Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/163

 ANTONY. The grandfather of Antony was the famous pleader, whom Marius put to death for having taken part with Sylla. His father was Antony, surnamed of Crete, not very famous or distinguished in pubHc hfe, but a worthy, good man, and particularly remarkable for his liberality, as may appear from a single example. He was not very rich, and was for that reason checked in the exercise of his good-nature by his wife. A friend that stood in need of money came to borrow of him. Money he had n<Joe, but he bade a servant bring him water in a silver basin, with which, when it was brought, he wetted his face, as if he meant to shave ; and, sending away the servant upon another errand, gave his friend the basin, desiring him to turn it to his purpose. And when there was, afterwards, a great inquiry for it in the house, and his wife was in a very ill humoi', and was going to put the servants one "by one to the search, he acknowledged what he had done, and begged her pardon. His wife was Julia, of the family of the Coesars, who, for her discretion and fair behavior, was not inferior to ahy of her time. Under her, Antony received his edu- cation, she being, after the death of his father, remarried to Cornelius Lentulus, who was put to death by Cicero (165)