marcus brutus-第7部分

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was　sufficient　to　keep　the　whole　interior　sea　in　their　power。　But
Cassius's　friends　dissuaded　him　from　this；　〃for；〃　said　they；　〃it　is
not　just　that　the　money　which　you　with　so　much　parsimony　keep；　and
with　so　much　envy　have　got；　should　be　given　to　him　to　be　disposed　of
in　making　himself　popular；　and　gaining　the　favour　of　the　soldiers。〃
Notwithstanding　this；　Cassius　gave　him　a　third　part　of　all　that　he
had；　and　then　they　parted　each　to　their　several　commands。　Cassius；
having　taken　Rhodes；　behaved　himself　there　with　no　clemency；　though　at
his　first　entry；　when　some　had　called　him　lord　and　king；　he　answered
that　he　was　neither　king　nor　lord；　but　the　destroyer　and　punisher　of　a
king　and　lord。　Brutus；　on　the　other　part；　sent　to　the　Lycians　to
demand　from　them　a　supply　of　money　and　men；　but　Laucrates；　their
popular　leader；　persuaded　the　cities　to　resist；　and　they　occupied
several　little　mountains　and　hills　with　a　design　to　hinder　Brutus's
passage。　Brutus　at　first　sent　out　a　party　of　horse　which；　surprising
them　as　they　were　eating；　killed　six　hundred　of　them；　and　afterward；
having　taken　all　their　small　towns　and　villages　round　about；　he　set
all　his　prisoners　free　without　ransom；　hoping　to　win　the　whole
nation　by　good…will。　But　they　continued　obstinate；　taking　in　anger
what　they　had　suffered；　and　despising　his　goodness　and　humanity；
until；　having　forced　the　most　warlike　of　them　into　the　city　of
Xanthus；　he　besieged　them　there。　They　endeavoured　to　make　their　escape
by　swimming　and　diving　through　the　river　that　flows　by　the　town；　but
were　taken　by　nets　let　down　for　that　purpose　in　the　channel；　which　had
little　bells　at　the　top；　which　gave　present　notice　of　any　that　were
taken　in　them。　After　that；　they　made　a　sally　in　the　night；　and　seizing
several　of　the　battering　engines；　set　them　on　fire；　but　being
perceived　by　the　Romans；　were　beaten　back　to　their　walls；　and　there
being　a　strong　wind；　it　carried　the　flames　to　the　battlements　of　the
city　with　such　fierceness　that　several　of　the　adjoining　houses　took
fire。　Brutus；　fearing　lest　the　whole　city　should　be　destroyed；
commanded　his　own　soldiers　to　assist　and　quench　the　fire。
　　But　the　Lycians　were　on　a　sudden　possessed　with　a　strange　and
incredible　desperation；　such　a　frenzy　as　cannot　be　better　expressed
than　by　calling　it　a　violent　appetite　to　die；　for　both　women　and
children；　the　bondmen　and　the　free；　those　of　all　ages　and　of　all
conditions　strove　to　force　away　the　soldiers　that　came　in　to　their
assistance　from　the　walls；　and　themselves　gathering　together　reeds　and
wood；　and　whatever　combustible　matter　they　found；　spread　the　fire　over
the　whole　city；　feeding　it　with　whatever　fuel　they　could；　and　by　all
possible　means　exciting　its　fury；　so　that　the　flame；　having
dispersed　itself　and　encircled　the　whole　city；　blazed　out　in　so
terrible　a　manner　that　Brutus；　extremely　afflicted　at　their
calamity；　got　on　horseback　and　rode　round　the　walls；　earnestly
desirous　to　preserve　the　city；　and　stretching　forth　his　hands　to　the
Xanthians；　begged　of　them　that　they　would　spare　themselves　and　save
the　town。　Yet　none　regarded　his　entreaties；　but；　by　all　manner　of
ways；　strove　to　destroy　themselves；　not　only　men　and　women；　but　even
boys　and　little　children；　with　a　hideous　outcry；　leaped　some　into
the　fire；　others　from　the　walls；　others　fell　upon　their　parents'
