Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A55203
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The fourth volume of Plutarch's Lives Translated from the Greek, by several hands.; Lives. English. Vol. IV.
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Plutarch.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing P2639A; ESTC R217668
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373,128
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844
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did those who punished them revenge the Fact but the ill Will The day after Brutus with the rest came down from the Capitol and made a Speech to the People who attended to it without expressig either any Pleasure or Resentment but shewed by their deep silence that they pitied Caesar and reverenc'd Brutus The Senate made Acts of Oblivion for what was past and took healing Measures to reconcile all Parties They order'd that Caesar should be worshipp'd as a God and that not any the least thing should be alter'd which he had enacted during his Government At the same time they gave Brutus and his Followers the Command of Provinces and other considerable Posts so that all People now thought things were well settled and put into a very good Posture But when Caesar's Will was open'd and it was found that he had left a Considerable Legacy to each one of the Roman Citizens and when his Body was seen carried through the Market-Place all mangled with Wounds the Multitude could no longer contain themselves within the Bounds of Decency and Order but heap'd together a Pile of Benches Bars and Tables which they placed the Corps on and setting Fire to it burnt them Then they took Firebrands and ran some to fire the Houses of the Assassinates others up and down the City to find out the Men and Limb them but they met with none of them they having taken effectual Care to secure themselves One Cinna a Confident of Caesar's chanc'd the Night before to have an odd Dream He fancied that Caesar invited him to Supper and that upon his Refusal to go with him Caesar took him by the Hand and forc'd him though he hung back Upon Notice that Caesar's Body was burning in the Market-Place he got up and went thither out of respect to his Memory though his Dream gave him some ill Apprehensions and though he was at the same time Fevorish One of the Rabble who saw him there ask'd another Who that was And having learnt his Name told it to his next Neighbour It presently went for currant that he was one of Caesar's Murtherers and indeed there was one Cinna a Conspirator They taking this to be the Man immediately Seized him and tore him Limb from Limb upon the Spot Brutus and Cassius frighted at this within a few days retir'd out of the City What they afterwards did and suffer'd and how they dy'd is written in the Life of Brutus Caesar dy'd in his Fifty sixth year not having surviv'd Pompey above four years That Empire and Power which he had pursued through the whole Course of his Life with so much Hazzard he did at last with much difficulty compass but reap'd no other Fruits from it then an empty Name and invidious Title But that happy Genius which was Propitious to him during his Life seems to have stuck to him after his Death as the Revenger of his Murther for it pursu'd by Sea and Land all those who were concern'd in it and suffer'd none to escape but reach'd all who were either actually engaged in the Fact or by their Councels any way promoted it The most signal Accident of all here below was that which befell Cassius who when he was conquer'd at Philippi kill'd himself with the same Dagger which he had made use of against Caesar The most remarkable Appearance in the Heavens was a great Comet which shone bery bright for seven Nights after Caesar's Death and then disappear'd There was also a very faint Light in the Sun for the Orb of it was pale for the space of an Year nor did it rise with its usual Brightness and Vigor Hence it gave but a weak and feeble Heat and consequently the Air was damp and gross for want of stronger Rays to open and rarifie it The Fruits for that Reason were crude and unconcocted so that they rotted and decay'd through the Chilness of the Air. Above all the Phantôm which appear'd to Brutus shew'd the Murther was not pleasing to the Gods The Story of it is this Brutus being to pass his Army from Aâ—ydos to the Continent on the other side lay'd himself down one Night as he used to do in his Tent and was not a-sleep but thinking of his Affairs and what Events he might expect For he was naturally of a watchful Constitution and very little inclin'd to Sleep He thought he heard a Noise at the Door of his Tent and looking that way by the Light of his Lamp which was almost out saw a terrible Figure like that of a Man but of an extraordinary Bulk and grim Countenance He was somewhat frighted at first but seeing it neither did nor spoke any thing to him only stood silently by his Bed-side he ask'd it at last Who it was The Spectre answer'd him I am thy Evil Genius Brutus and thou shalt see me by Philippi Brutus answer'd very courageously Well I will see you there and immediately the Ghost vanish'd When the time was come he drew up his Army near Philippi against Anthony and Caesar and in the first Battel got the Day routed the Enemy and plunder'd Caesar's Camp The Night before the second Battel the same Ghost appear'd to him again but spoke not a word He presently understood his Death was near and expos'd himself to all the Danger of the Battel yet he did not die in the Fight but seeing his Men defeated got up to the top of a Rock and there presenting his Sword to his naked Breast and assisted as they say by a Friend who helpt him to give the Thrust died upon the Spot FINIS PHOCION 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MBurgh sculp commonly said That the Populace is most insulting and contumelious to great men when they are puff'd up with Prosperity and Success the contrary oft happens Afflictions and publick Calamities naturally eagering and sowring the Minds and Manners of men and disposing them to such Peevishness and Chagrin that hardly can any one carry himself so swimmingly in his words or actions but they will be apt to take pett he that remonstrates to their Miscarriages is interpreted to insult over their Misfortunes and even the mildest Expostulations are constru'd Contempt Honey it self is searching in sore and ulcerated parts and the wisest though soft Counsels may prove to be provoking to distemper'd minds that have not well prepar'd ears to entertain them This made the Poet express such applications by a word signifying a grateful and easie touch upon the mind without harshness or offence inflamed Eyes require a retreat into gloomy and dusky places amongst Colours of the deepest shades unable to endure the vigorous and glaring light So fares it in the Body politick when heated with Factions and Irresolution there is a certain Niceness and touchy Humour prevails in the Minds of men and an unaccountable jealousie of any person that with openness and freedom offers to scan their actions even when the necessities of their affairs most require such plain-dealing And surely
