the comparison of dion and brutus-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　COMPARISON　OF　DION　AND　BRUTUS

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　THERE　are　noble　points　in　abundance　in　the　characters　of　these　two
men；　and　one　to　be　first　mentioned　is　their　attaining　such　a　height　of
greatness　upon　such　inconsiderable　means；　and　on　this　score　Dion　has
by　far　the　advantage。　For　he　had　no　partner　to　contest　his　glory；　as
Brutus　had　in　Cassius；　who　was　not；　indeed；　his　equal　in　proved　virtue
and　honour；　yet　contributed　quite　as　much　to　the　service　of　the　war　by
his　boldness；　skill；　and　activity；　and　some　there　be　who　impute　to　him
the　rise　and　beginning　of　the　whole　enterprise；　saying　that　it　was
he　who　roused　Brutus；　till　then　indisposed　to　stir；　into　action
against　Caesar。　Whereas　Dion　seems　of　himself　to　have　provided　not
only　arms；　ships；　and　soldiers；　but　likewise　friends　and　partners
for　the　enterprise。　Neither　did　he；　as　Brutus；　collect　money　and
forces　from　the　war　itself；　but；　on　the　contrary；　laid　out　of　his
own　substance；　and　employed　the　very　means　of　his　private　sustenance
in　exile　for　the　liberty　of　his　country。　Besides　this；　Brutus　and
Cassius；　when　they　fled　from　Rome；　could　not　live　safe　or　quiet；　being
condemned　to　death　and　pursued；　and　were　thus　of　necessity　forced　to
take　arms　and　hazard　their　lives　in　their　own　defence；　to　save
themselves；　rather　than　their　country。　On　the　other　hand；　Dion　enjoyed
more　ease；　was　more　safe；　and　his　life　more　pleasant　in　his
banishment；　than　was　the　tyrant's　who　had　banished　him；　when　he　flew
to　action；　and　ran　the　risk　of　all　to　save　Sicily。
　　Take　notice；　too；　that　it　was　not　the　same　thing　for　the　Sicilians
to　be　freed　from　Dionysius；　and　for　the　Romans　to　be　freed　from
Caesar。　The　former　owned　himself　a　tyrant；　and　vexed　Sicily　with　a
thousand　oppressions；　whereas　Caesar's　supremacy；　certainly；　in　the
process　for　attaining　it；　had　inflicted　no　trouble　on　its　opponents；
but；　once　established　and　victorious；　it　had　indeed　the　name　and
appearance；　but　fact　that　was　cruel　or　tyrannical　there　was　none。　On
the　contrary；　in　the　malady　of　the　times　and　the　need　of　a　monarchical
government；　he　might　be　thought　to　have　been　sent　as　the　gentlest
physician；　by　no　other　than　a　divine　intervention。　And　thus　the　common
people　instantly　regretted　Caesar；　and　grew　enraged　and　implacable
against　those　that　killed　him。　Whereas　Dion's　chief　offence　in　the
eyes　of　his　fellow…citizens　was　his　having　let　Dionysius　escape；　and
not　having　demolished　the　former　tyrant's　tomb。
　　In　the　actual　conduct　of　war；　Dion　was　a　commander　without　fault；
improving　to　the　utmost　those　counsels　which　he　himself　gave；　and
where　others　led　him　into　disaster　correcting　and　turning　everything
to　the　best。　But　Brutus　seems　to　have　shown　little　wisdom　in
engaging　in　the　final　battle；　which　was　to　decide　everything；　and　when
he　failed　not　to　have　done　his　business　in　seeking　a　remedy；　he　gave
all　up；　and　abandoned　his　hopes；　not　venturing　against　fortune　even　as
far　as　Pompey　did；　when　he　had　still　means　enough　to　rely　on　in　his
troops；　and　was　clearly　master　of　all　the　seas　with　his　ships。
　　The　greatest　thing　charged　on　Brutus　is；　that　he；　being　saved　by
Caesar's　kindness；　having　saved　all　the　friends　whom　he　chose　to　ask
for；　he　moreover　accounted　a　friend；　and　preferred　above　many；　did　yet
lay　violent　hands　upon　his　preserver。　Nothing　like　this　could　be
objected　against　Dion；　quite　the　contrary；　whilst　he　was　of
Dionysius's　family　and　his　friend；　he　did　good　service　and　was
useful　to　him；　but　driven　from　his　country；　wronged　in　his　wife；　and
his　estate　lost；　he　openly　entered　upon　a　war　just　and　lawful。　Does
not；　however；　the　matter　turn　the　other　way？　For　the　chief　glory　of
both　was　their　hatred　of　tyranny；　and　abhorrence　of　wickedness。　This