swords；　baring　their　throats　and　desiring　to　be　struck。　After　the
destruction　of　the　city；　there　was　found　a　woman　who　had　hanged
herself　with　her　young　child　hanging　from　her　neck；　and　the　torch　in
her　hand　with　which　she　had　fired　her　own　house。
　　It　was　so　tragical　a　sight　that　Brutus　could　not　endure　to　see　it；
but　wept　at　the　very　relation　of　it　and　proclaimed　a　reward　to　any
soldier　that　could　save　a　Xanthian。　And　it　is　said　that　an　hundred　and
fifty　only　were　found；　to　have　their　lives　saved　against　their
wills。　Thus　the　Xanthians　after　a　long　space　of　years；　the　fated
period　of　their　destruction　having；　as　it　were；　run　its　course；
repeated　by　their　desperate　deed　the　former　calamity　of　their
forefathers；　who　after　the　very　same　manner　in　the　Persian　war　had
fired　their　city　and　destroyed　themselves。
　　Brutus；　after　this；　finding　the　Patareans　resolved　to　make
resistance　and　hold　out　their　city　against　him；　was　very　unwilling
to　besiege　it；　and　was　in　great　perplexity　lest　the　same　frenzy
might　seize　them　too。　But　having　in　his　power　some　of　their　women；　who
were　his　prisoners；　he　dismissed　them　all　without　any　ransom；　who；
returning　and　giving　an　account　to　their　husbands　and　fathers；　who
were　of　the　greatest　rank；　what　an　excellent　man　Brutus　was；　how
temperate　and　how　just；　persuaded　them　to　yield　themselves　and　put
their　city　into　his　hands。　From　this　time　all　the　cities　round　about
came　into　his　power；　submitting　themselves　to　him；　and　found　him
good　and　merciful　even　beyond　their　hopes。　For　though　Cassius　at　the
same　time　had　compelled　the　Rhodians　to　bring　in　all　the　silver　and
gold　that　each　of　them　privately　was　possessed　of；　by　which　he
raised　a　sum　of　eight　thousand　talents；　and　besides　this　had　condemned
the　public　to　pay　the　sum　of　five　hundred　talents　more；　Brutus；　not
having　taken　above　a　hundred　and　fifty　talents　from　the　Lycians；　and
having　done　them　no　other　manner　of　injury；　parted　from　thence　with
his　army　to　go　into　Ionia。
　　Through　the　whole　course　of　this　expedition；　Brutus　did　many
memorable　acts　of　justice　in　dispensing　rewards　and　punishments　to
such　as　had　deserved　either；　but　one　in　particular　I　will　relate；
because　he　himself；　and　all　the　noblest　Romans；　were　gratified　with　it
above　all　the　rest。　When　Pompey　the　Great；　being　overthrown　from　his
great　power　by　Caesar；　had　fled　to　Egypt；　and　landed　near　Pelusium；
the　protectors　of　the　young　king　consulted　among　themselves　what　was
fit　to　be　done　on　that　occasion；　nor　could　they　all　agree　in　the
same　opinion；　some　being　for　receiving　him；　others　for　driving　him
from　Egypt。　But　Theodotus；　a　Chian　by　birth；　and　then　attending　upon
the　king　as　a　paid　teacher　of　rhetoric；　and　for　want　of　better　men
admitted　into　the　council；　undertook　to　prove　to　them　that　both
parties　were　in　the　wrong；　those　that　counselled　to　receive　Pompey；
and　those　that　advised　to　send　him　away；　that　in　their　present　case
one　thing　only　was　truly　expedient；　to　seize　him　and　to　kill　him；
and　ended　his　argument　with　the　proverb；　that　〃dead　men　don't　bite。〃
The　council　agreed　to　his　opinion；　and　Pompey　the　Great　（an　example　of
incredible　and　unforeseen　events）　was　slain；　as　the　sophister
himself　had　the　impudence　to　boast；　through　the　rhetoric　and
cleverness　of　Theodotus。　Not　long　after；　when　Caesar　came　to　Egypt；
some　of　the　murderers　received　their　just　reward　and　suffered　the　evil
