marcus brutus-第3章

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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　give　as　it　were　the　first
religious　sanction；　and　by　his　presence；　if　by　nothing　else；　to
justify　the　undertaking；　that　without　him　they　should　go　about　this
action　with　less　heart；　and　should　lie　under　greater　suspicions　when
they　had　done　it；　for　if　their　cause　had　been　just　and　honourable；
people　would　be　sure　that　Brutus　would　not　have　refused　it。　Cassius；
having　considered　these　things　with　himself；　went　to　Brutus　and　made
him　the　first　visit　after　their　falling　out；　and　after　the　compliments
of　reconciliation　had　passed；　and　former　kindnesses　were　renewed
between　them；　he　asked　him　if　he　designed　to　be　present　on　the　calends
of　March；　for　it　was　discoursed；　he　said；　that　Caesar's　friends
intended　then　to　move　that　he　might　be　made　king。　When　Brutus
answered；　that　he　would　not　be　there；　〃But　what；〃　says　Cassius；　〃if
they　should　send　for　us？〃　〃It　will　be　my　business；　then；〃　replied
Brutus；　〃not　to　hold　my　peace；　but　to　stand　up　boldly；　and　die　for　the
liberty　of　my　country。〃　To　which　Cassius　with　some　emotion　answered；
〃But　what　Roman　will　suffer　you　to　die？　What；　do　you　not　know
yourself；　Brutus？　Or　do　you　think　that　those　writings　that　you　find
upon　your　praetor's　seat　were　put　there　by　weavers　and　shopkeepers；
and　not　by　the　first　and　most　powerful　men　of　Rome？　From　other
praetors；　indeed；　they　expect　largesses　and　shows　and　gladiators；
but　from　you　they　claim；　as　an　hereditary　debt；　the　exurpation　of
tyranny；　they　are　all　ready　to　suffer　anything　on　your　account；　if　you
will　but　show　yourself　such　as　they　think　you　are　and　expect　you
should　be。〃　Which　said；　he　fell　upon　Brutus；　and　embraced　him；　and
after　this；　they　parted　each　to　try　their　several　friends。
　　Among　the　friends　of　Pompey　there　was　one　Caius　Ligarius；　whom
Caesar　had　pardoned；　though　accused　for　having　been　in　arms　against
him。　This　man；　not　feeling　so　thankful　for　having　been　forgiven　as
he　felt　oppressed　by　that　power　which　made　him　need　a　pardon；　hated
Caesar；　and　was　one　of　Brutus's　most　intimate　friends。　Him　Brutus
visited；　and　finding　him　sick；　〃O　Ligarius；〃　says　he；　〃what　a　time　you
have　found　out　to　be　sick　in！〃　At　which　words　Ligarius；　raising
himself　and　leaning　on　his　elbow；　took　Brutus　by　the　hand；　and　said；
〃But；　O　Brutus；　if　you　are　on　any　design　worthy　of　yourself；　I　am
well。〃
　　From　this　time　they　tried　the　inclinations　of　all　their
acquaintances　that　they　durst　trust；　and　communicated　the　secret　to
them；　and　took　into　the　design　not　only　their　familiar　friends；　but　as
many　as　they　believed　bold　and　brave　and　despisers　of　death。　For　which
reason　they　concealed　the　plot　from　Cicero；　though　he　was　very　much
trusted　and　as　well　beloved　by　them　all；　lest；　to　his　own　disposition；
which　was　naturally　timorous；　adding　now　the　weariness　and　caution
of　old　age；　by　his　weighing；　as　he　would　do；　every　particular；　that　he
might　not　make　one　step　without　the　greatest　security；　he　should　blunt
the　edge　of　their　forwardness　and　resolution　in　a　business　which
required　all　the　despatch　imaginable。　As　indeed　there　were　also　two
others　that　were　companions　of　Brutus；　Statilius　the　Epicurean；　and
Favonius　the　admirer　of　Cato；　whom　he　left　out　for　this　reason：　as
he　was　conversing　one　day　with　them；　trying　them　at　a　distance；　and
proposing　some　such　question　to　be　disputed　of　as　among
philosophers；　to　see　what　opinion　they　were　of；　Favonius　declared
his　judgment　to　be　that　a　civil　war　was　worse　than　the　most　illegal
monarchy；　and　Statilius　held；　that　to　bring　himself　into　troubles
and　danger　upon　the　account　of　evil　or　foolish　men　did　not　become　a
man　that　had　any　wisdom　or　discretion。　But　Labeo；　who　was　present；
contradicted　them　both　and　Brutus；　as　if　it　had　been　an　intricate
dispute；　and　difficult　to　be　decided；　held　his　peace　for　that　time；
but　afterwards　discovered　the　whole　design　to　Labeo；　who　readily
undertook　it。　The　next　thing　that　was　thought　convenient　was　to　gain
the　other　Brutus　surnamed　Albinus；　a　man　of　himself　of　no　great
bravery　or　courage；　but　considerable　for　the　number　of　gladiators　that
he　was　maintaining　for　a　public　show；　and　the　great　confidence　that
Caesar　put　in　him。　When　Cassius　and　Labeo　spoke　with　him　concerning
the　matter；　he　gave　them　no　answer；　but；　seeking　an　interview　with
Brutus　himself　alone；　and　finding　that　he　was　their　captain；　he
readily　consented　to　partake　in　the　action。　And　among　the　others；
also；　the　most　and　best　were　gained　by　the　name　of　Brutus。　And；　though
they　neither　gave　nor　took　any　oath　of　secrecy；　nor　used　any　other
sacred　rite　to　assure　their　fidelity　to　each　other；　yet　all　kept　their
design　so　close；　were　so　wary；　and　held　it　so　silently　among
themselves　that；　though　by　prophecies　and　apparitions　and　signs　in　the
sacrifices　the　gods　gave　warning　of　it；　yet　could　it　not　be　believed。
　　Now　Brutus；　feeling　that　the　noblest　spirits　of　Rome　for　virtue
birth；　or　courage　were　depending　upon　him；　and　surveying　with
himself　all　the　circumstances　of　the　dangers　they　were　to　encounter；
strove　indeed；　as　much　as　possible；　when　abroad；　to　keep　his
uneasiness　of　mind　to　himself；　and　to　compose　his　thoughts；　but　at
home；　and　especially　at　night；　he　was　not　the　same　man；　but
sometimes　against　his　will　his　working　care　would　make　him　start　out
of　his　sleep；　and　other　times　he　was　taken　up　with　further
reflection　and　consideration　of　his　difficulties；　so　that　his　wife
that　lay　with　him　could　not　choose　but　take　notice　that　he　was　full　of
unusual　trouble；　and　had　in　agitation　some　dangerous　and　perplexing
question。　Porcia；　as　was　said　before；　was　the　daughter　of　Cato；　and
Brutus；　her　cousin…german；　had　married　her　very　young；　though　not　a
maid；　but　after　the　death　of　her　former　husband；　by　whom　she　had　one
son　that　was　named　Bibulus；　and　there　is　a　little　book；　called　Memoirs
of　Brutus；　written　by　him；　yet　extant。　This　Porcia；　being　addicted
to　philosophy；　a　great　lover　of　her　husband；　and　full　of　an
understanding　courage；　resolved　not　to　inquire　into　Brutus's　secrets
before　she　had　made　this　trial　of　herself。　She　turned　all　her
a