Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/361

 MARCUS. BRUTUS. 353 lives and slaves, but with him freemen and citizens of Eome. But he was forced to hide and help them to escape privately, perceiving that his friends and officers were bent upon revenge against them. Among the captives there was one Volumnius, a player, and Sacculio, a buffoon ; of these Brutus took no manner of notice, but his friends brought them before him, and accused them that even then in that condition they did not re- frain from their jests and scurrilous language. Brutus, havipg his mind taken up with other affairs, said nothing to their accusation ; but the judgment of Messala Corvi- nus was, that they should be whipped publicly upon a stage, and so sent naked to the captains of the enemy, to show them what sort of fellow drinkers and compan- ions they took with them on their campaigns. At this some that were present laughed ; and Publias Casca, he that gave the first wound to Cassar, said, " We do ill to jest and make merry at the funeral of Cassius. But you, Brutus," he added, " wUl show what esteem you have for the memory of that general, according as you punish or preserve alive those who will scoff and speak shame- fully of him." To this Brutus, in great discomposure, replied, " Why then, Casca, do you ask me about it, and not do yourselves what you think fitting ? " This answer of Brutus was taken for his consent to the death of these wretched men ; so they were carried away and slain. After this he gave the soldiers the reward that he had promised them; and having slightly rejoroved them for having fallen upon the enemy in disorder without the word of battle or command, he promised them, that if they behaved themselves bravely in the next engage- ment, he would give them up two cities to spoil and plunder, Thessalonica and Laceda3mori. This is the one indefensible thing of all that is €ouud fault with in the life of Brutus; though true it may be that Antony and VOL. V. 23