in Law and they proceeded all three together to the Senate whither as they entred Caesar was accosted by an unknown person who delivered him a Letter and whispered him in the ear That a fair Lady sent it He believed it came from Murcia and the presence of Pompey made him blush Cato who always distrusted his ambitious humor and who was besides naturally suspitious asked him what that Letter was 'T is nothing replied Caesar in somewhat a discomposed manner You seem to me too much condemned replied Cato on so light a cause that Letter certainly contains some attempts against the Commonwealth and I summon you in your Countreys behalf to deliver it to be shown to the Senate You are very troublesome with your distrusts Cato replied Caesar I swear to you by all our Houshold-Gods this Letter contains onely Family business wherein Rome is not at all concerned You may speak truth answered Cato hastily but Caesar you here receive a Letter visibly discomposes you and you refuse to show it when you are pressed to it What have you so secret to treat of which Rome may not know She entrusts you with all her designs enterprises nothing without consulting you and her glory and her safety are committed to your discretion This dispute grew hotter and Cato and Caesar beginning to utter offensive words the Senate would know the difference If Cato did calumniate Caesar it were fit he should make him reparation and if he spoke truth it was of importance to examine the matter It was therefore thought convenient to see the Letter in question and Pompey was nominated examiner of it Caesar who could not have any one he more suspected knowing Cato for a Wiseman and Pompey's Enemy and chusing rather to trust his discretion then any other gave him the Letter which occasioned the dispute and declaring his intentions to be so pure he doubted not his very accusers He in generous terms exhorted Cato to make no ill use of the secret he now extorted from him Cato retired to a Window to read the Letter privately and opening it found what follows WHy should you expose your self to so many dangers to see what you love there are Pleasures destined for you to be had on easier terms if you would please to taste them nor need you be forced to make troublesome Discoveries nor attempt any thing hazardous to arrive at them for what mark of Love or Kindness may you not if you will obtain from SERVILIA Cato was distracted to find there his Sisters name and giving some injurious words to the Praetor which History sets down in express terms he flung out of the Senate in such a huff that his very countenance was changed Caesar was more surprised at the second sally then he had been at the first and following Cato to recover his Letter he went along demanding of him if he considered well what he did and for what Reason he took so much interest in the concerns of his enemies Cato would answer to none of these questions but getting him home with a hast outstript Caesars he goes to add new fuel to Servilia's indignation Caesar much troubled for the hard fate of his Letter and willing by any means to retreive it bethought himself of Cato's sister to aid him in this extremity he knew that she vehemently loved him and though he were become unworthy of that love by his neglect of it yet he had learnt that the most violent anger of that kind is blown away at the first appearance of a returning Heart He writes to Servilia protests that love reduced him to his duty and making a light apology for what was past conjures her now to give him the opportunity of extending his Passion Cato had given such orders at home this Letter could not be delivered as it was addressed it was in short intercepted and Caesars dissembling passing with Cato for a perseverance in offending him he resolved to revenge the injury by letting Pompey know the wrong Caesar did his Sister The union of these two Brother in Laws had for a long time been an eyefore to Cato and he had secretly sought occasions to reconcile himself to Pompey and to convince him of Caesars ambition he now sends for his friend Munatius and instructing him what he had to do he gave him the two Letters on which he grounded his accusation This Munatius must surely be of a very insinuating spirit for he it was who had perswaded Cato to lend his Wife for some years to Hortensius and to take her again when Hortensius was weary of her He goes to Pompey and aggravating Caesars ingratitude who after having been admitted into so illustrious an Alliance had made himself unworthy of it by his dissoyalty to Pompeia I know added he you love not Cato and I perceive you could scarce forbear laughing at the humorous part he played yesterday in the Senate Your factions are different and in the interests you have to support you are so frequently of opposite judgments none can conclude you other then enemies But Sir this sort of hatred though it may destroy Society should not hinder your esteem for Cato whilst I am sure Cato preserves his for the Great Pompey He is justly incensed against Caesar you ought to contribute to his satisfaction and besides those Reasons of Equity which are in common among all generous enemies there are many particular ones to induce you to stop the course of this intrigue Caesar has espoused your Sister the faults he commits by breach of conjugal Faith