marcus brutus-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


without　delay　to　the　senate。　Here　it　was　chiefly　that　any　one　who
had　known　what　they　had　purposed；　would　have　admired　the　unconcerned
temper　and　the　steady　resolution　of　these　men　in　their　most
dangerous　undertaking；　for　many　of　them；　being　praetors；　and　called
upon　by　their　office　to　judge　and　determine　causes；　did　not　only
hear　calmly　all　that　made　application　to　them　and　pleaded　against　each
other　before　them；　as　if　they　were　free　from　all　other　thoughts；　but
decided　causes　with　as　much　accuracy　and　judgment　as　they　had　heard
them　with　attention　and　patience。　And　when　one　person　refused　to　stand
to　the　award　of　Brutus；　and　with　great　clamour　and　many　attestations
appealed　to　Caesar；　Brutus；　looking　round　about　him　upon　those　that
were　present；　said；　〃Caesar　does　not　hinder　me；　nor　will　he　hinder　me；
from　doing　according　to　the　laws。〃
　　Yet　there　were　many　unusual　accidents　that　disturbed　them　and　by
mere　chance　were　thrown　in　their　way。　The　first　and　chiefest　was　the
long　stay　of　Caesar；　though　the　day　was　spent；　and　he　being　detained
at　home　by　his　wife；　and　forbidden　by　the　soothsayers　to　go　forth；
upon　some　defect　that　appeared　in　his　sacrifice。　Another　was　this：
There　came　a　man　up　to　Casca；　one　of　the　company；　and；　taking　him　by
the　hand；　〃You　concealed；〃　said　he；　〃the　secret　from　us；　but　Brutus
has　told　me　all。〃　At　which　words　when　Casca　was　surprised；　the　other
said　laughing；　〃How　came　you　to　be　so　rich　of　a　sudden；　that　you
should　stand　to　be　chosen　aedile？〃　So　near　was　Casca　to　let　out　the
secret；　upon　the　mere　ambiguity　of　the　other's　expression。　Then
Popilius　Laenas；　a　senator；　having　saluted　Brutus　and　Cassius　more
earnestly　than　usual；　whispered　them　softly　in　the　ear；　and　said；
〃My　wishes　are　with　you；　that　you　may　accomplish　what　you　design；
and　I　advise　you　to　make　no　delay；　for　the　thing　is　now　no　secret。〃
This　said；　he　departed；　and　left　them　in　great　suspicion　that　the
design　had　taken　wind。　In　the　meanwhile；　there　came　one　in　haste
from　Brutus's　house　and　brought　him　news　that　his　wife　was　dying。
For　Porcia；　being　extremely　disturbed　with　expectation　of　the　event；
and　not　able　to　bear　the　greatness　of　her　anxiety；　could　scarce　keep
herself　within　doors；　and　at　every　little　noise　or　voice　she　heard；
starting　up　suddenly；　like　those　possessed　with　the　bacchic　frenzy；
she　asked　every　one　that　came　in　from　the　forum　what　Brutus　was　doing；
and　sent　one　messenger　after　another　to　inquire。　At　last；　after　long
expectation　and　waiting；　the　strength　of　her　constitution　could　hold
out　no　longer；　her　mind　was　overcome　with　her　doubts　and　fears；　and
she　lost　the　control　of　herself；　and　began　to　faint　away。　She　had
not　time　to　betake　herself　to　her　chamber；　but；　sitting　as　she　was
amongst　her　women；　a　sudden　swoon　and　a　great　stupor　seized　her；　and
her　colour　changed；　and　her　speech　was　quite　lost。　At　this　sight　her
women　made　a　loud　cry；　and　many　of　the　neighbours　running　to
Brutus's　door　to　know　what　was　the　matter；　the　report　was　soon
spread　abroad　that　Porcia　was　dead；　though　with　her　women's　help　she
recovered　in　a　little　while；　and　came　to　herself　again。　When　Brutus
received　this　news；　he　was　extremely　troubled；　not　without　reason；　yet
was　not　so　carried　away　by　his　private　grief　as　to　quit　his　public
purpose。
　　For　now　news　was　brought　that　Caesar　was　coming；　carried　in　a
litter。　For；　being　discouraged　by　the　ill…omens　that　attended　his
sacrifice；　he　had　determined　to　undertake　no　affairs　of　any　great
importance　that　day；　but　to　defer　them　till　another　time；　excusing
himself　that　he　was　sick。　As　soon　as　he　came　out　of　his　litter；
Popilius　Laenas；　he　who　but　a　little　before　had　wished　Brutus　good
success　in　his　undertaking；　coming　up　to　him；　conversed　a　great
while　with　him；　Caesar　standing　still　all　the　while；　and　seeming　to　be
very　attentive。　The　conspirators　（to　give　them　this　name）；　not　being
able　to　hear　what　he　said；　but　guessing　by　what　themselves　were
conscious　of　that　this　conference　was　the　discovery　of　their
treason；　were　again　disheartened；　and；　looking　upon　one　another；
agreed　from　each　other's　countenances　that　they　should　not　stay　to
be　taken；　but　should　all　kill　themselves。　And　now　when　Cassius　and
some　others　were　laying　hands　upon　their　daggers　under　their　robes；
and　were　drawing　them　out；　Brutus；　viewing　narrowly　the　looks　and
gesture　of　Laenas；　and　finding　that　he　was　earnestly　petitioning　and
not　accusing；　said　nothing；　because　there　were　many　strangers　to　the
conspiracy　mingled　amongst　them：　but　by　a　cheerful　countenance
