marcus brutus-第8章

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far　from　Italy；　but　make　what　haste　they　could　thither；　and
endeavour　to　relieve　their　fellow…citizens　from　oppression。
　　Cassius　obeyed　his　summons；　and　returned；　and　Brutus　went　to　meet
him；　and　at　Smyrna　they　met；　which　was　the　first　time　they　had　seen
one　another　since　they　parted　at　the　Piraeus　in　Athens；　one　for　Syria；
and　the　other　for　Macedonia。　They　were　both　extremely　joyful　and　had
great　confidence　of　their　success　at　the　sight　of　the　forces　that　each
of　them　had　got　together；　since　they　who　had　fled　from　Italy；　like　the
most　despicable　exiles；　without　money；　without　arms；　without　a　ship　or
a　soldier　or　a　city　to　rely　on；　in　a　little　time　after　had　met
together　so　well　furnished　with　shipping　and　money；　and　an　army　both
of　horse　and　foot；　that　they　were　in　a　condition　to　contend　for　the
empire　of　Rome。
　　Cassius　was　desirous　to　show　no　less　respect　and　honour　to　Brutus
than　Brutus　did　to　him；　but　Brutus　was　still　beforehand　with　him；
coming　for　the　most　part　to　him；　both　because　he　was　the　elder　man；
and　of　a　weaker　constitution　than　himself。　Men　generally　reckoned
Cassius　a　very　expert　soldier；　but　of　a　harsh　and　angry　nature；　and
one　that　desired　to　command　rather　by　fear　than　love；　though；　on　the
other　side；　among　his　familiar　acquaintance　he　would　easily　give　way
to　jesting　and　play　the　buffoon。　But　Brutus；　for　his　virtue；　was
esteemed　by　the　people；　beloved　by　his　friends；　admired　by　the　best
men；　and　hated　not　by　his　enemies　themselves。　For　he　was　a　man　of　a
singularly　gentle　nature；　of　a　great　spirit；　insensible　of　the
passions　of　anger　or　pleasure　or　covetousness；　steady　and　inflexible
to　maintain　his　purpose　for　what　he　thought　right　and　honest。　And　that
which　gained　him　the　greatest　affection　and　reputation　was　the
entire　faith　in　his　intentions。　For　it　had　not　ever　been　supposed　that
Pompey　the　Great　himself；　if　he　had　overcome　Caesar；　would　have
submitted　his　power　to　the　laws；　instead　of　taking　the　management　of
the　state　upon　himself；　soothing　the　people　with　the　specious　name
of　consul　or　dictator；　or　some　other　milder　title　than　king。　And
they　were　well　persuaded　that　Cassius；　being　a　man　governed　by　anger
and　passion；　and　carried　often；　for　his　interest's　sake；　beyond　the
bounds　of　justice；　endured　all　these　hardships　of　war　and　travel　and
danger　most　assuredly　to　obtain　dominion　to　himself；　and　not　liberty
to　the　people。　And　as　for　the　former　disturbers　of　the　peace　of
Rome；　whether　a　Cinna；　a　Marius；　or　a　Carbo；　it　is　manifest　that　they；
having　set　their　country　as　a　stake　for　him　that　should　win；　did
almost　own　in　express　terms　that　they　fought　for　empire。　But　even
the　enemies　of　Brutus　did　not；　they　tell　us；　lay　this　accusation　to
his　charge；　nay；　many　heard　Antony　himself　say　that　Brutus　was　the
only　man　that　conspired　against　Caesar　out　of　a　sense　of　the　glory　and
the　apparent　justice　of　the　action；　but　that　all　the　rest　rose　up
against　the　man　himself；　from　private　envy　and　malice　of　their　own。
And　it　is　plain　by　what　he　writes　himself；　that　Brutus　did　not　so　much
rely　upon　his　forces；　as　upon　his　own　virtue。　For　thus　he　speaks　in
a　letter　to　Atticus；　shortly　before　he　was　to　engage　with　the　enemy：
that　his　affairs　were　in　the　best　state　of　fortune　that　he　could　wish；
for　that　either　he　should　overcome；　and　restore　liberty　to　the
people　of　Rome；　or　die；　and　be　himself　out　of　the　reach　of　slavery；
that　other　things　being　certain　and　beyond　all　hazard；　one　thing　was
yet　in　doubt；　whether　they　should　live　or　die　free　men。　He　adds
further；　that　Mark　Antony　had　received　a　just　punishment　for　his
folly；　who；　when　he　might　have　been　numbered　with　Brutus　and　Cassius
and　Cato；　would　join　himself　to　Octavius；　that　though　they　should
not　now　be　both　overcome；　they　soon　would　fight　between　themselves。
And　in　this　he　seems　to　have　been　no　ill…prophet。
　　Now　when　they　were　at　Smyrna；　Brutus　desired　of　Cassius　that　he
might　have　part　of　the　great　treasure　that　he　had　heaped　up；　because
all　his　own　was　expended　in　furnishing　out　such　a　fleet　of　ships　as
