his enemies opportunity to strengthen themselves against him He therefore commanded his Captains to go before and to take in the City of Ariminum a great City on this side the Alps with as little bloodshed as might be Then committing the rest of those Souldiers which he had with him to Hortensius he spent a whole day in seeing the sword players exercise before him At night he went unto his lodging where having bathed himself a little he came into the Hall and made merry with those whom he had bidden to supper Then rising from the Table he prayed his Guests to be merry and he would come again to them presently howbeit he had secretly before directed his most trusty Friends to follow him not all together but some one way some another Himself in the mean time took a Coach that he had hired and pretending at first to go another way he suddenly turned towards Ariminum But when he came to the River of Rubicorn which divides the hither Gaul from Italy he suddenly made a stop for if he once passed that there could be no hope of peace considering with himself of what importance this passage was and what miseries would ensue upon it Some say that he spake thus to his Friends Doubtlesse if I forbear to pass over this River it will be the beginning of my ruine if I passe it the ruine will be generall Then turning towards the River he said It is yet in our power to turn back but if we passe the River we must make our way with our Weapons Some say that Coesar standing thus doubtfull he was encouraged by the apparition of a man of a very great stature piping upon a reed whereupon many of the Souldiers and some Trumpetters went neer to hear him and that he catching one of their Trumpets leaped into the River sounding to the Battel with a mighty blast and so passed on to the farther side of the River Whereupon Caesar with a furious resolution cryed out Let us go whether the Gods and the injurious dealing of our enemies do call us The Dice are cast I have set up my Rest Come what will of it After which he set spurs to his Horse and passed the River his Army following him Caesar having passed the River and drawn his Army together he made an Oration to them shedding some tears and tearing his Garment down the Breast laying before them the equity of his cause and craying their assistance To whom having with a generall applause and consent made answer that they were ready to obey his will he presently marched on and came the next day to Ariminum upon which he seized The like he did to all the Towns and Castles as he passed on till he came to Corfinium which was held by Domitius who in a factious tumult had been nominated for his successour in the Government of Gaul This being taken he pardoned the Souldiers and Inhabitants and used Domitius kindly giving him leave to depart who went straight to Pompey by which clemency he purchased to himself much honour These thirty Cohorts he kept with him Caesars resolution being known at Rome it troubled Pompey amazed the Senate and terrified the common People Pompey now found himself deceived who before could not believe that Caesar would thrust himself into so great danger or that he could be able to raise sufficient forces to resist him but the success proved otherwise For though Pompey had authority from the Consuls and Senate to leavy Souldiers to call home his Legions and to send Captains for the defence of those Cities in Italy by which Caesar should passe yet all this was not sufficient to resist his fury and the power that he brought with him The fame of Caesars comming increasing daily Pompey with the whole Senate left Rome going to Capua and from thence to Brundusium a Sea Town seated at the mouth of the Gulph of Vinicâ— where he ordered the Consuls to passe to Dyrrachium now Durazzo a Sea Town of Macedonia there to unite all their forces being out of hope to resist Caesar in Italy who had already taken Corfinium where having drawn Domitius's thirty Cohorts to serve him he marched on and hearing that Pompey and the Consuls were at Brundusium he hasted towards them with his Legions with all possible speed But Pompey though he had fortified the Town sufficiently for his defence yet when Caesar began to invest the Town he imbarked himself and his men in the night time and so passed over to Dyrrachium to the Consuls Thus Caesar injoyed Italy without opposition yet was he doubtfull what to resolve on He would gladly have followed Pompey but wanted Shipping and it being Winter he knew that Ships could not be procured so soon as was requisite and considering with all that it was not safe to leave an enemy behind him which might cause an alteration in France or Italy he resolved first to go into Spain which held for Pompey and where he had his best Legions under the command of Petreius and Afranius saying to his Friends Let us go against an Army which wants a Captain and afterwards we will go against a Captain that wants an Army For Pompeys Souldiers in Spain were very valiant and