ILLUSTRATIVE PASSAGES

FROM

NORTH'S TRANSLATION OF PLUTARCH.

From the Life of JULIUS CESAR.

THE chiefest cause that made him mortally hated, was the covetous desire he had to be called King: which first gaue the people iust cause, and next his secret enemies, honest colour to beare him ill will. This notwithstanding, they that procured him this honour and dignitie, gaue it out among the people that it was written in the Sybiline prophecies, how the Romaines might ouercome the Parthians, if they made warre with them, and were led by a king, but otherwise that they were vnconquerable. And furthermore they were so bold besides, that Cæsar returning to Rome from the city of Alba, when they came to salute him, they called him king. But the people being offended, and Cæsar also angrie, he said he was not called king, but Cæsar. Then euery man keeping silence, he went his way heauy and sorrowfull. When they had decreed diuers honours for him in the Senate, the Consuls and Prætors, accompanied with the whole assembly of the Senate, went vnto him in the market place, where he was set by the pulpit for orations, to tell him what honors they had decreed for him in his absence. But he sitting stil in his maiestie, disdaining to rise vp vnto them when they came in, as if they had bene priuate men, answered them: that his honors had more neede to be cut off then enlarged. This did not onely offend the Senate, but the common people also, to see that he

should so lightly esteeme of the Magistrates of the common wealth insomuch as euery man that might lawfully go his way, departed thence very sorrowfully. Thereupon also Cæsar rising, departed home to his house, and tearing open his dublet coller, making his necke bare, he cried out aloud to his friends, that his throte was readie to offer to any man that would come and cut it. Notwithstanding, it is reported, that afterwards to excuse this folly, he imputed it to his disease, saying, that their wits are not perfit which haue this disease of the falling euill, when standing on their feete they speake to the common people, but are soone troubled with a trembling of their bodie, and a sodaine dimnesse and giddinesse. But that was not true: for he would haue risen vp to the Senate, but Cornelius Balbus one of his friends (or rather a flatterer) would not let him, saying: what, do you not remember you are Cæsar, and will you not let them reuerence you, and do their duties? Besides these occasions and offences, there folowed also his shame and reproch, abusing the Tribunes of the people in this sort. At that time, the feast Lupercalia was celebrated, the which in old time, men say was the feast of shepheards or heard-men, and is much like vnto the feast of the Lycæians in Arcadia. But howsoeuer it is, that day there are diuers noble mens sons, yong men, (and some of them Magistrates themselues that gouerne then) which run naked through the citie, striking in sport them they meete in their way, with leather thongs, haire and all on, to make them giue place. And many noble women and gentlewomen also, go of purpose to stand in their way, and do put forth their hands to be striken, as scholars hold them out to their schoolemaister, to be striken with the ferula: perswading themselues that being with child, they shall haue good deliuerie; and also being barren, that it will make them to conceiue with child. Cæsar sate to behold that sport vpon the pulpit for orations, in a chair of gold, apparelled in triumphant maner. Antonius who was Consull at that time, was one of them that ranne this holy course. So when he came into the market place, the people made a lane for him to runne at libertie, and he came to Cæsar, and presented him a Diadeame wreathed about with laurell. Whereupon there rose a certaine crie of rejoycing,

not very great, done onely by a few, appointed for the purpose. But when Cæsar refused the Diadeame, then all the people together made an outcrie of ioy. Then Antonius offering it him againe, there was a second shout of ioy, but yet of a few. But when Cæsar refused it againe the second time, then all the whole people shouted. Cæsar hauing made this proofe, found that the people did not like of it, and thereupon rose out of his chaire, and commanded the crowne to be caried vnto Iupiter in the Capitoll. After that, there were set vp images of Cæsar in the citie, with Diademes vpon their heads, like kings. Those, the two Tribunes, Flauius and Marullus, went and pulled downe: and furthermore, meeting with them that first saluted Cæsar as King, they committed them to prison. The people followed them reioycing at it, and called them Brutes, because of Brutus, who had in old time driuen the kings out of Rome, and that brought the kingdome of one person, vnto the gouernment of the Senate and people. Cæsar was so offended withall, that he depriued Marullus and Flauius of their Tribuneships, and accusing them, he spake also against the people, and called them Bruti, and Cumani, to wit, beasts, and fooles. Hereupon the people went straight vnto Marcus Brutus, who from his father came of the first Brutus, and by his mother, of the house of the Seruilians, a noble house as any was in Rome, and was also nephew and sonne in law of Marous Cato. Notwithstanding, the great honors and fauour Cæsar shewed vnto him, kept him backe that of himselfe alone, he did not conspire nor consent to depose him of his kingdome. For Cæsar did not only saue his life, after the battell of Pharsalia when Pompey fled, and did at his request also saue many moe of his friends besides: but furthermore, he put a marvellous confidence in him. For he had alreadie preferred him to that Prætorship for that yeare, and furthermore was appointed to be Consull the fourth yeare after that, hauing through Cæsars friendship obtained it before Cassius, who likewise made sute for the same: and Cæsar also, as it is reported, said in this contention, Indeed Cassius hath alleaged best reason, but yet shall he not be chosen before Brutus. Some one day accusing Brutus while he practised this con piracie, Cæsar would not heare of it, but clapping his hand on

