| GRECIANS AND ROMANS | |
| | |
| yeare: who running naked up and downe the citie annointed | MARCUS |
| with the oyle of olyve, for pleasure do strike them they | ANTONIUS |
| meete in their way, with white leather thongs they have | |
| in their hands. Antonius being one amonge the rest that | |
| was to ronne, leaving the auncient ceremonies and old cus- | |
| tomes of that solemnitie: he ranne to the Tribune where | |
| Caesar was set, and caried a laurell crowne in his hand, having | |
| a royall band or diademe wreathed about it, which in old | |
| time was the auncient marke and token of a king. When | |
| he was come to Caesar, be made his fellow ronners with him | |
| lift him up, and so he did put this laurell crowne upon his | Antonius |
| head, signifying thereby that he had deserved to be king. | Lupercian |
| But Caesar making as though he refused it, turned away his | putteth the |
| heade. The people were so rejoyced at it, that they all | diademe upon |
| clapped their hands for joy. Antonius againe did put it | Caesars head. |
| on his head: Caesar againe refused it, and thus they were | |
| striving of and on a great while together. As oft as Antonius | |
| did put this laurell crowne unto him, a fewe of his followers | |
| rejoyced at it: and as oft also as Caesar refused it, all the | |
| people together clapped their hands. And this was a wonder- | |
| full thing, that they suffered all things subjects should doe | |
| by commaundement of their kings: and yet they could not | |
| abide the name of a king, detesting it as the utter destruc- | |
| tion of their liberty. Caesar in a rage rose out of his seate, | |
| and plucking downe the choller of his gowne from his necke, | |
| he shewed it naked, bidding any man strike of his head that | |
| would. This laurel crowne was afterwards put upon the | |
| head of one of Caesars statues or images, the which one of | |
| the Tribunes pluckt of. The people liked his doing therein | |
| so well, that they wayted on him home to his house, with | |
| great clapping of hands. Howbeit Caesar did turne them | |
| out of their offices for it. This was a good incoragement | Brutus and |
| for Brutus and Cassius to conspire his death, who fel into a | Cassius con- |
| consort with their trustiest friends, to execute their enter- | spire Caesars |
| prise: but yet stood doubtful whether they should make | death. |
| Antonius privy to it or not. Al the rest liked of it, saving | |
| Trebonius only. He told them, that when they rode to | |
| meete Caesar at his returne out of Spayne, Antonius and | |
| he alwaies keeping company, and lying together by the way, | |
| 13 | |