ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes I 19 owne men had already yelded them selves to their enemies, and that it was suspected moreover divers others would doe the like: that made many of Cassius friendes, which were of his minde before, (when it came to be debated in counsell whether the battell shoulde be fought or not) that they were then of Brutus minde. But yet was there one of Brutus friendes called Atellius, that was against it, and was of opinion that they should tary the next winter'! Brutus asked him what he should get by tarying a yeare lenger? If I get nought els, quoth Attellius agayne, yet have I lived so much lenger. Cassius was very angry with this aunswer: and Atellius was maliced and esteemed the worse for it of all men. Thereuppon it was presently determined they should fight battell the next daye. So Brutus all supper tyme looked with a cheerefull countenaunce, like a man that had good hope, and talked very wisely of Philosophie, and after supper went to bed. But touching Cassius, Messala reporteth that he supped by him selfe in his tent with a fewe of his friendes, and that all supper tyme he looked very sadly, and was full of thoughts, although it was against his nature: and that after supper he tooke him by the hande, and holding him fast (in token of kindnes as his manner was) tolde him in Greeke: Messala, I protest unto thee, and make thee my witnes, that I am compelled against my minde and will (as Pompey the great was) to jeopard the libertie of our contry, to the hazard of a battel. And yet we must be lively, and of good corage, considering our good fortune, whome we shoulde wronge too muche to mistrust her, although we followe evill counsell.2 Messala writeth, that Cassius having spoken these last wordes unto him, he bad him farewell, and willed him to come to supper to him the next night following, bicause it was his birth day. The next morning by breake of day, the sign all of battell was set out in Brutus and Cassius campe, which was an arming scarlet coate: and both the Chiefetaines spake together in the middest of their armies. 3 There Cassius beganne to speake first, and sayd: The gods graunt us, 0 Brutus, that this day we may winne the field, and ever after to live all the rest of our life quietly, one with another." But sith the gods have so ordeyned it, that the greatest and chiefest things amongest men are most uncertaine, and that if the battell fall out otherwise to daye then we wishe or looke for, we shall hardely meete againe: what art thou then determined to doe, to fIye, or dye?5 Brutus aunswered him, being yet but a young man,
Julius Cesar and not overgreatly experienced in the world: I trust, (I know not how) a certaine rule of Philosoph ie, by the which I did greatly blame and reprove Cato for killing of him selfe, as being no lawfull nor godly acte, touching the gods, not concerning men, valliant, not to give place and yeld to divine providence, and not constantly and paciently to take whatsoever it pleaseth him to send us, but to drawe backe, and £lie: but being nowe in the middest of the daunger, I am of a contrary mind. For if it be not the will of God, that this battell fall out fortunate for us: I will looke no more for hope, neither seeke to make any new supply for warre againe, but will rid me of this miserable world, and content me with my fortune.! For, I gave up my life for my contry in the Ides of Marche, for the which I shall live in another more glorious worlde.2 Cassius fell a laughing to heare what he sayde, and imbracing him, Come on then sayde he, let us goe and charge our enemies with this mynde. For eyther we shall conquer, or we shall not neede to feare the Conquerors. After this talke, they fell to consultacion amonge their friendes for the ordering of the battell. Then Brutus prayed Cassius he might have the leading of the right winge, the which men thought was farre meeter for Cassius: both bicause he was the elder man, and also for that he had the better experience.3 But yet Cassius gave it him, and willed that Messala (who had charge of one of the warrelikest legions they had) shoulde be also in that winge with
Brutu~. So Brutus presently sent out his horsemen, who were excellently well appoynted, and his footemen also were as willing and readye to give charge.4 Nowe Antonius men did cast a trenche from the marishe by the which they laye, to cutte of Cassius way to come to the sea: and Ca:sar, at the least his armye, styrred not. As for Octavius Ca:sar him selfe, he was not in his campe, bicause he was sicke.5 And for his people, they litle thought the enemies would have given them battell, but onely have made some light skirmishes to hinder them that wrought in the trenche, and with their darts and slings to have kept them from finishing of their worke: but they taking no heede to them that came full upon them to give them battell, marvelled much at the great noyse they heard, that came from the place where they were casting their trenche. In the meane tyme Brutus that led the right winge, sent litle billes to the Colonells and Captaines of private bandes, in the which he wrote the worde of the battell6 : and he him selfe riding a horse backe by all the
trowpes, did speake to them, and incoraged them to sticke to it like men. So by this meanes very fewe of them understoode what was the worde of the battell, and besides, the moste parte of them never taryed to have it tolde them, but ranne with greate furie to assayle the enemies: whereby through this disorder, the legions were marvelously scattered and dispersed one from the other. For first of all, Messalaes legion, and then the next unto them, went beyond the left winge of the enemies, and did nothing, but glawnsing by them, overthrewe some as they went, and so going on further, fell right upon Cresars campe, out of the which (as him selfe writeth in his Commentaries) he had bene conveyed away a litle before, thorough the counsell and advise of one of his friendes called Marcus Artorius: who dreaming in the night, had a vision appeared unto him, that commaunded Octavius Cresar should be caried out of his campe. Insomuch as it was thought he was slayne, bicause his lytter (which had nothing in it) was thrust through and through with pykes and darts. There was great slaughter in this campe. For amongest others, there were slayne two thowsand Lacedremonians, who were arrived but even a lide before, comming to ayde Cresar. The other also that had not glaunsed by, but had given a charge full upon Cresars battell: they easily made them flie, bicause they were greatly troubled for the losse of their campe, and of them there were slayne by hand, three legions. Then being very earnest to followe the chase of them that fled, they ranne in amongest them hand over head into their campe, and Brutus among them. But that which the conquerors thought not of, occasion shewed it unto them that were overcome: and that was, the left wing of their enemies left naked, and ungarded of them of the right wing, who were strayed too far of, in following of them that were overthrowen. So they gave a hot charge upon them. But notwithstanding all the force they made, they coulde not breake into the middest of their battell, where they founde men that received them, and valliantlie made head against them. Howbeit they brake and overthrewe the left wing where Cassius was, by reason of the great disorder among them, and also bicause they had no intelligence how the right wing had sped. So they chased them beating them into their campe, the which they spoyled,l none of both the Chieftaines being present there. For Antonius, as it is reported, to flie the furie of the first charge, was gotten into the next marish: and no man coulde tell what became of Octavius Cresar, after he was caried out of his campe. Insomuche that there were certaine souldiers that shewed their swords bloodied, and sayd that they had slaine him, and did describe his face, and
