Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/362

 354 " MARCUS .BRUTUS. Ca3sar were much more cruel in the rewards that they gave their soldiers after victory ; for they drove out, one might almost say, all the old inhabitants of Italy, to put their soldiers in possession of other men's lands and cities. But indeed their only design and end in undertaking the war was to obtain dominion and empire, whereas Brutus, for the reputation of his virtue, could not be permitted either to overcome or save himself but with justice and honor, especially after the death of Cassius, who was gen- erally accused of having been his adviser to some things that he had done with less clemency. But now, as in a ship, when the rudder is bi-oken by a storm, the mariners fit and nail on some other piece of wood instead of it, striving against the danger not weU, but as well as in that necessity they can, so Brutus, being at the head of so great an army, in a time of such uncertainty, having no commander equal to his need, was forced to make use of those that he had, and to do and to say many things according to their advice ; which was, in effect, whatever might conduce to the bringing of Cassius's soldiers into better order. For they were very headstrong and in- tractable, bold and insolent in the camp for want of their general, but in the field cowardly and fearful, remember- ing that they had been beaten. Neither were the affairs of Ccesar and Antony in any better posture ; for they were straitened for provision, and, the camp being m a low ground, they expected to pass a very hard winter. For being driven close upon the marshes, and a great quantity of rain, as is usual in autumn, having fallen after the battle, their tents were all filled with mire and water, which through the cold- ness of the weather immediately froze. And while they were in this condition, there was news brought to them of their loss at sea.- For Brutus's fleet fell upon their ships, which were bringing a great supply of soldiers out