was　sufficient　to　keep　the　whole　interior　sea　in　their　power。　But
Cassius's　friends　dissuaded　him　from　this；　〃for；〃　said　they；　〃it　is
not　just　that　the　money　which　you　with　so　much　parsimony　keep；　and
with　so　much　envy　have　got；　should　be　given　to　him　to　be　disposed　of
in　making　himself　popular；　and　gaining　the　favour　of　the　soldiers。〃
Notwithstanding　this；　Cassius　gave　him　a　third　part　of　all　that　he
had；　and　then　they　parted　each　to　their　several　commands。　Cassius；
having　taken　Rhodes；　behaved　himself　there　with　no　clemency；　though　at
his　first　entry；　when　some　had　called　him　lord　and　king；　he　answered
that　he　was　neither　king　nor　lord；　but　the　destroyer　and　punisher　of　a
king　and　lord。　Brutus；　on　the　other　part；　sent　to　the　Lycians　to
demand　from　them　a　supply　of　money　and　men；　but　Laucrates；　their
popular　leader；　persuaded　the　cities　to　resist；　and　they　occupied
several　little　mountains　and　hills　with　a　design　to　hinder　Brutus's
passage。　Brutus　at　first　sent　out　a　party　of　horse　which；　surprising
them　as　they　were　eating；　killed　six　hundred　of　them；　and　afterward；
having　taken　all　their　small　towns　and　villages　round　about；　he　set
all　his　prisoners　free　without　ransom；　hoping　to　win　the　whole
nation　by　good…will。　But　they　continued　obstinate；　taking　in　anger
what　they　had　suffered；　and　despising　his　goodness　and　humanity；
until；　having　forced　the　most　warlike　of　them　into　the　city　of
Xanthus；　he　besieged　them　there。　They　endeavoured　to　make　their　escape
by　swimming　and　diving　through　the　river　that　flows　by　the　town；　but
were　taken　by　nets　let　down　for　that　purpose　in　the　channel；　which　had
little　bells　at　the　top；　which　gave　present　notice　of　any　that　were
taken　in　them。　After　that；　they　made　a　sally　in　the　night；　and　seizing
several　of　the　battering　engines；　set　them　on　fire；　but　being
perceived　by　the　Romans；　were　beaten　back　to　their　walls；　and　there
being　a　strong　wind；　it　carried　the　flames　to　the　battlements　of　the
city　with　such　fierceness　that　several　of　the　adjoining　houses　took
fire。　Brutus；　fearing　lest　the　whole　city　should　be　destroyed；
commanded　his　own　soldiers　to　assist　and　quench　the　fire。
　　But　the　Lycians　were　on　a　sudden　possessed　with　a　strange　and
incredible　desperation；　such　a　frenzy　as　cannot　be　better　expressed
than　by　calling　it　a　violent　appetite　to　die；　for　both　women　and
children；　the　bondmen　and　the　free；　those　of　all　ages　and　of　all
conditions　strove　to　force　away　the　soldiers　that　came　in　to　their
assistance　from　the　walls；　and　themselves　gathering　together　reeds　and
wood；　and　whatever　combustible　matter　they　found；　spread　the　fire　over
the　whole　city；　feeding　it　with　whatever　fuel　they　could；　and　by　all
possible　means　exciting　its　fury；　so　that　the　flame；　having
dispersed　itself　and　encircled　the　whole　city；　blazed　out　in　so
terrible　a　manner　that　Brutus；　extremely　afflicted　at　their
calamity；　got　on　horseback　and　rode　round　the　walls；　earnestly
desirous　to　preserve　the　city；　and　stretching　forth　his　hands　to　the
Xanthians；　begged　of　them　that　they　would　spare　themselves　and　save
the　town。　Yet　none　regarded　his　entreaties；　but；　by　all　manner　of
ways；　strove　to　destroy　themselves；　not　only　men　and　women；　but　even
boys　and　little　children；　with　a　hideous　outcry；　leaped　some　into
the　fire；　others　from　the　walls；　others　fell　upon　their　parents'
swords；　baring　their　throats　and　desiring　to　be　struck。　After　the
destruction　of　the　city；　there　was　found　a　woman　who　had　hanged
herself　with　her　young　child　hanging　from　her　neck；　and　the　torch　in
her　hand　with　which　she　had　fired　her　own　house。
　　It　was　so　tragical　a　sight　that　Brutus　could　not　endure　to　see　it；
but　wept　at　the　very　relation　of　it　and　proclaimed　a　reward　to　any
soldier　that　could　save　a　Xanthian。　And　it　is　said　that　an　hundred　and
fifty　only　were　found；　to　have　their　lives　saved　against　their
wills。　Thus　the　Xanthians　after　a　long　space　of　years；　the　fated
period　of　their　destruction　having；　as　it　were；　run　its　course；
repeated　by　their　desperate　deed　the　former　calamity　of　their
forefathers；　who　after　the　very　same　manner　in　the　Persian　war　had
fired　t