marcus brutus-第2节

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enemies　of　the　commonwealth；　and　when　many　other　senators　exclaimed
against　it；　Caesar　delivered　the　note　as　he　had　received　it　to　Cato；
who　reading　it　found　it　to　be　a　love…letter　from　his　own　sister
Servilia；　and　threw　it　back　again　to　Caesar　with　the　words；　〃Keep
it；　you　drunkard；〃　and　returned　to　the　subject　of　the　debate。　So
public　and　notorious　was　Servilia's　love　to　Caesar。
　　After　the　great　overthrow　at　Pharsalia；　Pompey　himself　having　made
his　escape　to　the　sea；　and　Caesar's　army　storming　the　camp；　Brutus
stole　privately　out　by　one　of　the　gates　leading　to　marshy　ground
full　of　water　and　covered　with　reeds；　and；　travelling　through　the
night；　got　safe　to　Larissa。　From　Larissa　he　wrote　to　Caesar　who
expressed　a　great　deal　of　joy　to　hear　that　he　was　safe；　and；　bidding
him　come；　not　only　forgave　him　freely；　but　honoured　and　esteemed　him
among　his　chiefest　friends。　Now　when　nobody　could　give　any　certain
account　which　way　Pompey　had　fled；　Caesar　took　a　little　journey
along　with　Brutus；　and　tried　what　was　his　opinion　herein；　and　after
some　discussion　which　passed　between　them；　believing　that　Brutus's
conjecture　was　the　right　one；　laying　aside　all　other　thoughts；　he
set　out　directly　to　pursue　him　towards　Egypt。　But　Pompey；　having
reached　Egypt；　as　Brutus　guessed　his　design　was　to　do；　there　met　his
fate。
　　Brutus　in　the　meantime　gained　Caesar's　forgiveness　for　his　friend
Cassius；　and　pleading　also　in　defence　of　the　king　of　the　Lybians；
though　he　was　overwhelmed　with　the　greatness　of　the　crimes　alleged
against　him；　yet　by　his　entreaties　and　deprecations　to　Caesar　in　his
behalf；　he　preserved　to　him　a　great　part　of　his　kingdom。　It　is
reported　that　Caesar；　when　he　first　heard　Brutus　speak　in　public；　said
to　his　friends；　〃I　know　not　what　this　young　man　intends；　but；　whatever
he　intends；　he　intends　vehemently。〃　For　his　natural　firmness　of
mind；　not　easily　yielding；　or　complying　in　favour　of　every　one　that
entreated　his　kindness；　once　set　into　action　upon　motives　of　right
reason　and　deliberate　moral　choice；　whatever　direction　it　thus　took；
it　was　pretty　sure　to　take　effectively；　and　to　work　in　such　a　way　as
not　to　fail　in　its　object。　No　flattery　could　ever　prevail　with　him
to　listen　to　unjust　petitions：　and　he　held　that　to　be　overcome　by
the　importunities　of　shameless　and　fawning　entreaties；　though　some
compliment　it　with　the　name　of　modesty　and　bashfulness；　was　the
worst　disgrace　a　great　man　could　suffer。　And　he　used　to　say　that　he
always　felt　as　if　they　who　could　deny　nothing　could　not　have　behaved
well　in　the　flower　of　their　youth。
　　Caesar；　being　about　to　make　his　expedition　into　Africa　against
Cato　and　Scipio；　committed　to　Brutus　the　government　of　Cisalpine　Gaul；
to　the　great　happiness　and　advantage　of　that　province。　For　while
people　in　other　provinces　were　in　distress　with　the　violence　and
avarice　of　their　governors；　and　suffered　as　much　oppression　as　if　they
had　been　slaves　and　captives　of　war；　Brutus；　by　his　easy　government；
actually　made　them　amends　for　their　calamities　under　former　rulers；
directing　moreover　all　their　gratitude　for　his　good　deeds　to　Caesar
himself；　insomuch　that　it　was　a　most　welcome　and　pleasant　spectacle　to
Caesar；　when　in　his　return　he　passed　through　Italy；　to　see　the
cities　that　were　under　Brutus's　command；　and　Brutus　himself　increasing
his　honour　and　joining　agreeably　in　his　progress。
　　Now　several　praetorships　being　vacant；　it　was　all　men's　opinion　that
that　of　the　chiefest　dignity；　which　is　called　the　praetorship　of　the
city；　would　be　conferred　either　upon　Brutus　or　Cassius；　and　some　say
that；　there　having　been　some　little　difference　upon　former　accounts
between　them；　this　competition　set　them　much　more　at　variance；
though　they　were　connected　in　their　families；　Cassius　having　married
Junia；　the　sister　of　Brutus。　Others　say　that　the　contention　was　raised
between　them　by　Caesar's　doing；　who　had　privately　given　each　of　them
such　hopes　of　his　favour　as　led　them　on；　and　provoked　them　at　last
into　this　open　competition　and　trial　of　their　interest。　Brutus　had
only　the　reputation　of　his　honour　and　virtue　to　oppose　to　the　many　and
gallant　actions　performed　by　Cassius　against　the　Parthians。　But
Caesar；　having　heard　each　side；　and　deliberating　about　the　matter
among　his　friends；　said；　〃Cassius　has　the　stronger　plea；　but　we　must
let　Brutus　be　first　praetor。〃　So　another　praetorship　was　given　to
Cassius；　the　gaining　of　which　could　not　so　much　oblige　him；　as　he
was　incensed　for　the　loss　of　the　other。　And　in　all　other　things　Brutus
was　partaker　of　Caesar's　power　as　much　as　he　desired：　for　he　might；　if