encouraged　Cassius。　And　after　a　little　while；　Laenas；　having　kissed
Caesar's　hand；　went　away；　showing　plainly　that　all　his　discourse　was
about　some　particular　business　relating　to　himself。
　　Now　when　the　senate　was　gone　in　before　to　the　chamber　where　they
were　to　sit；　the　rest　of　the　company　placed　themselves　close　about
Caesar's　chair；　as　if　they　had　some　suit　to　make　to　him；　and
Cassius；　turning　his　face　to　Pompey's　statue；　is　said　to　have
invoked　it；　as　if　it　had　been　sensible　of　his　prayers。　Trebonius；　in
the　meanwhile；　engaged　Antony's　attention　at　the　door；　and　kept　him　in
talk　outside。　When　Caesar　entered；　the　whole　senate　rose　up　to　him。　As
soon　as　he　was　sat　down；　the　men　all　crowded　round　about　him；　and
set　Tillius　Cimber；　one　of　their　own　number；　to　intercede　in　behalf　of
his　brother　that　was　banished；　they　all　joined　their　prayers　with　his；
and　took　Caesar　by　the　hand；　and　kissed　his　head　and　his　breast。　But
he　putting　aside　at　first　their　supplications；　and　afterwards；　when　he
saw　they　would　not　desist；　violently　rising　up；　Tillius　with　both
hands　caught　hold　of　his　robe　and　pulled　it　off　from　his　shoulders；
and　Casca；　that　stood　behind　him；　drawing　his　dagger；　gave　him　the
first；　but　a　slight　wound；　about　the　shoulder。　Caesar　snatching　hold
of　the　handle　of　the　dagger；　and　crying　out　aloud　in　Latin；　〃Villain
Casca；　what　do　you？〃　he；　calling　in　Greek　to　his　brother；　bade　him
come　and　help。　And　by　this　time；　finding　himself　struck　by　a　great
many　hands；　and　looking　around　about　him　to　see　if　he　could　force
his　way　out；　when　he　saw　Brutus　with　his　dagger　drawn　against　him；
he　let　go　Casca's　hand；　that　he　had　hold　of　and　covering　his　head　with
his　robe；　gave　up　his　body　to　their　blows。　And　they　so　eagerly　pressed
towards　the　body；　and　so　many　daggers　were　hacking　together；　that　they
cut　one　another；　Brutus；　particularly；　received　a　wound　in　his　hand；
and　all　of　them　were　besmeared　with　the　blood。
　　Caesar　being　thus　slain；　Brutus；　stepping　forth　into　the　midst；
intended　to　have　made　a　speech；　and　called　back　and　encouraged　the
senators　to　stay；　but　they　all　affrighted　ran　away　in　great
disorder；　and　there　was　a　great　confusion　and　press　at　the　door；
though　none　pursued　or　followed。　For　they　had　come　to　an　express
resolution　to　kill　nobody　beside　Caesar；　but　to　call　and　invite　all
the　rest　to　liberty。　It　was　indeed　the　opinion　of　all　the　others；　when
they　consulted　about　the　execution　of　their　design；　that　it　was
necessary　to　cut　off　Antony　with　Caesar；　looking　upon　him　as　an
insolent　man；　an　affecter　of　monarchy；　and　one　that；　by　his　familiar
intercourse；　had　gained　a　powerful　interest　with　the　soldiers。　And
this　they　urged　the　rather；　because　at　that　time　to　the　natural
loftiness　and　ambition　of　his　temper　there　was　added　the　dignity　of
being　counsel　and　colleague　to　Caesar。　But　Brutus　opposed　this　consul；
insisting　first　upon　the　injustice　of　it；　and　afterwards　giving　them
hopes　that　a　change　might　be　worked　in　Antony。　For　he　did　not
despair　but　that　so　highly　gifted　and　honourable　a　man；　and　such　a
lover　of　glory　as　Antony；　stirred　up　with　emulation　of　their　great
attempt；　might；　if　Caesar　were　once　removed；　lay　hold　of　the
occasion　to　be　joint　restorer　with　them　of　the　liberty　of　his　country。
Thus　did　Brutus　save　Antony's　life。　But　he；　in　the　general
consternation；　put　himself　into　a　plebeian　habit；　and　fled。　But　Brutus
and　his　party　marched　up　to　the　capitol；　in　their　way　showing　their
hands　all　bloody；　and　their　naked　swords；　and　proclaiming　liberty　to
the　people。　At　first　all　places　were　filled　with　cries　and　shouts；　and
the　wild　running　to　and　fro；　occasioned　by　the　sudden　surprise　and
passion　that　every　one　was　in；　increased　the　tumult　in　the　city。　But
no　other　bloodshed　following；　and　no　plundering　of　the　goods　in　the
streets；　the　senators　and　many　of　the　people　took　courage　and　went
up　to　the　men　in　the　capitol；　and　a　multitude　being　gathered　together；
Brutus　made　an　oration　to　them；　very　popular；　and　proper　for　the　state
that　affairs　were　then　in。　Therefore；　when　they　applauded　his
speech；　and　cried　out　to　him　to　come　down；　they　all　took　confidence
and　descended　into　the　forum；　the　rest　promiscuously　mingled　with
one　another；　but　many　of　the　most　eminent　persons；　attending　Brutus；
conducted　him　in　the　midst　of　them　with　great　honour　from　the　capitol；
and　placed　him　in　the　rostra。　At　the　sight　of　Brutus；　the　crowd；
though　consisting　of　a　confused　mixture　and　all　disposed　to　make　a
tumult；　were　struck　with　reverence；　and　expected　what　he　would　say
with　order　and　with　silence；　and；　when　he　began　to　speak；　heard　him
with　quiet　and