are of ill example to her and perhaps the story of the good Goddess was but the reprizal of an offended Wife Pompey received Munatius advice like one designed advantage by it and assured him he would employ his credit with Caesar to interrupt his commerce with Servilia but in his Soul he designed nothing less then this Tyranny He was a good and an easie Friend who entred not into his Friends secrets farther then they desired and onely required from their friendship a compliance without constraint he goes into his Wives Chamber and tells her with much breaking forth into laughter what Munatius had told him Murcia found not the story so pleasant as it appeared to her Husband she often changed colour during its rehearsal and reading Caesars Letter with a grief appeared to Pompey somewhat serious Why said he do not you think it admirable that Cato the wise Cato should draw a vexation upon himself so little designed him Had you seen with what perverseness he forced Caesar to shew him Servilia 's Letter you could not read its contents without laughing as much as I do The adventure is indeed something extraordinary replied Murcia and if Caesar had not been concerned in it I should have found pleasure enough to see Gato's mistrust so punished but I have so much interest in what touches the Husband of your Sister that I cannot without grief inform my self of the treason wherewith these
violent and scarce contained it self before suspected witnesses but we constrained it not before our best Friends I was still speaking kind and feeling things to Flora and she answered me in terms every way as touching our eyes made a continual commerce of eloquent glances and the most indifferent things were advanced to profit by our laborious Passion every thing turning into an occasion of expressing the warmth of our desires Judge into what condition we put the passionate and discreet Geminius he was brought to that extremity that the Physitians gave him over and when he felt his death approaching he declared to me the cause of it The Friendship I had for Geminius could not be balanced by any thing but my love to Flora were I to have parted with my life to save my friends I should have given it without reflexion but when I understood Flora was the concern I asked time to resolve resolve nothing Pompey said the dying Geminius I discovered not my grief to find a remedy I am too happy to die for that I love best in the World and though your generosity would contribute to my recovery I know it depends not on you your happiness is so great it dazles you and you see but a part of it I am since so Destiny pleases more clear sighted I have observed particulars in the love of Flora that destroy the confidence I could have in your friendship Live happy and let me die miserable and give not that increase to my torments to let them cost you one sorrowful reflexion This discourse pronounced by an expiring Man and one I so dearly loved touched me to the very Soul I thought I ought to my friends life at least a seeming willingness to contribute to his cure and presuming enough on Flora's constancy to believe she would preserve her self wholly to me in despite of myself I assured Geminius that if he could gain her love I would look on his happiness without a murmur I have not faith enough in the fictions of the Poets to believe this assurance restored Geminius life but his disease being come to the Christs certain it is that from that day we observed his amendment I resolved to assist it by my absence and as well to convince him of my sincerity as to avoid the reproaches of Flora I went to spend some time at the Countrey-house whether Sylla was retired after having laid down the Dictatorship I writ every day to Flora Letters full of that Love possest my Soul I had not engaged never to love her more but onely promised she should love my friend if she could Wretch that she was she could but do it too much Love is no mighty task to one of that Sex Geminius Painted my slight compliance with such lively colours that at my return to Rome I learned from Flora's own Mouth her infidelity How cryed I can it be true that you loved Pompey with so much fervency and cease to love him with so much ease Who has told you I have ceas'd to love you replied Flora Do you give the title of change to that sacrifice you constrained Is it because I have restored you a Friend whose loss had made you desperate that you accuse me with want of love Alass I expected a thousand thanks for my chearful obedience 't was a thousand tortures to me to yield to it and I made use of all the powers of my kindness to resolve upon what you reproach for a decay of Passion Ah Flora said I how cruel is your obedience to me How much more would you have obliged me had I found you less submissive Flora ask'd pardon for her error and swore to me she would stop the career of it and doubtless would have done as the said That deadly grief she expressed at our separation hath-fully perswaded me Geminius destroyed me with my own Weapon and that Flora believed she pleased me in betraying me but the remembrance of that inconstancy has given me disgusts I could never vanquish Flora forbore to see my Rival any more she felt a remorse for her credulity which almost cost her her life I loved her a long time after our rupture and her memory is yet