Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
loss of his lions which he had procured when he was aedile elect
was one: for Caesar, finding these in Megara, when that city was
taken by Calenus, seized them to himself. These beasts, they
say, were a great calamity to the Megarians; for, when their
city was just taken, they broke open the lions' dens, and pulled
off their chains and let them loose, that they might run upon
the enemy that was entering the city; but the lions turned upon
them themselves, and tore to pieces a great many unarmed persons
running about, so that it was a miserable spectacle even to
their enemies to behold.
And this, some say, was the chief provocation that stirred up
Cassius to conspire against Caesar; but they are much in the
wrong. For Cassius had from his youth a natural hatred and
rancor against the whole race of tyrants, which he showed when
he was but a boy, and went to the same school with Faustus, the
son of Sylla; for, on his boasting himself amongst the boys, and
extolling the sovereign power of his father, Cassius rose up and
struck him two or three boxes on the ear; which when the
guardians and relations of Faustus designed to inquire into and
to prosecute, Pompey forbade them, and, sending for both the
boys together, examined the matter himself. And Cassius then is
reported to have said thus, "Come, then, Faustus, dare to speak
here those words that provoked me, that I may strike you again
as I did before." Such was the disposition of Cassius.
But Brutus was roused up and pushed on to the undertaking by
many persuasions of his familiar friends, and letters and
invitations from unknown citizens. For under the statue of his
ancestor Brutus, that overthrew the kingly government, they
wrote the words, "O that we had a Brutus now!" and, "O that
Brutus were alive!" And Brutus's own tribunal, on which he sat
as praetor, was filled each morning with writings such as these:
"You are asleep, Brutus," and, "You are not a true Brutus." Now
the flatterers of Caesar were the occasion of all this, who,
among other invidious honors which they strove to fasten upon
Caesar, crowned his statues by night with diadems, wishing to
incite the people to salute him king instead of dictator. But
quite the contrary came to pass, as I have more particularly
related in the life of Caesar.
When Cassius went about soliciting friends to engage in this
design against Caesar, all whom he tried readily consented, if
Brutus would be head of it; for their opinion was that the
enterprise wanted not hands or resolution, but the reputation
and authority of a man such as he was, to give as it were the
first religious sanction, and by his presence, if by nothing
else, to justify the undertaking; that without him they should
go about this action with less heart, and should lie under
greater suspicions when they had done it, for, if their cause
had been just and honorable, people would be sure that Brutus
would not have refused it. Cassius, having considered these
things with himself, went to Brutus, and made him the first
visit after their falling out; and after the compliments of
reconciliation had passed, and former kindnesses were renewed
between them, he asked him if he designed to be present in the
senate on the Calends of March, for it was discoursed, he said,
that Caesar's friends intended then to move that he might be
made king. When Brutus answered, that he would not be there,
"But what," says Cassius, "if they should send for us?" "It
will be my business then," replied Brutus, "not to hold my
peace, but to stand up boldly, and die for the liberty of my
country." To which Cassius with some emotion answered, "But
what Roman will suffer you to die? What, do you not know
yourself, Brutus? Or do you think that those writings that you
find upon your praetor's seat were put there by weavers and
shopkeepers, and not by the first and most powerful men of Rome?
From other praetors, indeed, they expect largesses and shows and
gladiators, but from you they claim, as an hereditary debt, the
extirpation of tyranny; they are all ready to suffer anything
on your account, if you will but show yourself such as they
think you are and expect you should be." Which said, he fell
upon Brutus, and embraced him; and after this, they parted each
to try their several friends.
Among the friends of Pompey there was one Caius Ligarius, whom
Caesar had pardoned, though accused for having been in arms
against him. This man, not feeling so thankful for having been
forgiven as he felt oppressed by that power which made him need
a pardon, hated Caesar, and was one of Brutus's most intimate
friends. Him Brutus visited, and, finding him sick, "O
Ligarius," says he, "what a time have you found out to be sick
in!" At which words Ligarius, raising himself and leaning on
his elbow, took Brutus by the hand, and said, "But, O Brutus, if
you are on any design worthy of yourself, I am well."
