ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes 319 which had bene governed at all times, and desired to be governed by kings. But Antonius desire was altogether wicked and tyrannicall: who sought to keepe the people of Rome in bondage and subjection, but lately before rid of Cresars raigne and government. For the greatest and most famous exployte Antonius ever did in warres (to wit, the warre in the which he overthrew Cassius and Brutus) was begon to no other ende, but to deprive his contriemen of their libertie and freedom. Demetrius in contrarie maner, before fortune had overthrowen him, never left to set Grrece at libertie, and to drive the garrisons away, which kept the cities in bondage: and not like Antonius, that bosted he had slaine them that had set Rome at libertie. The chiefest thing they commended in Antonius, was his liberalitie and bountie 1: in the which Demetrius excelled him so farre, that he gave more to his enemies, then Antonius did to his frends: although he was marvelously well thought of, for the honorable and sumptuous funerall he gave unto Brutus bodie. Howbeit Demetrius caused all his enemies be buried that were slaine in battel, and returned unto Ptolomy all the prisoners he had taken, with great giftes and presentes he gave them. They were both in their prosperi tie, verie riotouslie and licentiouslie geven 2: but yet no man can ever say, that Demetrius did at any time let slippe any oportunitie or occasion to followe great matters, but onelie gave him selfe in deede to pleasure, when he had nothing else to doe. And further, to say truely, he tooke pleasure of Lamia, as a man woulde have a delight to heare one tell tales, when he hath nothing else to doe, or is desirous to sleepe: but in deede when he was to make any preparation for warre, he had not then Ivey at his darts end, nor had his helmet perfumed, nor came not out of Ladies closets, picked and princt to go to battell: but he let all dauncing and sporting alone, and became as the Poet Euripides saith,
The souldier of Mars, cruell, and bloodie. But to conclude, he never had overthrowe or misfortune through negligence, nor by delaying time to followe his owne pleasure: as we see in painted tables, where Omphale secretlie stealeth away Hercules clubbe, and tooke his Lyons skinne from him. Even so Cleopatra oftentimes unarmed Antonius, and intised him to her, making him lose matters of great importaunce, and verie needeful jorneys, to come and be dandled with her, about the rivers of Canobus, and Taphosiris. In the ende, as Paris fledde from the battell, and went to hide him selfe in Helens armes: even so did he in Cleopatraes
3 armes, or to speake more properlie, Paris hidde him selfe in Helens closet, but Antonius to followe Cleopatra, f1edde and lost the victorie. Furthermore, Demetrius had many wives that he had maried, and all at one time1 : the which was not dissalowable or not forbidden by the kinges of Macedon, but had bene used from Philippe and Alexanders time, as also king Lysimachus and Ptolomy had, and did honor all them that he maried. But Antonius first of all maried two wives together, the which never Romane durst doe before, but him selfe. 2 Secondly, he put away his first Romane wife, which he had lawfully maried: for the love of a straunge woman, he fondly fell in fancy withall, and contrarie to the lawes and ordinaunces of Rome. And therefore Demetrius mariages never hurt him, for any wrong he had done to his wives: but Antonius contrarily was undone by his wives. Of all the lascivious partes Antonius played, none were so abhominable, as this onely fact of Demetrius. 3 For the historiographers write, that they would not suffer dogges to come into the castell of Athens, bicause of all beastes he is too busie with bitcherie4 : and Demetrius, in Minervaes temple it selfe lay with Curtisans, and there defiled many citizens wives. And besides all this, the horrible vice of crueitie, which a man would thinke were least mingled with these wanton delightes, is joyned with Demetrius concupiscence: who suffered, (or more properly compelled) the goodliest young boy of Athens, to dye a most pitiefull death, to save him selfe from violence, being taken. And to conclude, Antonius by his incontinencie, did no hurte but to him selfe:5 and Demetrius did hurte unto all others. Demetrius never hurte any of his frendes: and Antonius suffered his Uncle by his mothers side to be slaine, that he might have his will of Cicero to kill him: a thing so damnable, wicked, and cruell of it selfe, that he hardlie deserved to have bene pardoned, though he had killed Cicero, to have saved his Uncles life. Nowe where they falsefied and brake their othes, the one making Artabazus prisoner, and the other killing of Alexander: Antonius out of doubt had best cause, and justest colour. For Artabazus had betrayed him, and forsaken him in Media. But Demetrius (as divers doe reporte) devised a false matter to accuse Alexander, to cloke the murther he had committed: and some thinke he did accuse him, to whom he him selfe had done injurie unto: and was not revenged of him, that woulde doe him
321 injurie. Furthermore, Demetrius him selfe did many noble feates in warre, as we have recited of him before 1: and contrarilie Antonius, when he was not there in person, wanne many famous and great victories by his Lieutenauntes: and they were both overthrowen being personallie in battell, but yet not both after one sorte. For the one was forsaken of his men being Macedonians, and the other contrarily forsooke his that were Romanes: for he fled, and left them that ventred their lives for his honor. So that the fault the one did was, that he made them his enemies that fought for him: and the fault in the other, that he so beastlie left them that loved him best, and were most faithfull to him. And for their deathes, a man can not praise the one nor the other, but yet Demetrius death the more reproachefull. For he suffered him selfe to be taken prisoner, and when he was sent away to be kept in a straunge place, he had the hart to live yet three yeare longer, to serve his mouth and bellie, as brute beastes doe. Antonius on the other side slue him selfe, (to confesse a troth) cowardly, and miserably, to his great paine and griefe: and yet was it before his bodie came into his enemies hands.
