Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/356

 348 MARCUS BRUTUS. amazed when they heard the confused and great outcry that came from the trenches. In the meanwhile Brutua had sent his tickets, in which was the word of battle, to the officers ; and himself riding about to all the troops, encouraged the soldiers ; but there were but few of them that understood the word before they engaged ; the most of them, not staying to have it delivered to them, with one impulse and cry ran upon the enemy. This disorder caused an unevenness in the line, and the legions got severed and divided one from another ; that of Messala first, and afterwards the other adjoining, went beyond the left wing of Caesar ; and having just touched the ex- tremity, without slaughtering any great number, passing round that wing, fell directly into Cassar's camp. Caesar himself, as his own memoirs tell us, had but just before been conveyed away, Marcus Artorius, one of his friends, having had a dream bidding Caesar be carried out of the camp. And it was believed that he was slain ; for the soldiers had pierced his litter, which was left empty, in many jilaces with their darts and pikes. There was a great slaughter in the camp that was taken, and two thousand Lacedtemonians that were newly come to the assistance of Csesar were all cut off together. The rest of the army, that had not gone round but had engaged the front, easily overthrew them, finding them in great disorder, and slew upon the place three legions ; and being carried on with the stream of victory, pursuing those that tied, fell into the camp with them, Brutus him- self being there. But they that were conquered took the advantage in their extremity of what the conquerers did not consider. For they fell upon that j^art of the main body which had been left exposed and separa- ted, where the right wing had broke off from them and hurried away in the pursuit ; yet they could not break into the midst of their battle, but were received with