grateful to me but Cato I was born nice and delicate and in my mind true love is incompatible of partnership Night rather then want of Matter broke off the converse of these two Ilustrious Romans I shall find out a way to renew it hereafter but it is good to make use of the leisure of contriving it and leaving these two reconciled Enemies to their quiet rest endeavor after their example to enjoy some time of repose The End of the Discourse of Cato and Pompey THE LOVES OF Great Men. D'ANDELOT DUring the Progress to Bayonne the King had given leave to the Duke D'Aumale to hunt in the Forest of Fontainbleau and to kill the Wild Boar. In one of these Chaces the Dutchess D'Aumale Natural Daughter to King Henry the Second and Diana of Poictiers coming near to the Inclosure they had made a Wild Boar broke the Toyls and frighting her Horse he ran clear away with her towards the left-hand D'Andelots Horse frighted at the same accident followed Madam D'Aumales her Husband was a good way off with Prince Patien and Madam L'Admirale de Brion two other Ladies who were near the Dutchess cryed out that weak assistance being all they could give her none daring to venture their skill in riding at her rate except Madam de Brion who pursued her on full speed The cry came soon to the Duke who hearing how his Ladies Horse was frightned had not been concerned for her had he not at the same time heard that D'Andelots with a like fright took the same way with the Dutchesses he rid then with all speed to overtake them D'Andelot who could not guide his Horse letting him run where-ever he pleased heard a noise beside him and saw Madam D'Aumale coming up very near him but in a moment she was passed him and he lost sight of her by reason of a small Coppice was before him which the way dividing in two he was forced to enter and there saw Madam D'Aumale faln That sight made him strive hard again to stop his Horse but since he could not he threw himself down to take care of her whom he feared was hurt she was almost stunded and in that disorder discovered some part of her fair body There is scarce that Love and Constancy in the World can resist against so many Beauties and though possibly this minutes sight changed not utterly the object of D'Andelots love yet so pleasing an adventure made him at least very sensible but care of the Dutchess made him soon forego the pleasure he reaped with his eyes He was come to her and had just taken her in his arms to lift her up when the Duke and Madam de Brion arrived yet he gave not over his officious employ and the asking her whether she
Letters convince him This kind of Treason wrongs not the reputation of a Gentleman replied Pompey on the contrary it establishes and adds to it their worth is judged of by the quality of their love and the Sister of Cato being eminent both for Birth and Beauty an intrigue with her cannot be dishonorable to the Gallant Aurelia may prophesie some misfortune to her Son if she hears he violates conjugal faith and Pompeia may revenge her self by some disobedience but these accidents a part which as you can well judge are not the most troublesome of our life I would give Caesar as fair Joy for this conquest as I would for that of the Gauls Caesar came in as Pompey finished this discourse Murcia fearing she should not be able to master her Passion in the presence of a Lover she now believed false retired into her Closet and Pompey who was in a humor to be merry putting on a grave countenance which he had much a do to counterfeit I thought says he to his Brother in Law I had made my friendship so valuable to you that you would not publickly have renounced it as you have done Had none but I known the wrong you do our family perhaps my love had been great enough to have concealed your fault but to make Cato a witness of it and that I must hear from my enemies the injuries you do our Alliance is a thing Caesar I could not expect from you and what surpusses the most detestable ingratitude Caesar explaining of Murcia what Pompey said to him of Servilia changed colour at every word his fury to have been betrayed by Cato the despair wherein he represented Murcia in his mind and the consusion he was in to find himself deserving the reproaches of Pompey brought a colour in his face mixt with shame and anger that even changed the figure of his countenance Pompey whose anger was counterfeit and who knew nothing of what was in Caesars Heart had much ado to forbear laughing he turned his head another way to spin out the Comedy and complaining of Caesars silence as a contempt that aggravated his fault he made him resolve on a sincere Confession of his offence and to ask pardon for what was yet onely in design To take things in the utmost severity said he the first steps towards an amorous Commerce are somewhat uneasie to dainty minds and so far I may be criminal towards you for I acknowledge our friendship required me to be scrupulous even to Letters but Pompey I loved before friendship imposed on me the Law of not loving my love followed not our alliance on the contrary our alliance has put a bridle on my love and that which the consideration I had for you has confined within the limits of Innocent favor had without doubt made farther progress had not respect to you extinguished my flames for Murcia Murcia who from the Closet