was appointed Syria and the Parthian War And to Pompey himself all Africa together with both Spains and four Legions of Soldiers whereof two he lent to Caesar upon his request for the Wars in Gaul Crassus upon the expiration of his Consulship departed forthwith into his Province But Pompey spent some time in Rome upon the opening or dedication of his Theater where he treated the People with all manner of Games Shews and Exercises as well Warlike as those of the Muses there was likewise the Hunting or Baiting of wild Beasts and Combats with them wherein 500 Lyons were slain But above all the Battel of Elephants was a Spectacle full of Horrour and Amazement These noble Entertainments brought him in great Esteem with the People whereby he was highly admired and beloved but on the other side he created no less Envy to himself in that he committed the Government of his Provinces and Legions into the Hands of Friends as his Lieutenants whilst he himself was wantonly rambling up and down and caressing his Wife throughout all the Delicacies of Italy whether he doated upon her as a real Lover or whether he could not find in his Heart to leave her who was such a Lover of him is somewhat doubtful But this is certain that there was nothing more famous and common in Discourse than the passion of this young Lady for her Husband not that she was in Love with Pompey for the flower of his Age but because of his assured Chastity as knowing no other Woman but that one he had Wedded Besides though in his Carriage he had a majestick Gravity yet his Conversation was not Morose but extremely agreeable and taking among the Women unless we will arraign the evidence of Flora the Curtezan Now it hapned in a publick Assembly as they were at an Election of the Aediles that the People came to Blows and divers about Pompey were slain so that he finding himself all bloody ordered a change of Apparel but the Servants who brought home his Cloaths making a great Buâ—tle and Hurry about the House it chanced that the young Lady who was then with Child saw his Gown all stained with Blood whereupon she dropt immediately into a Swoon and was hardly brought to Life again however what with her Fright and Passion together she fell in Labour and Miscarried Wherefore even those who chiefly censured Pompey for his Friendship to Caesar could not reprove him for his Affection to his Lady who had such a Passion for him Afterwards she was great again and brought to Bed of a Daughter but died in Child-bed neither did the Infant out-live her Mother many days Pompey had prepared all things for the Interment of her Corps at Alba but the People seized upon it by force and performed the Solemnities of her Funeral in the Field of Mars rather in Compassion to the young Lady than in Favour either of Pompey or Caesar and yet of these two the People seemed at that time to pay Caesar a greater share of Honour in his absence than to Pompey though he was present From hence the City began to waver and feel new Commotions for all things grew Tumultuous and every Body's Discourse tended to Sedition as soon as Death had put an end to that Relation which hitherto had been a Disguise rather than Restraint to the Ambition of these Men Besides not long after came an Express from Parthia with Intelligence of the Death of Crassus there whereby another manifest Obstacle of a Civil War was taken away for they had both an Eye thither and that awe of him kept them together in a fair Correspondence all his Life-time but when Fortune had taken away this Second whose Province it was to revenge the Quarrel of the Conquered you might then say with the Comedian See how the Combatants begin How they anoint each others Skin And chafe their hands in dust agen So inconsiderable a thing is Fortune in respect of humane Nature and so little Content can it give to a Covetous Mind That an Empire of that mighty Extent and Sway could not satisfie the Ambition of two Men and though they knew and had read The Gods when they divided out 'twixt Three This massie Universe Heav'n Hell and Sea Each God sate down contented on his Throne And undisturb'd each God enjoys his own Yet they thought the whole Roman Empire not sufficient to contain them though they were but Two But Pompey in an Oration to the People told them plainly that he ever came into Office before he expected he should and that he always left it sooner than they expected he would and indeed the disbanding of all his Armies always witnessed as much Yet when he perceived that Caesar would not so willingly discharge his Forces he then endeavour'd to strengthen himself against him by Offices and Commands in the City neither indeed did he attempt any other Innovation and yet all this while he would not seem to distrust but rather to despise and contemn him But when he saw how they bestowed the Places of Government quite contrary to his opinion because the Citizens were brib'd in their Elections he left the City without any Government at all Hereupon there was mention straightway made and the News ran current of a Dictator Now Lucilius a Tribune of the People was the bold Man that first adventur'd â—o propose it encouraging the People to make choice of Pompey for their Dictator but the Tribune was in danger of being turn'd out of his Office by the opposition that Cato made against it And for Pompey many of his Friends appear'd and pleaded his excuse alledging That he never was desirous of that Government neither would he accept of it Cato therefore making a large Harangue in commendation of Pompey and exhorting him to be careful of good Order in the Common-wealth he could not for shame but yield to it and so Domitius and Messala were elected Consuls Afterwards when there was another Anarchy or Vacancy in the Government and the Discourses of a Dictator were much hotter than before those of Cato's Party fearing lest they should make Pompey thought it Policy to keep him from that Arbitrary and Tyrannical Power by giving him an Office of more legal Authority Nay even Bibulus himself who was Pompey's Enemy first gave his Vote that Pompey should be created Consul alone alledging That by these means either the Commonwealth would be freed from its present Confusion or that its Bondage should be lessened by serving the worthiest This was looked upon as a very strange Opinion considering the Man that spoke it and therefore Cato standing up every body expected that he would have opposed it but after Silence made he told them plainly That for his own part he would never have been the Author of that Advice himself but since it was propounded by another his Advice was to follow it adding That any form of Government was better than none at