ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives rif Noble Grecians alld Romanes 269 might be slain, and that Lepidus was contented with it. In my opinion there was never a more horrible, unnatural, and crueller chaunge then this was. For thus chaunging murther for murther, they did aswel kill those whom they did forsake and leave unto others, as those also which others left unto them to kil: but so much more was their wickednes and cruelty great unto their friends, for that they put them to death being innocents, and having no cause to hate them. After this plot was agreed upon betwene them: the souldiers that were thereabouts, would have this friendship and league betwixt them confirmed by mariage, and that Cresar should mary Claudia, the daughter of Fulvia, and Antonius wife. This mariage also being agreed upon, they condemned three hundred of the chief est citizens of Rome, to be put to death by proscription. And Antonius also commaunded them to whom he had geven commission to kil Cicero, that they should strike of his head and right hand, with the which he had written the invective Orations (called Philippides) against Antonius.1 So when the murtherers brought him Ciceroes head and hand cut of, he beheld them a long time with great joy, and laughed hartily, and that oftentimes for the great joy he felt. Then when he had taken his pleasure of the sight of them, he caused them to be set up in an open place, over the pulpit for Orations (where when he was alive, he had often spoken to the people) as if he had done the dead man hurt, and not bleamished his owne fortune, shewing him selfe (to his great shame and infamie) a cruell man, and unworthie the office and authoritie he bare. His uncle Lucius Cresar also, as they sought for him to kill him, and followed him hard, fledde unto his sister. The murtherers comming thither, forcing to breake into her chamber, she stoode at her chamber dore with her armes abroade, crying out still: You shall not kill Lucius Cresar, before you first kill me, that bare your Captaine in my wombe. By this meanes she saved her brothers life. 2 Now the government of these Triumviri grewe odious and hatefull to the Romanes, for divers respects: but they most blamed Antonius, bicause he being elder then Cresar, and of more power and force then Lepidus, gave him selfe againe to his former riot and excesse, when he left to deale in the affaires of the common wealth.3 But setting aside the ill name he had for his insolencie, he was yet much more hated in respect of the house he dwelt in, the which was the house of Pompey the great4: a man as famous for his temperaunce, modestie, and civilllife, as for his three triumphes.5 For it grieved
Antony and CleoJJatra them to see the gates commonly shut against the Captaines, Magistrates of the citie, and also Ambassadors of straunge nations, which were sometimes thrust from the gate with violence: and that the house within was full of tomblers, anticke dauncers, juglers, players, jeasters, and dronkards, quaffing and goseling, and that on them he spent and bestowed the most parte of his money he got by all kind of possible extorcions, briberie and policie. For they did not on ely sell by the crier, the goods of those whom they had outlawed, and appointed to murther, slaunderously deceived the poore widowes and young orphanes, and also raised all kind of imposts, subsidies, and taxes: but understanding also that the holy vestall Nunnes had certaine goods and money put in their custodie to keepe, both of mens in the citie, and those also that were abroade: they went thither, and tooke them away by force. Octavius Ccesar perceiving that no money woulde serve Antonius turne, he prayed that they might devide the money betwene them, and so did they also devide the annie, for them both to goe into Macedon to make warre against Brutus and Cassius: and in the meane time they left the government of the citie of Rome unto Lepidus. When they had passed over the seas, and that they beganne to make warre, they being both camped by their enemies, to wit, Antonius against Cassius, and Ccesar against Brutus: Ccesar did no great matter, but Antonius had alway the upper hand, and did all.! For at the first battell Ccesar was overthrowen by Brutus, and lost his campe, and verie hardly saved him selfe by flying from them that followed him. Howebeit he writeth him selfe in his Commentaries, that he fled before the charge was geven, bicause of a dreame one of his frends had. Antonius on the other side overthrewe Cassius in battell, though some write that he was not there him selfe at the battell, but that he came after the overthrowe, whilest his men had the enemies in chase. So Cassius at his earnest request was slaine by a faithfull servaunt of his owne called Pindarus, whom he had infranchised: bicause he knewe not in time that Brutus had overcomen Ccesar.2 Shortly after they fought an other battell againe, in the which Brutus was overthrowen, who afterwardes also slue him selfe.s Thus Antonius had the chiefest glorie of all this victorie, specially bicause Ccesar was sicke at that time. Antonius having found Brutus body after this battel, blaming him muche for the murther of his brother Caius, whom he had put to death in Macedon for revenge of Ciceroes cruell death, and yet laying the fault more in Hortensius then in him: he made Hortensius to be slaine on his brothers tumbe.