into which she was retired heard all was said in the Chamber when her name was pronounced briskly sallies forth Say Servilia Caesar cried she your Tongue mistakes your Heart 't is from the Sister of Cato you received a Letter some days since as you went to the Senate and not from the Wife of Pompey and pray Sir take heed what you say for the future and commit no more such mistakes There needed no more to recal Caesar into the right way of playing his game Was it not Servilia that I named says he without seeming to be moved No said Murcia in an angry manner 't was my name you pronounced I ask your Pardon Madam continued Caesar the presence of Pompey caused that mistake But Madam you are too well known to your Husband to be alarm'd at that undue application Your Vertue is signalised and this Letter said he taking that Pompey held out of his hands is an easie rectifier of all with that he opened Servilia's Letter and by it understanding part of the truth said all that a bold and wary Lover could do to draw himself out of the bryars But Pompey's spirit was too searching to have the change put upon him with such ease he was dull and melancholly the rest of that day and at night recalling to mind Murcia's trouble at the reading Caesar's Letter the confusion of his Gallant at Pompey's first words and his wives retiring he drew thence two or three conjectures as just as they were grievous he resolved to see Servilia to be by her enlightned in the obscure sence of her Letter Aurelia who had some Alliance with Cato would not engage in the animosity of Pompey but had entertained a civil commerce between her house and Servilia's Pompey goes next morning to visit his Sister and making a politick pretence to authorise a secret conference with Servilia he engages his Sister to oblige her to come to some place where he might privately speak with her I would draw from her some light touching a design of Cato 's important to my interests said he and of which I believe his Sister has some knowledge Pompeia without examining whether Pompey spoke truth or dissembled caused one of Caesar's People to be called and sent him to tell Servilia she desired her company in a Garden Pompey had upon the Tiber where there were many wonderful close Alloys of great convenience Servilia was at present there with Caesar who by agreement with Murcia endeavored to manage her and judging this Garden of Pompey's less exposed then any other place to the surprises of Cato had chosen those walks for the interview One of Servilia's Women who had received Caesar's Message to her Mistress seeing one of the Praetors people return imagined him sent to hasten Servilia My Mistress is gone said she she is at Pompey 's Garden at this very time thou hast nothing to do but return and might have spared thy pains The Man returned to Pompeia with this Answer it might have removed the suspitions of Pompey seeing so direct an appearance of intrigue with Servilia which discharged Murcia from the concern But this good Mans jealousie was now grown to that excess nothing could gain belief from him but what his sences demonstrated he comes with all hast to the Garden and informing himself from the Gardners where those he sought were expresly forbid the giving any notice of his arrival Caesar and Servilia were under a Bower covered with Roses and Jessamines made after the model of the Walks at Capua Pompey slipt himself behind the thick Hedges and getting softly within reach of their voices he heard Caesar say to Servilia You may easily judge that if I had had any suspition of the truth I would never have given your Letter to Cato it was my part onely to conceal it from his sight and Pompey was named by the Senate to read it But who could ever have thought your goodness was proof against all my ingratitudes and that after so great an indifference never merited by you you should yet vouchsafe to remember
Caesar I complain not of your indiscretion said Servilia I loved with so much affection I was not ashamed my love should be known when a Passion is extream it slights vain decencies and they love weakly whose discretion over-rules their desires Tell it in open Senate that Servilia loves you I consent but then make your self worthy of that love by sacrificing to it your Passion for Murcia I have told you already said Caesar interrupting her that I loved Murcia even before I knew what love was this impression on my first inclinations cannot be effaced I must love Murcia as long as my heart is capable of loving but what I ow to Pompey restrains my Passion in such narrow bounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not all incompatible with a more 〈◊〉 gallantry Call you then narrow bounds said Servilia interrupting those discourses your mistake dispenced with the night of the Feast of the Good Goddess in those amorous minutes Did you at all remember Pompey And if Claudius had been Murcia could your consideration for her Husband have suppressed those extasies of Love were expressed with so much violence Claudius aggravates things replied Caesar the Ideas remaining to him of his conversation with Pompeia makes him give a Character to mine very far beyond the truth Ah Caesar said Servilia interrupting If what you said to Claudius believing him Murcia had not been convincing you would not have sacrificed