he　had　pleased；　have　been　the　chief　of　all　his　friends；　and　had
authority　and　command　beyond　them　all；　but　Cassius　and　the　company
he　met　with　him　drew　him　off　from　Caesar。　Indeed；　he　was　not　yet
wholly　reconciled　to　Cassius；　since　that　competition　which　was　between
them：　but　yet　he　gave　ear　to　Cassius's　friends；　who　were　perpetually
advising　him　not　to　be　so　blind　as　to　suffer　himself　to　be　softened
and　won　over　by　Caesar；　but　to　shun　the　kindness　and　favours　of　a
tyrant；　which　they　intimated　that　Caesar　showed　him；　not　to　express
any　honour　to　his　merit　or　virtue；　but　to　unbend　his　strength；　and
undermine　his　vigour　of　purpose。
　　Neither　was　Caesar　wholly　without　suspicion　of　him；　nor　wanted
informers　that　accused　Brutus　to　him；　but　he　feared；　indeed；　the
high　spirit　and　the　great　character　and　the　friends　that　he　had；　but
thought　himself　secure　in　his　moral　disposition。　When　it　was　told
him　that　Antony　and　Dolabella　designed　some　disturbance；　〃It　is
not；〃　said　he；　〃the　fat　and　the　long…haired　men　that　I　fear；　but　the
pale　and　the　lean；〃　meaning　Brutus　and　Cassius。　And　when　some　maligned
Brutus　to　him；　and　advised　him　to　beware　of　him；　taking　hold　of　his
flesh　with　his　hand；　〃What；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　think　that　Brutus　will
not　wait　out　the　time　of　this　little　body？〃　as　if　he　thought　none　so
fit　to　succeed　him　in　his　power　as　Brutus。　And　indeed　it　seems　to　be
without　doubt　that　Brutus　might　have　been　the　first　man　in　the
commonwealth；　if　he　had　had　patience　but　a　little　time　to　be　second　to
Caesar；　and　would　have　suffered　his　power　to　decline　after　it　was　come
to　its　highest　pitch；　and　the　fame　of　his　great　actions　to　die　away　by
degrees。　But　Cassius；　a　man　of　a　fierce　disposition；　and　one　that
out　of　private　malice；　rather　than　love　of　the　public；　hated　Caesar；
not　the　tyrant；　continually　fired　and　stirred　him　up。　Brutus　felt
the　rule　an　oppression；　but　Cassius　hated　the　ruler；　and；　among
other　reasons　on　which　he　grounded　his　quarrel　against　Caesar；　the
loss　of　his　lions　which　he　had　procured　when　he　was　aedile…elect　was
one；　for　Caesar；　finding　these　in　Megara；　when　that　city　was　taken
by　Calenus；　seized　them　to　himself。　These　beasts；　they　say；　were　a
great　calamity　to　the　Megarians；　for；　when　their　city　was　just
taken；　they　broke　open　the　lions'　dens；　and　pulled　off　their　chains
and　let　them　loose　that　they　might　run　upon　the　enemy　that　was
entering　the　city；　but　the　lions　turned　upon　them　themselves；　and　tore
to　pieces　a　great　many　unarmed　persons　running　about；　so　that　it　was　a
miserable　spectacle　even　to　their　enemies　to　behold。
　　And　this；　some　say；　was　the　chief　provocation　that　stirred　up
Cassius　to　conspire　against　Caesar；　but　they　are　much　in　the　wrong。
For　Cassius　had　from　his　youth　a　natural　hatred　and　rancour　against
the　whole　race　of　tyrants；　which　he　showed　when　he　was　but　a　boy；
and　went　to　the　same　school　with　Faustus；　the　son　of　Sylla；　for；　on
his　boasting　himself　amongst　the　boys；　and　extolling　the　sovereign
power　of　his　father；　Cassius　rose　up　and　struck　him　two　or　three　boxes
on　the　ear；　which　when　the　guardians　and　relations　of　Faustus　designed
to　inquire　into　and　to　prosecute；　Pompey　forbade　them；　and；　sending
for　both　the　boys　together；　examined　the　matter　himself。　And　Cassius
is　then　reported　to　have　said　thus；　〃Come；　then；　Faustus；　dare　to
speak　here　those　words　that　provoked　me；　that　I　may　strike　you　again
as　I　did　before。〃　Such　was　the　disposition　of　Cassius。
　　But　Brutus　was　roused　up　and　pushed　on　to　the　undertaking　by　many
persuasions　of　his　familiar　friends；　and　letters　and　invitations
from　unknown　citizens。　For　under　the　statue　of　his　ancestor　Brutus；
that　overthrew　the　kingly　government；　they　wrote　the　words；　〃O　that　we
had　a　Brutus　now！〃　and；　〃O　that　Brutus　were　alive！〃　And　Brutus's　own
tribunal；　on　which　he　sat　as　praetor；　was　filled　each　morning　with
writings　such　as　these：　〃You　are　asleep；　Brutus；〃　and；　〃You　are　not
a　true　Brutus。〃　Now　the　flatterers　of　Caesar　were　the　occasion　of
all　this；　who；　among　other　invidious　honours　which　they　strove　to
fasten　upon　Caesar；　crowned　his　statues　by　night　with　diadems；　wishing
to　incite　the　people　to　salute　him　king　instead　of　dictator。　But　quite
the　contrary　came　to　pass；　as　I　have　more　particularly　related　in
the　life　of　Caesar。
　　When　Cassius　went　about　soliciting　friends　to　engage　in　this
design　against　Caesar；　all　whom　he　tried　readily　consented；　if
Brutus　would　be　head　of　it；　for　their　opinion　was　that　the
enterprise　wanted　not　hands　or　resolution；　but　the　reputation　and
authority　of　a　man　such　as　he　was；　to　giv