| LIVES OF THE NOBLE | | |
| | | |
| MARCUS | went to salute Antonius, as one of his late dead father Caesars | |
| ANTONIUS | friendes, who by his last will and testament had made him | |
| his heire: and withall, he was presently in hande with him | |
| for money and other thinges which were left of trust in his | |
| handes, bicause Caesar had by will bequeathed unto the | |
| people of Rome, three score and fifteene silver Drachmas to | |
| be given to every man, the which he as heire stoode charged | |
| withall. Antonius at the first made no reckoning of him, | |
| bicause he was very younge: and sayde he lacked witte, and | |
| good friendes to advise him, if he looked to take such a | |
| Variance | charge in hande, as to undertake to be Caesars heire. But | |
| betwixt | when Antonius saw that he could not shake him of with | |
| Antonius | those wordes, and that he was still in hande with him for his | |
| and Octavius | fathers goods, but specially for the ready money: then he | |
| Caesar, heire | spake and did what he could against him. And first of all, | |
| unto Iulius | it was he that did keepe him from being Tribune of the | |
| Caesar. | people: and also when Octavius Caesar beganne to meddle | |
| with the dedicating of the chayer of gold, which was pre- | |
| pared by the Senate to honor Caesar with: he threatned to | |
| send him to prison, and moreover desisted not to put the | |
| Octavius | people in an uprore. This young Caesar seeing his doings, | |
| Caesar joyned | went unto Cicero and others, which were Antonius enemies, | |
| in friendship | and by them crept into favor with the Senate: and he | |
| with Cicero. | him self sought the peoples good will every manner of way, | |
| gathering together the olde souldiers of the late deceased | |
| Caesar, which were dispersed in divers cities and colonyes. | |
| Antonius and | Antonius being affrayd of it, talked with Octavius in | |
| Octavius be- | the capitoll, and became his friend. But the very same | |
| come friends. | night Antonius had a straunge dreame, who thought that | |
| lightning fell upon him, and burnt his right hand. Shortly | |
| Antonius | after word was brought him, that Caesar lay in waite to kil | |
| dreame. | him. Caesar cleered him selfe unto him, and told him there | |
| was no such matter: but he could not make Antonius | |
| beleve the contrary. Whereuppon they became further | |
| enemies then ever they were: insomuch that both of them | |
| made friends of either side to gather together all the old | |
| souldiers through Italy, that were dispersed in divers townes: | |
| and made them large promises, and sought also to winne | |
| the legions of their side which were already in armes. | |
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