| LIVES OF THE NOBLE | | |
| | | |
| MARCUS | thought that they were his enemies that followed him: but | |
| BRUTUS | yet he sent Titinnius, one of them that was with him, to | |
| goe and know what they were. Brutus horsemen sawe him | |
| comming a farre of, whom when they knewe that he was | |
| one of Cassius chiefest frendes, they showted out for joy: | |
| and they that were familiarly acquainted with him, lighted | |
| from their horses, and went and imbraced him. The rest | |
| compassed him in rounde about a horsebacke, with songs of | |
| victorie and great rushing of their harnes, so that they | |
| made all the field ring againe for joy. But this marred all. | |
| The import- | For Cassius thinking in deede that Titinnius was taken of | |
| ance of error | the enemies, he then spake these wordes: Desiring too much | |
| and mistak- | to live, I have lived to see one of my best frendes taken, for | |
| ing in warres. | my sake, before my face. After that, he gotte into a tent | |
| where no bodie was, and tooke Pyndarus with him, one of | |
| his freed bondmen, whom he reserved ever for suche a | |
| pinche, since the cursed battell of the Parthians, where | |
| Crassus was slaine, though he notwithstanding scaped from | |
| that overthrow: but then casting his cloke over his head, | |
| Cassius slaine | and holding out his bare neck unto Pindarus, he gave him | |
| by his man | his head to be striken of. So the head was found severed | |
| Pindarus. | from the bodie: but after that time Pindarus was never | |
| seene more. Wherupon, some tooke occasion to say, that | |
| he had slaine his master without his commaundement. By | |
| and by they knew the horsemen that came towards them, | |
| and might see Titinnius crowned with a garland of triumphe, | |
| who came before with great speede unto Cassius. But when | |
| he perceived by the cries and teares of his frends which | |
| tormented them selves, the misfortune that had chaunced to | |
| his Captaine Cassius, by mistaking: he drew out his sword, | |
| cursing him selfe a thowsand times that he had taried so | |
| The death of | long, and so slue him selfe presentlie in the fielde. Brutus | |
| Titinnius. | in the meane time came forward still, and understoode also | |
| that Cassius had bene overthrowen: but he knew nothing of | |
| his death, till he came verie neere to his campe. So when | |
| he was come thither, after he had lamented the death of | |
| Cassius, calling him the last of all the Romanes, being | |
| unpossible that Rome should ever breede againe so noble | |
| and valliant a man as he: he caused his bodie to be buried, | |
| 226 | |