was　unmixed　and　sincere　in　Brutus；　for　he　had　no　private　quarrel
with　Caesar；　but　went　into　the　risk　singly　for　the　liberty　of　his
country。　The　other；　had　he　not　been　privately　injured；　had　not　fought。
This　is　plain　from　Plato's　epistles；　where　it　is　shown　that　he　was
turned　out；　and　did　not　forsake　the　court　to　wage　war　upon
Dionysius。　Moreover；　the　public　good　made　Brutus　Pompey's　friend
（instead　of　his　enemy　as　he　had　been）　and　Caesar's　enemy；　since　he
proposed　for　his　hatred　and　his　friendship　no　other　end　and　standard
but　justice。　Dion　was　very　serviceable　to　Dionysius　whilst　in
favour；　when　no　longer　trusted；　he　grew　angry　and　fell　to　arms。　And；
for　this　reason；　not　even　were　his　own　friends　all　of　them　satisfied
with　his　undertaking；　or　quite　assured　that；　having　overcome
Dionysius；　he　might　not　settle　the　government　on　himself；　deceiving
his　fellow…citizens　by　some　less　obnoxious　name　than　tyranny。　But
the　very　enemies　of　Brutus　would　say　that　he　had　no　other　end　or
aim；　from　first　to　last；　save　only　to　restore　to　the　Roman　people
their　ancient　government。
　　And　apart　from　what　has　just　been　said；　the　adventure　against
Dionysius　was　nothing　equal　with　that　against　Caesar。　For　none　that
was　familiarly　conversant　with　Dionysius　but　scorned　him　for　his
life　of　idle　amusement　with　wine；　women；　and　dice；　whereas　it　required
an　heroic　soul　and　a　truly　intrepid　and　unquailing　spirit　so　much　as
to　entertain　the　thought　of　crushing　Caesar；　so　formidable　for　his
ability；　his　power；　and　his　fortune；　whose　very　name　disturbed　the
slumbers　of　the　Parthian　and　Indian　kings。　Dion　was　no　sooner　seen
in　Sicily　but　thousands　ran　in　to　him　and　joined　him　against
Dionysius；　whereas　the　renown　of　Caesar；　even　when　dead；　gave　strength
to　his　friends；　and　his　very　name　so　heightened　the　person　that　took
it；　that　from　a　simple　boy　he　presently　became　the　chief　of　the
Romans；　and　he　could　use　it　for　a　spell　against　the　enmity　and　power
of　Antony。　If　any　object　that　it　cost　Dion　great　trouble　and
difficulties　to　overcome　the　tyrant；　whereas　Brutus　slew　Caesar
naked　and　unprovided；　yet　this　itself　was　the　result　of　the　most
consummate　policy　and　conduct；　to　bring　it　about　that　a　man　so　guarded
around；　and　so　fortified　at　all　points；　should　be　taken　naked　and
unprovided。　For　it　was　not　on　the　sudden；　nor　alone；　nor　with　a　few；
that　he　fell　upon　and　killed　Caesar；　but　after　long　concerting　the
plot；　and　placing　confidence　in　a　great　many　men；　not　one　of　whom
deceived　him。　For　he　either　at　once　discerned　the　best　men；　or　by
confiding　in　them　made　them　good。　But　Dion；　either　making　a　wrong
judgment；　trusted　himself　with　ill　men；　or　else　by　his　employing
them　made　ill　men　of　good；　either　of　the　two　would　be　a　reflection
on　a　wise　man。　Plato　also　is　severe　upon　him；　for　choosing　such　for
friends　as　betrayed　him。
　　Besides；　when　Dion　was　killed；　none　appeared　to　revenge　his　death。
Whereas　Brutus；　even　amongst　his　enemies；　had　Antony　that　buried　him
splendidly；　and　Caesar　also　took　care　his　honours　should　be　preserved。
There　stood　at　Milan　in　Gaul；　within　the　Alps；　a　brazen　statue；
which　Caesar　in　aftertimes　noticed　（being　a　real　likeness；　and　a
fine　work　of　art）；　and　passing　by　it　presently　stopped　short；　and　in
the　hearing　of　many　commanded　the　magistrates　to　come　before　him。　He
told　them　their　town　had　broken　their　league；　harbouring　an　enemy。　The
magistrates　at　first　simply　denied　the　thing；　and；　not　knowing　what　he
meant；　looked　one　upon　another；　when　Caesar；　turning　towards　the
statue　and　gathering　his　brows；　said；　〃Pray；　is　not　that　our　enemy　who
stands　there？〃　They　were　all　in　confusion；　and　had　nothing　to
answer；　but　he；　smiling；　much　commended　the　Gauls；　as　who　had　been
firm　to　their　friends；　though　in　adversity；　and　ordered　that　the
statue　should　remain　standing　as　he　found　it。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END