| LIVES OF THE NOBLE | | |
| | | |
| MARCUS | so followed and laboured of either partie, that one of them | |
| BRUTUS | put an other in sute of lawe. Brutus with his vertue and | |
| good name contended against many noble exploytes in | |
| armes, which Cassius had done against the Parthians. So | |
| Caesar after he had heard both their objections, he told his | |
| frendes with whom he consulted about this matter: Cassius | |
| cause is the juster, sayd he, but Brutus must be first pre- | |
| The first cause | ferred. Thus Brutus had the first Praetorshippe, and Cassius | |
| of Cassius | the second: who thanked not Caesar so much for the Praetor- | |
| malice against | shippe he had, as he was angrie with him for that he had | |
| Caesar. | lost. But Brutus in many other thinges tasted of the | |
| benefite of Caesars favour in any thing he requested. For if | |
| he had listed, he might have bene one of Caesars chiefest | |
| frendes, and of greatest authoritie and credit about him. | |
| Howebeit Cassius frendes did disswade him from it (for | |
| Cassius and he were not yet reconciled together sithence | |
| their first contencion and strife for the Praetorship) and | |
| prayed him to beware of Caesars sweete intisements, and | |
| to flie his tyrannicall favors: the which they sayd Caesar | |
| gave him, not to honor his vertue, but to weaken his | |
| constant minde, framing it to the bent of his bowe. Now | |
| Caesar | Caesar on the other side did not trust him overmuch, nor | |
| suspected | was not without tales brought unto him against him: | |
| Brutus. | howbeit he feared his great minde, authority, and frends. | |
| Yet on the other side also, he trusted his good nature, and | |
| fayer condicions. For, intelligence being brought him one | |
| day, that Antonius and Dolabella did conspire against him: | |
| aunswered, that these fat long heared men made him not | |
| affrayed, but the leane and whitely faced fellowes, meaning | |
| that, by Brutus and Cassius. At an other time also when | |
| one accused Brutus unto him, and bad him beware of him: | |
| Caesars saying | What, sayd he againe, clapping his hand on his brest: | |
| of Brutus. | thinke ye that Brutus will not tarie till this bodie dye? | |
| Meaning that none but Brutus after him was meete to have | |
| suche power as he had. And surelie, in my opinion, I am | |
| perswaded that Brutus might in dede have come to have | |
| bene the chiefest man of Rome, if he could have contented | |
| him selfe for a time and have bene next unto Caesar, and to | |
| have suffred his glorie and authoritie, which he had gotten | |
| 188 | |