From this time, they tried the inclinations of all their
acquaintance that they durst trust, and communicated the secret
to them, and took into the design not only their familiar
friends, but as many as they believed bold and brave and
despisers of death. For which reason they concealed the plot
from Cicero, though he was very much trusted and as well beloved
by them all, lest, to his own disposition, which was naturally
timorous, adding now the wariness and caution of old age, by his
weighing, as he would do, every particular, that he might not
make one step without the greatest security, he should blunt the
edge of their forwardness and resolution in a business which
required all the dispatch imaginable. As indeed there were also
two others that were companions of Brutus, Statilius the
Epicurean, and Favonius the admirer of Cato, whom he left out
for this reason: as he was conversing one day with them, trying
them at a distance, and proposing some such question to be
disputed of as among philosophers, to see what opinion they were
of, Favonius declared his judgment to be that a civil war was
worse than the most illegal monarchy; and Statilius held, that,
to bring himself into troubles and danger upon the account of
evil or foolish men, did not become a man that had any wisdom or
discretion. But Labeo, who was present, contradicted them both;
and Brutus, as if it had been an intricate dispute, and
difficult to be decided, held his peace for that time, but
afterwards discovered the whole design to Labeo, who readily
undertook it. The next thing that was thought convenient, was to
gain the other Brutus, surnamed Albinus, a man of himself of no
great bravery or courage, but considerable for the number of
gladiators that he was maintaining for a public show, and the
great confidence that Caesar put in him. When Cassius and Labeo
spoke with him concerning the matter, he gave them no answer;
but, seeking an interview with Brutus himself alone, and finding
that he was their captain, he readily consented to partake in
the action. And among the others, also, the most and best were
gained by the name of Brutus. And, though they neither gave nor
took any oath of secrecy, nor used any other sacred rite to
assure their fidelity to each other, yet all kept their design
so close, were so wary, and held it so silently among
themselves, that, though by prophecies and apparitions and signs
in the sacrifices the gods gave warning of it, yet could it not
be believed.
Now Brutus, feeling that the noblest spirits of Rome for virtue,
birth, or courage were depending upon him, and surveying with
himself all the circumstances of the dangers they were to
encounter, strove indeed as much as possible, when abroad, to
keep his uneasiness of mind to himself, and to compose his
thoughts; but at home, and especially at night, he was not the
same man, but sometimes against his will his working care would
make him start out of his sleep, and other times he was taken up
with further reflection and consideration of his difficulties,
so that his wife that lay with him could not choose but take
notice that he was full of unusual trouble, and had in agitation
some dangerous and perplexing question. Porcia, as was said
before, was the daughter of Cato, and Brutus, her cousin-german,
had married her very young, though not a maid, but after the
death of her former husband, by whom she had one son, that was
named Bibulus; and there is a little book, called Memoirs of
Brutus, written by him, yet extant. This Porcia, being addicted
to philosophy, a great lover of her husband, and full of an
understanding courage, resolved not to inquire into Brutus's
secrets before she had made this trial of herself. She turned
all her attendants out of her chamber, and, taking a little
knife, such as they use to cut nails with, she gave herself a
deep gash in the thigh; upon which followed a great flow of
blood, and, soon after, violent pains and a shivering fever,
occasioned by the wound. Now when Brutus was extremely anxious
and afflicted for her, she, in the height of all her pain, spoke
thus to him: "I, Brutus, being the daughter of Cato, was given
to you in marriage, not like a concubine, to partake only in the
common intercourse of bed and board, but to bear a part in all
your good and all your evil fortunes; and for your part, as
regards your care for me, I find no reason to complain; but from
me, what evidence of my love, what satisfaction can you receive,
if I may not share with you in bearing your hidden griefs, nor
be admitted to any of your counsels that require secrecy and
trust? I know very well that women seem to be of too weak a
nature to be trusted with secrets; but certainly, Brutus, a
virtuous birth and education, and the company of the good and
honorable, are of some force to the forming our manners; and I
can boast that I am the daughter of Cato and the wife of Brutus,
in which two titles though before I put less confidence, yet now
I have tried myself, and find that I can bid defiance to pain."
Which words having spoken, she showed him her wound, and related
to him the trial that she had made of her constancy; at which he
being astonished, lifted up his hands to heaven, and begged the
assistance of the gods in his enterprise, that he might show
himself a husband worthy of such a wife as Porcia. So then he
comforted his wife.
But a meeting of the senate being appointed, at which it was
believed that Caesar would be present, they agreed to make use
of that opportunity: for then they might appear all together
without suspicion; and, besides, they hoped that all the noblest
and leading men of the commonwealth, being then assembled, as
soon as the great deed was done, would immediately stand
forward, and assert the common liberty. The very place, too,
where the senate was to meet, seemed to be by divine appointment
favorable to their purpose. It was a portico, one of those
joining the theater, with a large recess, in which there stood
a statue of Pompey, erected to him by the commonwealth, when he
adorned that part of the city with the porticos and the theater.
To this place it was that the senate was summoned for the middle
of March (the Ides of March is the Roman name for the day); as
if some more than human power were leading the man thither,
there to meet his punishment for the death of Pompey.
As soon as it was day, Brutus, taking with him a dagger, which
none but his wife knew of, went out. The rest met together at
Cassius's house, and brought forth his son, that was that day to
put on the manly gown, as it is called, into the forum; and from
thence, going all to Pompey's porch, stayed there, expecting
Caesar to come without delay to the senate. Here it was chiefly
that anyone who had known what they had purposed, would have