Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/333

 MARCUS BRUTUS. 325 venture to come himself; however, in his absence there were most magnificent and costly shows exhibited to the people; for, having bought up a great number of all sorts of wild beasts, he gave order that not any of them should be returned or saved, but that all should be spent freely at the public spectacles. He himself made a journey to Naples to procure a considerable number of players, and hearing of one Canutius, that was very much praised for his acting upon the stage, he wrote to his friends to use all their entreaties to bring him to Rome (for, being a Grecian, he could not be compelled ) ; he wrote also to Cicero, begging him by no means to omit being present at the shows. This was the posture of affairs when another sudden alteration was made upon the 3'oung Csesar's coming to Eome. He was son to the niece of Caesar, who adopted him, and left him his heir by his will. At the time when Caesar was killed, he was follo^ving hLs studies at Apol- lonia, where he was expecting also to meet Caesar on his way to the expedition which he had determined on against the Parthians ; but, hearing of his death, he im- mediately came to Rome, and, to ingratiate himself with the people, taking upon himself the name of Caesar, and pimctualh' distributing among the citizens the money that was left them by the will, he soon got the better of Antony ; and by money and largesses, which he liberally dispersed amongst the soldiers, he gathered together and brought over to his party a great number of those that had served under Caesar. Cicero himself, out of the hatred which he bore to Antony, sided with young Caesar; which Brutus took so ill that he treated with him very sharply in his letters, telling him, that he per- ceived Cicero could well enough endure a tyrant, but was afraid that he who hated him should be the man ; that in writing and speaking so well of Caesar, he