had been long exercised in Armes but their Commanders were neither Politick nor expert in War But on the contrary Pompey was a most Wise and Valiant Captain but his Souldiers were newly levied and of small experience Caesar returning from Brundusium in sixty dayes space became Lord of all Italy and when he came to Rome the People were in great fear remembring the Miseries they had suffered under Sylla But Caesar using his accustomed clemency hurt no man high nor low He called the Senators together which remained there comforting them with milde and good words and laying the whole fault upon Pompey he fought to justifie his own cause declaring how much he desired Peace with all requsting that Abassadours might be sent to Pompey to procure the same And causing himself presently to be chosen Consul he opened the Treasury though Metellus one of the Tribunes of the people opposed him and the Treasure which he took from thence which was very great he distributed amongst his Souldiers Then was he desirous to go into Spain first taking order for the Civill Government and making choise of the Legions which should go with him he left the rest in Brundusium and Otranto and other strong places upon the Sea Coast to keep Pompey from landing if he should attempt to return into Italy He also made Hortensius and Dolabella his Captaines to provide Shipping to be brought into the Port of Brundusium there to be in a readinesse against his return from Spain Quintus Valerius he sent with a Legion into Sardinia against Marcus Cotta which held the same for Pompey To Sicily he sent Curius and Marcus Cate with direction that having taken the same he should passe over into Africk
men in Rome that conspired to murther Caesar of which the principle were Decius Marcus Brutus Caius Cassius Gaius Casca Attilius Cimber Servius Galba Quintus Ligarius Marcus Spurius c. who after diverse consultations concluded to kill him upon the Ides of March which was the fifteenth day of that moneth in the Temple where the Senators were to sit that day Yet Brutus was held to be Caesars Son and had received great honours and many favours from him This conspiracy was kept so secret notwithstanding the great number of them that there was not any one found that discovered the same But there were so many signes and Prodigies and to himself there happened so many forewarnings that without knowing any cause all men were of opinion that Caesars Death was neere at hand Spurina also who was his Southsayer forewarned him to look to himself till the Ides of March were past for that his Life was in great danger And Caesars own Wife intreated him upon her knees that he would not that day go to the Senate For shee had dreamed that he lay dead in her lap These and such like warnings prevailed so far with him that he was about to send to Mark Anthony to make his excuse and to put off the Senate to another day But what God hath determined must come to passe and therefore Brutus being present advised him by no meanes to discover any such fear and so he resolved to go Caesar made small account of Death and said That as for himself he had won power and fame and glory enough and that at no time he could die with greater honour And some discoursing the night before he was slaine what Death was best Even that qouth he which is sudden and least prepensed The fifteenth of March being come he went from his House in a Litter towards the Senate and as he passed along the street there was a Petition delivered to him wherein was set down in writing all that was concluded in this conspiracy and he which gave it prayed him to read it presently which he began to doe but there came so many to speake to him that he could make no farther progresse and this Paper was found in his hand when he was dead As he passed on he met with Spurina the Southsayer and pleasantly jesting he said to him Dost thou not know Spurina that the Ides of March are come Yea answered Spurina and I know that they are not yet past When he came to the Temple where the Senators met he alighted from his Litter and went in and having first done Sacrifice according to the custome which all that saw persaged to be fatall and infortunate he sat him down in his Chair and Brutus Albinus entertaining Mark Anthony at the door with discourse one of the Conspirators whose name was Celer came to Caesar under a pretence to intreat him to release a Brother of his from Banishment and presently all the rest of the conspirators drew neere to his Chair which when Caesar saw thinking that they had all come for the same purpose he said unto them what force is this and at that instant one of them whose name was Casca beginning they all drew their poyniards and Swords which they had privately under their Gowns and began to wound him The first blow he received Casca gave him in the throat At which Caesar said aloude What dost thou Traitor Casca and wresting the Poyniard out of his hand he arose and stabbed Casca through the Arme