Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/368

 3G0 MARCUS BRUTUS. some one saying, that there was no staying there, but they needs must fly, Brutus, rising up, said, " Yes, in- deed, we must fly, but not with our feet, but with our hands." Then giving each .of them his right hand, with a countenance full of pleasure, he said, that he found an infinite satisfaction in this, that none of his friends had been false to him ; that as for fortune, he was angry with that only for his country's sake ; as for himself, he thought himself much more happy than they who had overcome, not only as he had been a little time ago, but even now in his present condition ; since he was leaving behind him such a reputation of his virtue as none of the conquerors with all their arms and riches should ever be able to acquire, no more than they could hinder posterity from believing and saying, that, being unjust and wicked men, they had destroyed the just and the good, and usurped a power to which they had no right. After this, having exhorted and entreated all about him to provide for their own safety, he withdrew from them with two or three only of liis peculiar friends ; Strato was one of these, with whom he had contracted an acquaintance when they studied rhetoric together. Him he placed next to him- self, and, taking hold of the hilt of his sword and di- recting it with both his hands, he fell upon it, and killed himself But others say, that not he himself, but Strato, at the earnest entreaty of Brutus, turning aside his head, held the sword, vipon which he violently throwing him- self, it pierced his breast, and he immediately died. This same Strato, Messala, a friend of Brutus, being after reconciled to Cresar, brought to him once at his leisure, and with tears in his eyes said, "This, Caisar, is the man that did the last friendly ofiSce to my beloved Brutus." Upon which Csesar received him kindly; and had good use of him in his labors and his battles at