marcus brutus-第4章

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before　she　had　made　this　trial　of　herself。　She　turned　all　her
attendants　out　of　her　chamber；　and　taking　a　little　knife；　such　as　they
use　to　cut　nails　with；　she　gave　herself　a　deep　gash　in　the　thigh；　upon
which　followed　a　great　flow　of　blood；　and　soon　after；　violent　pains
and　a　shivering　fever；　occasioned　by　the　wound。　Now　when　Brutus　was
extremely　anxious　and　afflicted　for　her；　she；　in　the　height　of　all　her
pain；　spoke　thus　to　him：　〃I；　Brutus；　being　the　daughter　of　Cato；　was
given　to　you　in　marriage；　not　like　a　concubine；　to　partake　only　in　the
common　intercourse　of　bed　and　board；　but　to　bear　a　part　in　all　your
good　and　all　your　evil　fortunes；　and　for　your　part；　as　regards　your
care　for　me；　I　find　no　reason　to　complain；　but　from　me；　what
evidence　of　my　love；　what　satisfaction　can　you　receive；　if　I　may　not
share　with　you　in　bearing　your　hidden　griefs；　nor　to　be　admitted　to
any　of　your　counsels　that　require　secrecy　and　trust？　I　know　very
well　that　women　seem　to　be　of　too　weak　a　nature　to　be　trusted　with
secrets；　but　certainly；　Brutus；　a　virtuous　birth　and　education；　and
the　company　of　the　good　and　honourable；　are　of　some　force　to　the
forming　our　manners；　and　I　can　boast　that　I　am　the　daughter　of　Cato；
and　the　wife　of　Brutus；　in　which　two　titles　though　before　I　put　less
confidence；　yet　now　I　have　tried　myself；　and　find　that　I　can　bid
defiance　to　pain。〃　Which　words　having　spoken；　she　showed　him　her
wound；　and　related　to　him　the　trial　that　she　had　made　of　her
constancy；　at　which　he　being　astonished；　lifted　up　his　hands　to
heaven；　and　begged　the　assistance　of　the　gods　in　his　enterprise；
that　he　might　show　himself　a　husband　worthy　of　such　a　wife　as
Porcia。　So　then　he　comforted　his　wife。
　　But　a　meeting　of　the　senate　being　appointed；　at　which　it　was
believed　that　Caesar　would　be　present；　they　agreed　to　make　use　of　that
opportunity；　for　then　they　might　appear　all　together　without
suspicion；　and；　besides；　they　hoped　that　all　the　noblest　and　leading
men　of　the　commonwealth；　being　then　assembled　as　soon　as　the　great
deed　was　done；　would　immediately　stand　forward　and　assert　the　common
liberty。　The　very　place　too　where　the　senate　was　to　meet　seemed　to
be　by　divine　appointment　favourable　to　their　purpose。　It　was　a
portico；　one　of　those　joining　the　theatre；　with　a　large　recess；　in
which　there　stood　a　statue　of　Pompey；　erected　to　him　by　the
commonwealth；　when　he　adorned　that　part　of　the　city　with　the
porticos　and　the　theatre。　To　this　place　it　was　that　the　senate　was
summoned　for　the　middle　of　March　（the　Ides　of　March　is　the　Roman
name　for　the　day）；　as　if　some　more　than　human　power　were　leading　the
man　thither；　there　to　meet　his　punishment　for　the　death　of　Pompey。
　　As　soon　as　it　was　day；　Brutus；　taking　with　him　a　dagger；　which
none　but　his　wife　knew　of；　went　out。　The　rest　met　together　at
Cassius's　house；　and　brought　forth　his　son　that　was　that　day　to　put　on
the　manly　gown；　as　it　is　called；　into　the　forum；　and　from　thence；
going　all　to　Pompey's　porch；　stayed　there；　expecting　Caesar　to　come
without　delay　to　the　senate。　Here　it　was　chiefly　that　any　one　who
had　known　what　they　had　purposed；　would　have　admired　the　unconcerned
temper　and　the　steady　resolution　of　these　men　in　their　most
dangerous　undertaking；　for　many　of　them；　being　praetors；　and　called
upon　by　their　office　to　judge　and　determine　causes；　did　not　only
hear　calmly　all　that　made　application　to　them　and　pleaded　against　each
other　before　them；　as　if　they　were　free　from　all　other　thoughts；　but
decided　causes　with　as　much　accuracy　and　judgment　as　they　had　heard
them　with　attention　and　patience。　And　when　one　person　refused　to　stand
to　the　award　of　Brutus；　and　with　great　clamour　and　many　attestations
appealed　to　Caesar；　Brutus；　looking　round　about　him　upon　those　that
were　present；　said；　〃Caesar　does　not　hinder　me；　nor　will　he　hinder　me；
from　doing　according　to　the　laws。〃
　　Yet　there　were　many　unusual　accidents　that　disturbed　them　and　by
mere　chance　were　thrown　in　their　way。　The　first　and　chiefest　was　the
long　stay　of　Caesar；　though　the　day　was　spent；　and　he　being　detained
