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Chaeactee oe beutus.
belonged to a more illustrious gens, yet Brutus was not by any
means one of those men who are raised by fortunate circum-
stances. The education, however, which he received had a great
influence upon him. His uncle Cato, whose daughter Porcia
he married—whether in Cato’s lifetime, or afterwards, is doubt-
ful—had initiated him from his early youth in the Stoic
philosophy, and had instilled into his mind a veneration for it,
as though it had been a religion. Brutus had qualities which
Cato did not possess. The latter had something of an ascetic
nature, and was, if I may say so, a scrupulously pious char-
acter; but Brutus had no such scrupulous timidity; his mind
was more flexible and loveable. Cato spoke well, but could
not be reckoned among the eloquent men of his time. Brutus’
great talents had been developed with the utmost care, and if
he had lived longer, and in peace, he would have become a
classical writer of the highest order. He had been known to
Cicero from his early age, and Cicero felt a fatherly attachment
to him; he saw in him a young man who, he hoped, would
exert a beneficial influence upon the next generation. I have
already had occasion to mention this amiable feature in the
character of Cicero, of WhichVirgilalso furnishes an example;
for after reading some of Virgil’s youthful productions, Cicero
called him “ magnae spes altera Romae .9” It was with a simi-
lar feeling that he looked upon Brutus. Caesar too had known
and loved him from his childhood ; but the stories, which are
related to account for this attachment, must be rejected as
foolish inventions of idle persons; for nothing is more natural
than that Caesar should look with great fondness upon a young
man of such extraordinary and amiable qualities. The absence
of envy was one of the distinguishing features in the character
of Caesar, as it was in that of Cicero. In the battle of Phar-
salus, Brutus served in the army of Pompey, and after the
battle he wrote a letter to Caesar, who had inquired after him ;
and when Caesar heard of his safety he was delighted, and
invited him to his camp.10 Caesar afterwards gave him the
administration of Cisalpine Gaul, where Brutus distinguished
himself in a very extraordinary manner, by his love of justice.
Cassius was related to Brutus, and had likewise belonged to
the Pompeian party; but he was very unlike Brutus: he was
much older, and a distinguished military officer. After the
9 Donatus, Vita Virgthi, p. v. eel. Burmann. 10 Plutarch, Erut. 6.
CONSPIRACY AGAINST CAESAR.
81
death of Crassus he had maintained himself as quaestor in Syria
against the Parthians, and lie enjoyed a very great reputation
in the army, but he was after all no better than an ordinary
officer of Caesar. After the battle of Pharsalus, Caesar did not
at first know whither Pompey was gone. Cassius was at the
time stationed with some galleys in the Hellespont, notwith-
standing which, Caesar with his usual boldness took a boat to
sail across that strait, and on meeting Cassius called upon him
to embrace his party. Cassius readily complied, and Caesar
forgave him11, as he forgave all his adversaries: even Marcellus,
who had mortally offended him, was pardoned at the request
of Cicero. Caesar thus endeavoured to efface all recollections
of the Civil War.
Caesar had appointed both Brutus and Cassius praetors for
that year. With the exception of the office of praetor urbanus,
which was honourable and lucrative, the praetorship was a
burdensome office, and conferred little distinction, since the
other praetors were only the presidents of the courts. Formerly
they had been elected by lot ; but the office was now altogether
in the gift of Caesar. Both Brutus and Cassius had wished for the
praetura urbana, and when Cacsar gave that office to Brutus,
Cassius was not only indignant at Caesar but began quarrelling
with Brutus also. While Cassius was in this state of exaspe-
ration, a meeting of the senate was announced for the 15th of
March, on which day, as the report went, a proposal was to be
made to offer Caesar the crown. This was a welcome opportu-
nity for Cassius, who resolved to take vengeance, for he had even
before entertained a personal hatred of Caesar, and was now
disappointed at not having obtained the city praetorship. He
first sounded Brutus, and finding that he was safe, made direct
overtures to him. During the night some one wrote on the
tribunal and the house of Brutus the words, “ Eemember that
thou art Brutus.” Brutus became reconciled to Cassius, offered
his assistance, and gained over several other persons to join
the conspiracy. All party differences seem to have vanished
all at once: two of the conspirators were old generals of
Caesar, C. Trebonius and Decimus Brutus, both of whom had
fought with him in Gaul, and against Massilia, and had been
raised to high honours by their chief. There were among the
conspirators persons of all parties. Men who had fought
” Appian, Ve Bell. Civil.il. 88; Sueton. Caes. 63; Dion Cassius, xlii. 6.
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