and being about to strike him again he was prevented by the many wounds which the others gave him wilest with great force and courage he leaped from one side to the other to defend himself But when he saw Marcus Brutus with his drawn Sword in his hand wherewith he had already wounded him in the Thigh he was much amazed and said in the Greek Tongue Why how now Son Brutus And thou also And having so said seeing so many weapons bent against him and that no body came to his rescue he remembred to keep the honour of his person with his right hand he covered his Head with part of his Robe and with his left hand girt himself and setled his cloathes about him and being so covered he fell down to the ground having received three and twenty wounds and it happened that his fall was at the foot of the seat on which Pompeys Statue stood So in this manner died one of the most Mighty Worthy Valient Wise and most successfull Princes and Captaines that ever was in the World For his excellencies abilities invincible mind incomparable courage the Battels which he fought and Victories which he obtained The Provinces Kings and Nations which he subdued His Counsels Policies and Stratagems and bold attempts his Magnanimity clemency and bounty both to the conquered and Conquerors the great designes which he had proposed to himself a little before he was slaine being all well weighed and considered it will plainly appear that in none of those things aforesaid nor in any other that may be said of him there hath been any Heathen King or Captain that ever excelled him And setting apart his ambition and desire of rule he was onely noted and blamed for being too much given to women Caesar was thus slaine in the fifty sixth year of his age a little more than four years after the Death of Pompey in the seven hundred and tenth year after the building of Rome and about fourty and two years before the Incarnation of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Caesar left behind him neither Son nor Daughter legitimate at the time of his Death For though he had been four severall times married yet he had but one only Daughter named Julia that was married to Pompey and dyed before him Wherefore by his last Will he adopted for his Son and made his Heire in the Dodrant that is in nine parts of twelve of his goods his Nephew Octavius Caesar after wards called Octavianus Augustus who was the Son of Acia his neece and of Octavius Praetor of Macedonia which Octavius at this time was by the commandment of his Uncle in the City of Apollonia in the Province of Epirus where he applied himself to his studies staying for him there thence to go with him to the Parthian War being now about seventeen years of age Caesar being thus slaine the newes of it ran presently all over the City and the tumult therein was so great that no man knew what to doe or say All Offices ceased the Temples were all shut up and every man was amazed Caesars Friends were affraid of those that slew him and they as much feared his Friends Brutas Cassius and the other Conspirators and others that joyned with them seeing the great tumult durst not go to their Houses nor prosecute their other designs for fear of Mark Anthony and Lepidus whereof the one was Consul and the other Generall of the
he liked not of this challenge he would stay for him with his Army in the Fields of Pharsalia in the same place where Julius Caesar fought with Cneius Pompey These Messages passing between them without effect Anthony drew his Army by Land and his Navy by Sea towards Italy and Octavian imbarked his Legions at Brundusium and crossed the Sea to a place called Torma in the Province of Epire now called Romania and after some notable exploits performed the two Armies drew neer together as also did the Navies Octavians Navy consisted of two hundred and fifty Galleys but better armed and swifter then were Mark Anthonies though his were more in number And Mark Anthony being perswaded by Cleopatra who in this also was the cause of his ruine thereby to have the better meanes to fly if the Battell should be lost would needs try his Fortune in a Sea fight though his Army by Land had a great advantage over the other Anthony chose twenty two thousand out of his Army and put them aboard his Fleet and Octavian who refused not the Sea-fight made his provision also and so shipping himself in his Galleys he committed the charge of his Land Army to Taurus and Anthony left his Land Forces with Canidius and in the sight of both the Armies these two brave Captaines which the best Navies in the World took the Seas where they fought for no lesse then the Empire of the World Yet was the Fight deferred for three dayes in dispite of both parties the Seas rising so high that they could not Govern their Vessels The fourth Day they came to an encounter at a Cape called Accius in Epire not far from the place where their Land Armies stood The Battell was one of the most cruelest that ever was heard of and lasted ten