| GRECIANS AND ROMANS | |
| | |
| him in better hart. And furthermore, bicause that some | MARCUS |
| of their owne men had already yelded them selves to their | BRUTUS |
| enemies, and that it was suspected moreover divers others | |
| would doe the like: that made many of Cassius friendes, | |
| which were of his minde before, (when it came to be | |
| debated in counsell whether the battell shoulde be fought | |
| or not) that they were then of Brutus minde. But yet | |
| was there one of Brutus friendes called Atellius, that was | |
| against it, and was of opinion that they should tary the | Atellius |
| next winter. Brutus asked him what he should get by | opinion for |
| tarying a yeare lenger? If I get nought els, quoth Attel- | the battell. |
| lius agayne, yet have I lived so much lenger. Cassius was | |
| very angry with this aunswer: and Atellius was maliced | |
| and esteemed the worse for it of all men. Thereuppon it | |
| was presently determined they should fight battell the | |
| next daye. So Brutus all supper tyme looked with a | |
| cheerefull countenaunce, like a man that had good hope, | |
| and talked very wisely of Philosophie, and after supper | |
| went to bed. But touching Cassius, Messala reporteth | |
| that he supped by him selfe in his tent with a fewe of | |
| his friendes, and that all supper tyme he looked very | |
| sadly, and was full of thoughts, although it was against | |
| his nature: and that after supper he tooke him by the | |
| hande, and holding him fast (in token of kindnes as his | |
| manner was) tolde him in Greeke: Messala, I protest unto | Cassius words |
| thee, and make thee my witnes, that I am compelled | unto Messala, |
| against my minde and will (as Pompey the great was) | the night |
| to jeopard the libertie of our contry, to the hazard of a | before the |
| battel. And yet we must be lively, and of good corage, | battell. |
| considering our good fortune, whome we shoulde wronge | |
| too muche to mistrust her, although we followe evill | |
| counsell. Messala writeth, that Cassius having spoken | |
| these last wordes unto him, he bad him farewell, and | |
| willed him to come to supper to him the next night | |
| following, bicause it was his birth day. The next morning | |
| by breake of day, the signall of battell was set out in | Brutus and |
| Brutus and Cassius campe, which was an arming scarlet | Cassius talke |
| coate: and both the Chiefetaines spake together in the | before the |
| middest of their armies. There Cassius beganne to speake | battell. |
| 221 | |