Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/367

 MAECUS BRUTUS. 359 face in the battle, he groaned heavily, especially at the mentioning of Flavins and Labeo, the latter his lieuten- ant, and the other chief officer of his engineers. In the mean time, one of his companions, that was very thirsty and saw Brutus in the same condition, took his helmet and ran to the brook for water, when, a noise being heard from the other side of the river, Volumnius, taking Dar- danus, Brutus's. armor-bearer, with him, went out to see what it was. They returned in a short space, and en- quired about the water. Brutus, smiling with much meaning, said to Volumnius, " It is all drunk ; but you shall have some more fetched." But he that had brought the first water, being sent again, was in great danger of -being taken by the enemy, and, having received a wound, with much difficulty escaped. Now Brutus guessing that not many of his men were slain in the fight, StatylUus undertook to dash through the enemy (for there was no other way), and to see what was become of their camp ; and promised, if he found all things there safe, to hold up a torch for a signal, and then return. The torch was held up, for StatyUius got safe to the camp ; but when after a long time he did not return, Brutus said, " If StatyUius be alive, he will come back." But it hapi^ened that in his return he fell into the enemy's hands, and was slain. The night now being far sjjent, Brutus, as he was sitting, leaned his head towards his servant Clitus and spoke to him ; he answered him not, but fell a weeping. After that, he drew aside his armor-bearer, Dardaims, and had some discourse with him in private. At last, speaking to Volumnius in Greek, he reminded him of their common studies and former discipline, and begged that he would take hold of his sword with him, and help him to thrust it through him. . Volumnius put away his request, and several others did the like ; and