hours before Octavian obtained the Victory though Mark Anthony staid not so long in the fight For Cleopatra in the greatest fury of the Battell fled away in her Galley whom seventy of her other Galleys followed and unfortunate Mark Anthony who all his life time hitherto had been a valiant and brave Captain seeing Cleopatra fly on whom he had fixed his eyes and heart shifting out of his own Galley into a lighter followed her without regard of his Armies either by Sea or Land and overtaking her went abord her Galley wherein he sailed three dayes with out either seeing or speaking with her being confounded with shame for shewing so much weaknesse and at last they arrived in the Port of Alexandria in Aegypt His Navy which he left fighting though now Headlesse and without a Captain yet continued to make gallant resistance till five thousand of them were slaine and at last they were overcome rather for want of a Commander then through any force of an enemy though Octavians light and swift Galleys were a great help to him and so he remained Conquerour and granted life and pardon to the Conquered getting into his hands three hundred of their Galleys In Anthonies Army by Land there wanted neither courage nor constancy to their Generall though he had so unworthily deserted them and therefore they continued seven dayes in their Camp ready to give Battell without accepting any composition from the enemy and they would have staid longer had not Canidius their Captaine abused his trust flying secretly from the Camp to seek Anthony whereupon the Army being destitute of a Generall yeilded to the enemy who admitted them into his own Army being nineteen Legions of Foot and twelve thousand Horse The Senators Knights and Noble men that had served Anthony many of them he fined in great summs of Money many he put to death and some he pardoned Then did Caesar sail to Athens and being pacified with the Greeks he distributed the Corne that was left in the War to the Cities that were afflicted with Famine and that were despoiled of their Money Servants and Horses And Anthony being arrived in Aegypt chose out one good Ship of good burden and fraught with store of Treasure and rich Plate of Gold and Silver and gave it to his Friends intreating them to divide it amongst them and to shift for themselves and he wrote to Theophilus the Governour of Corinth that he would provide them an hiding place till they might make their Peace with Caesar. And Caesar of the spoiles of the enemy dedicated ten Ships ' to Apollo Actius Anthony being come into Africk went into a desart place wandering up and down only accompanied with two Friends and after a while he sent to the Generall of the Army which he had formerly raised for the defence of Aegypt but he slew his messengers and said that he would not obey Anthony whereupon he had thought to have killed himself but being hindred by his Friends he went to Alexandria and after a while he built him an House in the Sea by the Isle of Pharos and there lived from the Company of all men saying That he would live the life of Timon the Man-hater because he was abused by his Friends and had experience of their ingratitude and he called this house Timonion Yet at length he left this place and went to the Pallace where he spent his time in Feasting and jollity And Cleopatra got together diverse sorts of deadly poisons of poisonsome Creatures whereof she made triall upon many condemned persons and amongst all she liked the biting of the Aspe best for it brought a sleepinesse without any contraction of the members or groaning onely causing a gentle sweating of the face and a languishing stupidity of the senses At Rome many things were decreed in honour of Caesar for this Victory at Sea First a Triumph was granted him for Cleopatra and a Triumphal Arch was erected at Brundusium and another at Rome The base of the Julian Temple was adorned with the Beakes of the Shipshe had taken There were Playes decreed to be kept every fifth year in honour of him Processions were always to be made on his Birth day and on the day wherein the newes of his Victory was first brought That the vestall Virgins the Senate with their Wives and Children should go and meet him at his returne that all the Ornaments of Anthony should be demolished and cast down that his birth day should be accounted unlucky and that none of his Famely should ever have the forename of Marcus About this time Anthony and Cleopatra sent Ambassadours to Caesar into Asia Cleopatra demanded the Kingdom of Aegypt for her Children and without Anthonies knowledge sent him a Scepter Crown and Chaire all of Gold as it were delivering her Kingdom over to him and Anthony demanded that he might live a private life at Athens if he might not continue in Aegypt Caesar accepted of Cleopatra's gifts accounting them as good Omens but he would afford no answer to Anthony and privately he promised impunity and her Kingdom to Cleopatra if she would kill Anthony They sent also