But Brutus in contrary manner, did alway before, and at that tyme also, desire nothing more, then to put all to the hazard of batteH, assoone as might be possible: to the ende he might either quickely restore his con try to her former libertie, or rid him forthwith of this miserable world, being still troubled in following and mainteyning of such great armies together. But perceiving that in the dayly skirmishes and byckerings they made, his men were alway the stronger, and ever had the better: that yet quickned his spirits againe, and did put him in better hart. And furthermore, bicause that some of their