his bodie, told them, Brutus wil looke for this skin: meaning therby, that Brutus for his vertue, deserued to rule after him, but yet, that for ambitions sake, he would not show him selfe vnthankfull or dishonorable. Now they that desired change, and wished Brutus onely their Prince and Gouernour aboue all other: they durst not come to him themselues to tell him what they would haue him to do, but in the night did cast sundrie papers into the Prætors seate where he gaue audience, and the most of them to this effect: Thou sleepest Brutus, and art not Brutus indeed. Cassius finding Brutus ambition stirred vp the more by these seditious bils, did pricke him forward, and egge him on the more, for a priuate quarell he had conceived against Caesar: the circumstance whereof, we haue set downe more at large in Brutus life. Cæsar also had Cassius in great ielousie, and suspected him much: whereupon be said on a time to his friends, what will Cassius do, think ye? I like not his pale looks. Another time when Casars friends complained vnto him of Antonius and Dolabella, that they pretended some mischiefe towards him he answered them againe, as for those fat men and smooth combed heads, quoth he, I neuer reckon of them: but these pale visaged and carion leane people, I feare them most, meaning Brutus and Cassius. Certainly, destinie may easier be foreseene, then auoided considering the strange and wonderfull signes that were said to be seene before Cæsars death. For, touching the fires in the element, and spirits running vp and downe in the night, & also the solitarie birds to be seene at noon daies sitting in the great market place: are not all these signes perhaps worth the noting, in such a wonderfull chance as happened? But Strabo the Philosopher writeth, that diuers men were seene going vp and down in fire: and furthermore, that there was a slaue of the souldiers, that did cast a maraellous burning flame out of his hand, insomuch as they that saw it, thought he had bene burnt; but when the fire was out, it was found he had no hurt. Cæsar self also doing sacrifice vnto the gods, found that one of the beasts which was sacrificed had no heart: and that was a strange thing in nature, how a beast could line without a heart. Furthermore, there was a certaine Soothsayer that had giuen Cæsar warning

long afore, to take heed of the day of the Ides of March (which is the fifteenth of the moneth), for on that day he should be in great danger. That day being come, Cesar going vnto the Senate house, and speaking merily vnto the soothsayer, told him, the Ides of Maroh be come: So they be, softly answered the Soothsayer, but yet are they not past. And the very day before, Cæsar supping with Marcus Lepidus, sealed certaine letters as he was wont to do at the boord: so talk falling out amongst them, reasoning what death was best: he preuenting their opinions, cried out aloud, death vnlooked for. Then going to bed the same night as his manner was, and lying with his wife Calpurnia, all the windows and doores of hie chamber flying open, the noise awoke him, and made him afraid when he saw such light: but more, when he heard his wife Calpurnia, being fast asleepe, weepe and sigh, and put forth many fumbling lamentable speeches: for she dreamed that Cæsar was slaine, and that she had him in her armes. Others also do denie that she had any such dreame, as amongst other, Titus Liuius writeth, that it was in this sort: The Senate hauing set vpon the top of Cæsars house for an ornament, and setting forth of the same, a certaine pinnacle: Calpurnia dreamed that she saw it broken downe, and that she thought she lamented and wept for it. Insomuch that Cæsar rising in the morning, she prayed him if it were possible, not to go out of the doores that day, but to adiorne the session of the Senate, vntill another day. And if that he made no reckoning of her dreame, yet that he would search further of the Soothsayers by their sacrifices, to know what should happen him that day. Thereby it seemed that Cæsar likewise did feare and suspect somewhat, because his wife Calpurnia vntill that time, was neuer giuen to any feare or superstition: and that then he saw her so troubled in mind with this dreame she had. But much more afterwards, when the Soothsayers hauing sacrificed many beasts one after another, told him that none did like them then he determined to send Antonius to adiorne the session of the Senate. But in the meane time came Decius Brutus, surnamed Albinus, in whom Cæsar put such confidence, that in his last will and testament he had appointed him to be his next heire, and yet was of the conspiracie with