reporteth, that he supped by himself [privately] in his tent with a few of his friends, and that all supper time he looked very sadly, and was full of thoughts, although it was against his nature; and that after supper he took him by the hand, and holding him fast, in token of kindness as his manner was, told him in Greek: Messala, I protest unto thee, and make thee my witness, that I am compelled against my mind and will, as Pompey the Great was, to jeopard the liberty of our country to the hazard of a battle. And yet we must be lively and of good courage, considering our good fortune, whom we should wrong too much to mistrust her, although we follow evil counsel. Messala writeth that Cassius having spoken these last words unto him, he bade him farewell, and willed him to come to supper to him the next night following, because it was his birth-day. The next morning by break of day, the signal of 55 battle was set out in Brutus' and Cassius' camp, which was an arming scarlet coat; and both the chieftains spake together in the midst of their armies. There Cassius began to speak first, 56 and said, The gods grant us, O Brutus, that this day we may win the field, and ever after to live all the rest of our life quietly one with another. But, sith the gods have so ordained it, that the greatest and chiefest things amongst men are most uncertain, and that if the battle fall out otherwise to-day than we wish or look for, we shall hardly meet again, what art thou then determined to do,-to fly, or die? Brutus answered him : Being yet but a young man, and not over greatly experienced in the world, I trust* (I know not how) a certain rule of philosophy, by the which I did greatly blame and reprove Cato for killing himself, as being no lawful nor godly act, touching the gods; nor concerning men, valiant;~not to give place and yield to divine providence, and not constantly and patiently to take whatsoever it pleaseth him to send us, but to draw back and fly. But being now in the midst of the danger, I am of a contrary mind; for, if it be not the will of God that this battle fall out fortunate for us, I will look no more for hope, neither seek to make any new supply for war again, but will rid me of

*More correctly, trusted.

this miserable world, and content me with my fortune. For I gave up my life for my country in the ides of March, for the which I shall live in another more glorious world.”

"Then Brutus prayed Cassius he might have the leading of the right wing, the which men thought was far meeter for Cassius, both because he was the elder man, and also for that he had the better experience. But yet Cassius gave it him, and willed that Messala (who had charge of one of the warlikest legions they had) should be also in that wing with 57 Brutus. In the mean time Brutus, that had the right wing, sent little bills to the colonels and captains of private bands, in the which he wrote the word of the battle."

58

"Cassius was marvellous angry to see how Brutus' men ran to give charge upon their enemies, and tarried not for the word of the battle, nor commandment to give charge; and it grieved him beside, that after he had overcome them, his men fell straight to spoil, and were not careful to compass in the rest of the enemies behind; but, with tarrying too long also, more than through the valiantness or foresight of the captains his enemies, Cassius found himself compassed in with the right wing of his enemy's army; whereupon his horsemen brake 59 immediately, and fled for life towards the sea. Furthermore, perceiving his footmen to give ground, he did what he could to keep them from flying, and took an ensign from one of the ensign-bearers that fled, and stuck it fast at his feet, although with much ado he could scant keep his own guard together. 60 So Cassius himself was at length compelled to fly, with a few about him, unto a little hill, from whence they might easily see what was done in all the plain. Howbeit, Cassius himself saw nothing, for his sight was very bad, saving that he saw (and yet with much ado) how the enemies spoiled his camp before his eyes. He saw also a great troop of horsemen, whom Brutus sent to aid him, and thought that they were his enemies that followed him; but yet he sent Titinius, one of them that was with him, to go and know what they were. Brutus' horsemen saw him coming afar off, whom when they knew that he was one of Cassius' chiefest friends, they shouted out for joy;

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and they that were familiarly acquainted with hin lighted from their horses, and went and embraced him. The rest compassed him in round about on horseback, with songs of victory, and great rushing of their harness, so that they made all the field ring again for joy. But this marred all. For Cassius, thinking indeed that Titinius was taken of the enemies, he then spake these words: Desiring too much to live, I have lived to see one of my best friends taken, for my sake, before my face. After that, he got into a tent where nobody was, and 61 took Pindarus with him, one of his bondmen whom he reserved ever for such a pinch, since the cursed battle of the Parthians where Crassus was slain, though he notwithstanding scaped from that overthrow: but then casting his cloak over his head, and holding out his bare neck unto Pindarus, he gave him his head to be stricken off. So the head was found severed from the body; but after that time Pindarus was never seen more; whereupon some took occasion to say that he had slain his master without his commandment. By and by they knew the 62 horsemen that came towards them, and might see Titinius crowned with a garland of triumph, who came before with great speed unto Cassius. But when he perceived, by the cries and tears of his friends which tormented themselves, the misfortune which had chanced to his captain Cassius by mistaking, he drew out his sword, cursing himself a thousand times that he had tarried so long, and so slew himself presently in the field. Brutus in the mean time came forward still, and under- 63 stood also that Cassius had been overthrown; but he knew nothing of his death, till he came very near to his camp. So when he was come thither, after he had lamented the death of Cassius, calling him the last of all the Romans: being impossible that Rome should ever breed again so noble and valiant a man as he he caused his body to be buried, and sent it to the city of Thassos, fearing lest his funerals within his camp should cause great disorder."