death　they　deserved。　But　Theodotus；　though　he　had　borrowed　on　from
fortune　a　little　further　time　for　a　poor；　despicable；　and　wandering
life；　yet　did　not　lie　hid　from　Brutus　as　he　passed　through　Asia；　but
being　seized　by　him　and　executed；　had　his　death　made　more　memorable
than　was　his　life。
　　About　this　time；　Brutus　sent　to　Cassius　to　come　to　him　at　the　city
of　Sardis；　and；　when　he　was　on　his　journey；　went　forth　with　his
friends　to　meet　him；　and　the　whole　army　in　array　saluted　each　of
them　with　the　name　of　Imperator。　Now　（as　it　usually　happens　in
business　of　great　concern；　and　where　many　friends　and　many
commanders　are　engaged）；　several　jealousies　of　each　other　and
matters　of　private　accusation　having　passed　between　Brutus　and
Cassius；　they　resolved；　before　they　entered　upon　any　other　business；
immediately　to　withdraw　into　some　apartment；　where；　the　door　being
shut　and　they　two　alone；　they　began　first　to　expostulate；　then　to
dispute　hotly；　and　accuse　each　other；　and　finally　were　so
transported　into　passion　as　to　fall　to　hard　words；　and　at　last　burst
out　into　tears。　Their　friends　who　stood　without　were　amazed；　hearing
them　loud　and　angry；　and　feared　lest　some　mischief　might　follow；　but
yet　durst　not　interrupt　them；　being　commanded　not　to　enter　the　room。
However；　Marcus　Favonius；　who　had　been　an　ardent　admirer　of　Cato；　and；
not　so　much　by　his　learning　or　wisdom　as　by　his　wild；　vehement　manner；
maintained　the　character　of　a　philosopher；　was　rushing　in　upon　them；
but　was　hindered　by　the　attendants。　But　it　was　a　hard　matter　to　stop
Favonius；　wherever　his　wildness　hurried　him；　for　he　was　fierce　in
all　his　behaviour；　and　ready　to　do　anything　to　get　his　will。　And
though　he　was　a　senator；　yet；　thinking　that　one　of　the　least　of　his
excellences；　he　valued　himself　more　upon　a　sort　of　cynical　liberty
of　speaking　what　he　pleased；　which　sometimes；　indeed；　did　away　with
the　rudeness　and　unseasonableness　of　his　addresses　with　those　that
would　interpret　it　in　jest。　This　Favonius；　breaking　by　force　through
those　that　kept　the　doors；　entered　into　the　chamber；　and　with　a　set
voice　declaimed　the　verses　that　Homer　makes　Nestor　use…

　　　　　　　　　〃Be　ruled；　for　I　am　older　than　ye　both。〃

At　this　Cassius　laughed；　but　Brutus　thrust　him　out；　calling　him
impudent　dog　and　counterfeit　Cynic；　but　yet　for　the　present　they　let
it　put　an　end　to　their　dispute；　and　parted。　Cassius　made　a　supper　that
night；　and　Brutus　invited　the　guests；　and　when　they　were　set　down；
Favonius；　having　bathed；　came　in　among　them。　Brutus　called　out　aloud
and　told　him　he　was　not　invited；　and　bade　him　go　to　the　upper　couch；
but　he　violently　thrust　himself　in；　and　lay　down　on　the　middle　one；
and　the　entertainment　passed　in　sportive　talk；　not　wanting　either
wit　or　philosophy。
　　The　next　day　after；　upon　the　accusation　of　the　Sardians；　Brutus
publicly　disgraced　and　condemned　Lucius　Pella；　one　that　had　been
censor　of　Rome；　and　employed　in　offices　of　trust　by　himself；　for
having　embezzled　the　public　money。　This　action　did　not　a　little　vex
Cassius；　for　but　a　few　days　before；　two　of　his　own　friends　being
accused　of　the　same　crime；　he　only　admonished　them　in　private；　but
in　public　absolved　them；　and　continued　them　in　his　service；　and　upon
this　occasion　he　accused　Brutus　of　too　much　rigour　and　severity　of
justice　in　a　time　which　required　them　to　use　more　policy　and　favour。
But　Brutus　bade　him　remember　the　Ides　of　March；　the　day　when　they
killed　Caesar；　who　hims