ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes 259 an ill name to intise mens wives.} To conclude, C.esars friends that governed under him, were cause why they hated C.esars government (which in deede in respect of him selfe was no lesse then a tyrannie) by reason of the great insolencies and outragious parts that were committed: amongst whom Antonius, that was of greatest power, and that also committed greatest faultes, deserved most blame. But C.esar notwithstanding, when he returned from the warres of Spayne, made no reckoning of the complaints that were put up against him: but contrarily, bicause he found him a hardy man, and a valliant Captaine, he employed him in his chiefest affayres, and was no whit deceived in his opinion of him. So he passed over the Ionian sea unto Brundusium, being but slenderly accompanied: and sent unto Antonius, and Gabinius, that they should imbarke their men as soone as they could, and passe them over into Macedon. Gabinius was affrayd to take the sea, bicause it was very roughe, and in the winter time: and therefore fetched a great compasse about by land. But Antonius fearing some daunger might come unto C.esar, bicause he was compassed in with a great number of enemies: first of all he drave away Libo, who roade at ancker with a great armie, before the haven ofBrundusium. For he manned out such a number of pynnasies, barks, and other small boates about everyone of his gallies, that he drave them thence. After that, he imbarked into shippes twenty thowsand footemen, and eyght hundred horsemen, and with this armie he hoysed sayle.2 When the enemies sawe him, they made out to followe him: but the sea rose so highe, that the billowes put backe their gallies that they could not come neare him, and so he scaped that daunger. But withall he fell uppon the rockes with his whole £leete, where the sea wrought very highe: so that he was out of all hope to save him selfe. Yet by good fortune, sodainely the winde turned Southwest, and blewe from the gulffe, driving the waves of the river into the mayne sea. Thus Antonius loosing from the lande, and sayling with safetie at his pleasure, soone after he sawe all the coastes full of shippewracks. For the force and boysterousnes of the winde, did cast away the gallies that followed him: of the which, many of them were broken and splitted, and divers also cast away, and Antonius tooke a great number of them prisoners, with a great summe of money also. Besides all these, he tooke the citie of Lyssus, and brought C.esar a great supplie of men, and made him coragious, comming at a pynche with so great a power to him. Nowe there were divers hotte skyrmishes and en-
AntolV' and Cleopatra cowntel's, in the which Antonius fought so valliantly, that he caried the prayse from them alP: but specially at two severa II tymes, when Ccesars men turned their backes, and fled for life. For he stepped before them, and compelled them to returne againe to fight: so that the victorie fell on Ccesars side. For this cause he had the seconde place in the campe amonge the souldiers, and they spake of no other man unto Ccesar, but of him: who shewed playnely what opinion he had of him, when at the last battell of Pharsalia (which in deede was the last tryall of all, to give the Conqueror the whole Empire of the worlde) he him selfe did leade the right wing of his arm ie, and gave Antonius the leading of the left wing, as the valliantest man, and skilfullest souldier of all those he had about him. 2 After Ccesar had wonne the victorie, and that he was created Dictator, he followed Pompey steppe by steppe: howbeit before, he named Antonius generall of the horsemen, and sent him to Rome. The generall of the horsemen is the second office of digni tie, when the Dictator is in the citie3 : but when he is abroad, he is the chie/est man, and almost the onely man that remayneth, and all the other officers and Magistrates are put downe, after there is a Dictator chosen. Notwithstanding, Dolabella being at that tyme Tribune, and a younge man desirous of chaunge and innovation: he preferred a law which the Romanes call Novas tabulas (as much to saye, as a cutting of and cancelling of all obligacions and specialties, and were called the newe tables, bicause they were driven then to make bookes of daily receit and expense) and perswaded Antonius his friend (who also gaped for a good occasion to please and gratifie the common people) to aide him to passe this lawe. But Trebellius and Asinius disswaded from it all they could possible. So by good hap it chaunced that Antonius mistrusted Dolabella for keeping of his wife, and tooke suche a conceite of it, that he thrust his wife out of his house being his Cos in Germane, and the daughter of C. Antonius, who was Consul with Cicero: and joyning with Asinius, he resisted Dolabella, and fought with him.4 Dolabella had gotten the market place where the people doe assemble in counsel, and had filled it ful of armed men, intending to have this law of the newe tables to passe by force. Antonius by commaundement of the Senate, who had given him authoritie to leavy men, to use force against Dolabella: he went against him, and fought so valliantly, that men were