"There was the son of Marcus Cato slain, valiantly fighting 64 among the lusty youth. For notwithstanding that he was very weary and over-harried, yet would he not therefore fly, but

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manfully fighting and laying about him, telling aloud his name, and also his father's name, at length he was beaten down amongst many other dead bodies of his enemies which he had slain round about him."

"There was one of Brutus' friends called Lucilius, who seeing a troop of barbarous men making no reckoning of all men else they met in their way, but going altogether right against Brutus, he determined to stay them with the hazard of his life, and being left behind, told them that he was Brutus; and because they should believe him, he prayed them to bring him to Antonius, for he said he was afraid of Cæsar, and that he did trust Antonius better. These barbarous men being very glad of this good hap, and thinking themselves happy men, they carried him in the night, and sent some before unto Antonius to tell him of their coming. He was marvellous glad of it, and went out to meet them that brought him.

Lucilius was brought to him, who with a bold countenance said, Antonius, I dare assure thee that no enemy hath taken, or shall take, Marcus Brutus alive; and I beseech God keep him from that fortune; but wheresoever he be found, alive or dead, he will be found like himself. Lucilius' words made them all amazed that heard him. Antonius, on the other side, looking upon all them that had brought him, said unto them, My friends, I think ye are sorry you have failed of your purpose, and that you think this man hath done great wrong; but I assure you, you have taken a better booty than that you followed; for, instead of an enemy, you have brought me a friend: and for my part, if you had brought me Brutus alive, truly I cannot tell what I should have done to him; for I had rather have such men as this my friends than my enemies. Then he embraced Lucilius, and at that time delivered him to one of his friends in custody; and Lucilius ever after served him faithfully, even to his death.”

"Brutus thought that there was no great number of men slain in battle; and, to know the truth of it, there was one called Statilius that promised to go through his enemies, (for otherwise it was impossible to go see their camp,) and from thence, if all were well, that he would lift up a torch-light in the air,

and then return again with speed to him. The torch-light was lift up as he had promised, for Statilius went thither. Now, Brutus seeing Statilius tarry long after that, and that he came not again, he said, If Statilius be alive, he will come again. But his evil fortune was such that, as he came back, he lighted in his enemies' hands and was slain. Now, the 67 night being far spent, Brutus, as he sat, bowed towards Clitus, one of his men, and told him somewhat in his ear: the other answered him not, but fell a weeping. Thereupon he proved Dardanus, and said somewhat also to him. At length he came to Volumnius himself, and speaking to him in Greek, prayed him, for the studies' sake which brought them acquainted together, that he would help him to put his hand to his sword to thrust it in him to kill him. Volumnius denied his request; 68 and so did many others. And amongst the rest one of them said there was no tarrying for them there, but that they must needs fly; then Brutus rising up, we must fly indeed, said he, but it must be with our hands, not with our feet. Then taking every man by the hand, he said these words unto them with a cheerful countenance: It rejoiceth my heart, that not one of my friends hath failed me at my need; and I do not complain of my fortune but only for my country's sake: for as for me, I think myself happier than they that have overcome, considering that I have a perpetual fame of our courage and manhood, the which our enemies the conquerors shall never attain unto by force nor money, neither can let [hinder] their posterity to say that they being naughty and unjust men, have slain good men, to usurp 69 tyrannical power not pertaining to them. Having said so, he prayed every man to shift for themselves; and then he went a little aside with two or three only, among the which Strato was one, with whom he came first acquainted by the study of rhetoric. He came as near to him as he could, and taking his sword by the hilts with both his hands, and falling down upon the point of it, ran himself through. Others say that not he, but Strato at his request, held the sword in his hand, and turned his head aside, and that Brutus fell down upon it and so ran himself through and died presently. Messala that had been Brutus' great friend, became afterwards Octavius Cæsar's