| LIVES OF THE NOBLE | | |
| | | |
| MARCUS | mad moode or toye tooke him in the head: for he was a | |
| BRUTUS | hot hasty man, and sodaine in all his doings, and cared for | |
| never a Senator of them all. Now, though he used this | |
| Cynick | bold manner of speeche after the profession of the Cynick | |
| Philosophers | Philosophers, (as who would say, doggs) yet this boldnes did | |
| counted | no hurt many times, bicause they did but laugh at him to | |
| doggs. | see him so mad. This Phaonius at that time, in despite of | |
| the doorekeepers, came into the chamber, and with a cer- | |
| taine scoffing and mocking gesture which he counterfeated | |
| of purpose, he rehearsed the verses which old Nestor sayd in | |
| Homer: | |
| | | |
| My Lords, I pray you harken both to mee, | |
| For I have seene moe yeares than suchye three. | |
| | | |
| Cassius fel a laughing at him: but Brutus thrust him out | |
| of the chamber, and called him dogge, and counterfeate | |
| Cynick. Howbeit his comming in brake their strife at that | |
| time, and so they left eche other. The selfe same night | |
| Cassius prepared his supper in his chamber, and Brutus | |
| brought his friendes with him. So when they were set at | |
| supper, Phaonius came to sit downe after he had washed. | |
| Brutus tolde him alowd, no man sent for him, and bad | |
| them set him at the upper end: meaning in deede at the | |
| lower ende of the bed. Phaonius made no ceremonie, but | |
| thrust in amongest the middest of them, and made all the | |
| companye laugh at him: so they were merry all supper | |
| tyme, and full of their Philosophie. The next daye after, | |
| Brutus, upon complaynt of the Sardians, did condemne and | |
| noted Lucius Pella for a defamed person, that had bene a | |
| Praetor of the Romanes, and whome Brutus had given charge | |
| unto: for that he was accused and convicted of robberie, | |
| and pilferie in his office. This judgement much misliked | |
| Cassius: bicause he him selfe had secretly (not many dayes | |
| before) warned two of his friends, attainted and convicted | |
| of the like offences, and openly had cleered them: but yet | |
| he did not therefore leave to employ them in any manner of | |
| service as he did before. And therefore he greatly reproved | |
| Brutus, for that he would shew him selfe so straight and | |
| seveare in such a tyme, as was meeter to beare a litle, then | |
| 216 | |