your resentments to the necessity you stood in of the discretion of that young man 'T was not the fear of death made you so peaceable your courage is above such effeminate apprehensions and besides the assurance you had your Wives Gallant was disguised in your house had furnished you with a pretence to have been hid there but you spoke in such binding terms that it was a just debt to sacrifice all to the repair of your imprudence Well then said Caesar whom Claudius's indiscretion had 〈◊〉 to an exceeding anger It must be 〈◊〉 you will have it so that I do love Pompey 's Wife and that I have expressed this love in terms I feared should be revealed If you love me Servilia as you would perswade me you ow some regard to what you believe I love You change colour at this discourse and the moderation I request is doubtless not palatable to your jealousie but Servilia Caesar 's Soul is not to be stormed by ordinary approaches all you are in vain one of the fairest persons in Rome if I find not wherewith to charm my Reason I shall regard you onely with the indifferency of those fair objects which please the sight without moving the Heart Would you have me love you as much as you suspect I love Pompey 's Wife you must sacrifice to me all your anger against Murcia Conceal what you know of the intrigue and oblige Claudius to the same secresie Are you capable of doing this for Caesar yes Caesar replied Servilia briskly I am capable Claudius shall never speak more of it and I will hold my tongue but recompence my discretion with some marks of complacency either feigned or true I can do any thing for Caesar whilst I am satisfied he loves me but can answer for nothing when you neglect or abuse my kindness Spâ—â—e a fruitless discretion cryed the secret witness to this discourse Pompey knows all you would conceal and if you aggravate the heart of Caesar it shall not be at the expence of Pompey 's ignorance The voice of Murcia's Husband which Caesar soon knew threw him into a miserable confusion he remained unmovable on the Bank where he sat and Servilia judging of the love he bore her Rival by the perplexity the consideration wrought conceived a malign joy at the adventure which she could not dissemble You know too much not to know all said she to Pompey who now entred the Bower 'T is true Caesar loves Murcia and according to all appearance is not hated but Sir among people so intimate as Caesar and you there should nothing be reserved You are maliciously disposed said Caesar interrupting her you know in your own Soul Murcia has reserved to her Husband alone all essential things and I swear to you Pompey by all that is most Sacred in Heaven and Earth and as a Man that makes Profession of Honor That I never obtained any Grace from your Wife might alarm a Rational Man I may have had some pretence to hope it but whether it were Chance crost me or the address and management of Murcia that hope never had effect I will believe you Caesar replied Pompey very coldly but as it is not enough for you that Pompeia be exempt from crime unless she be from suspition so 't is too little for me though Murcia continue chast if she can conceive a thought of not being so Caesar took Pompey at the rebound as he had done him before he rehearsed all those judicious Sentences he had cited to him on the disguise of Claudius but Counsels of what nature soever they be lose their efficacy with those that gave them when they pass through a third Mouth Pompey repudiated Murcia and Caesar to revenge himself of Pompeys rigor repudiated Pompeia This dis-union became publick Caesar and Pompey were divided with it Cato made advantage of their contentions as he had proposed and reconciling himself with Pompey became afterwards one of the most obstinate Enemies to Caesar Murcia's Gallant mad that his good intentions had such ill success revenged the Caprichios of Fortune on the indiscreet Claudius he exasperated Cicero against him who accused him in the Senate and freely prosecuted his profanation of the feast This accusation forced Claudius to withdraw from Rome and Caesar not content with this voluntary exile had in all likelihood pursued his vengeance to his ruine had not his voyage among the Gauls and the Victories he there gained diverted his dire resolutions He had many gallant intrigues during the ten years that War continued Love followed him among Strangers and forsook him not even in the Field of Battel he found Beauties among the Gauls as perfect as those of Italy he loved on the Banks of the Rhine and love left him not when he passed that River he judged the English Ladies worthy the reputation they have gained in the whole World He dedicated some time to the delights of Capua like another Hannibal and his adventures with Cleopatra are famous in all History but the life of Caesar is fertile enough in such adventures to afford several Relations Let us stop here and find a second Hero in Rome as we have found a Second Sage in Athens The End of the Loves of Julius Caesar THE LOVES OF Great Men. CATO of VTICA WHen coldness between Friends destroy not their Esteem the Reconciliation that followes makes their Friendship the more fervent Cato and Pompeys first love proceeded only from a knowledge they had of each others Merit which constrained them to a good will and though that by some politick