at　home　by　his　wife；　and　forbidden　by　the　soothsayers　to　go　forth；
upon　some　defect　that　appeared　in　his　sacrifice。　Another　was　this：
There　came　a　man　up　to　Casca；　one　of　the　company；　and；　taking　him　by
the　hand；　〃You　concealed；〃　said　he；　〃the　secret　from　us；　but　Brutus
has　told　me　all。〃　At　which　words　when　Casca　was　surprised；　the　other
said　laughing；　〃How　came　you　to　be　so　rich　of　a　sudden；　that　you
should　stand　to　be　chosen　aedile？〃　So　near　was　Casca　to　let　out　the
secret；　upon　the　mere　ambiguity　of　the　other's　expression。　Then
Popilius　Laenas；　a　senator；　having　saluted　Brutus　and　Cassius　more
earnestly　than　usual；　whispered　them　softly　in　the　ear；　and　said；
〃My　wishes　are　with　you；　that　you　may　accomplish　what　you　design；
and　I　advise　you　to　make　no　delay；　for　the　thing　is　now　no　secret。〃
This　said；　he　departed；　and　left　them　in　great　suspicion　that　the
design　had　taken　wind。　In　the　meanwhile；　there　came　one　in　haste
from　Brutus's　house　and　brought　him　news　that　his　wife　was　dying。
For　Porcia；　being　extremely　disturbed　with　expectation　of　the　event；
and　not　able　to　bear　the　greatness　of　her　anxiety；　could　scarce　keep
herself　within　doors；　and　at　every　little　noise　or　voice　she　heard；
starting　up　suddenly；　like　those　possessed　with　the　bacchic　frenzy；
she　asked　every　one　that　came　in　from　the　forum　what　Brutus　was　doing；
and　sent　one　messenger　after　another　to　inquire。　At　last；　after　long
expectation　and　waiting；　the　strength　of　her　constitution　could　hold
out　no　longer；　her　mind　was　overcome　with　her　doubts　and　fears；　and
she　lost　the　control　of　herself；　and　began　to　faint　away。　She　had
not　time　to　betake　herself　to　her　chamber；　but；　sitting　as　she　was
amongst　her　women；　a　sudden　swoon　and　a　great　stupor　seized　her；　and
her　colour　changed；　and　her　speech　was　quite　lost。　At　this　sight　her
women　made　a　loud　cry；　and　many　of　the　neighbours　running　to
Brutus's　door　to　know　what　was　the　matter；　the　report　was　soon
spread　abroad　that　Porcia　was　dead；　though　with　her　women's　help　she
recovered　in　a　little　while；　and　came　to　herself　again。　When　Brutus
received　this　news；　he　was　extremely　troubled；　not　without　reason；　yet
was　not　so　carried　away　by　his　private　grief　as　to　quit　his　public
purpose。
　　For　now　news　was　brought　that　Caesar　was　coming；　carried　in　a
litter。　For；　being　discouraged　by　the　ill…omens　that　attended　his
sacrifice；　he　had　determined　to　undertake　no　affairs　of　any　great
importance　that　day；　but　to　defer　them　till　another　time；　excusing
himself　that　he　was　sick。　As　soon　as　he　came　out　of　his　litter；
Popilius　Laenas；　he　who　but　a　little　before　had　wished　Brutus　good
success　in　his　undertaking；　coming　up　to　him；　conversed　a　great
while　with　him；　Caesar　standing　still　all　the　while；　and　seeming　to　be
very　attentive。　The　conspirators　（to　give　them　this　name）；　not　being
able　to　hear　what　he　said；　but　guessing　by　what　themselves　were
conscious　of　that　this　conference　was　the　discovery　of　their
treason；　were　again　disheartened；　and；　looking　upon　one　another；
agreed　from　each　other's　countenances　that　they　should　not　stay　to
be　taken；　but　should　all　kill　themselves。　And　now　when　Cassius　and
some　others　were　laying　hands　upon　their　daggers　under　their　robes；
and　were　drawing　them　out；　Brutus；　viewing　narrowly　the　looks　and
gesture　of　Laenas；　and　finding　that　he　was　earnestly　petitioning　and
not　accusing；　said　nothing；　because　there　were　many　strangers　to　the
conspiracy　mingled　amongst　them：　but　by　a　cheerful　countenance
encouraged　Cassius。　And　after　a　little　while；　Laenas；　having　kissed
Caesar's　hand；　went　away；　showing　plainly　that　all　his　discourse　was
about　some　particular　business　relating　to　himself。
　　Now　when　the　senate　was　gone　in　before　to　the　chamber　where　they
were　to　sit；　the　rest　of　the　company　placed　themselves　close　about
Caesar's　chair；　as　if　they　had　some　suit　to　make　to　him；　and
Cassius；　turning　his　face　to　Pompey's　statue；　is　said　to　have
invoked　it；　as　if　it　had　been　sensible　of　his　prayers。　Trebonius；　in
the　meanwhile；　engaged　Antony's　attention　at　the　door；　and　kept　him　in
talk　outside