The Republic; R O 
^'indistinguishable ruin. Atr this horrid spectacle, Brutus 
offered a reward to every soldier who would bring him a 
Lycian alive. The number of those whom it was possible 
to save from their own fury, amounted to no more than 150, 
Brutus and Cassius met once more at Sardis, where, after 
the usual ceremonies were passed between them, they resolved 
to have a private conference together, when, after much alter¬ 
cation, they were at last perfectly reconciled, lifter which, 
night coming on, Cassius invited Brutus and his frieuds to 
an entertainment. Upon retiring home it was, that Brutus, 
as Plutarch tells the story, saw a spectre in his tent. It was 
in the dead of the night, when the whole camp was perfectly 
quiet, that Brutus was employed in reading by a lamp that 
was just expiring. On a sudden, he thought he heard a 
noise as if somebody entered; and looking towards the door, 
he perceived it open. A gigantic figure, with a frightful 
aspect, stood before him, and continued to gaze upon him 
with silent severity. At last Brutus had courage to speak to 
it: “ Art thou a daemon or a mortal man ? and why comest 
thou to me?” “Brutus,” replied the phantom, “I am thy 
evil genius; thou shalt see me again at Philippi.” “ Well, 
then,” answered Brutus, without being discomposed, “ we 
shall meet again.” Upon which the phantom vanished; and 
Brutus, calling to his servants, asked if they had seen any 
thing; to which replying in the negative, he again resumed 
his studies. But as he was struck with so strange an occur¬ 
rence, he mentioned it the next day to Cassius, who, being 
an Epicurean, and a man of sense, ascribed it to the effect 
of imagination too much exercised by vigilance and anxiety. 
Brutus appeared satisfied with this solution of his late terrors; 
and, as Antony and Octavianus were now advanced into 
Macedonia, they soon after passed over into Thrace, and 
advanced to the city of Philippi, near which the forces of 
the triumvirs were posted. 
A battle soon ensued, inwhich the republicans were defeat¬ 
ed, and Cassius killed. The firstcare of Brutus, when he be¬ 
came the sole general, was to assemble the dispersed troops 
of Cassius, and animate them with fresh hopes of victory. 
As they had lost all they possessed by the plundering of their 
camp, he promised them 2,000 denarii each man to make 
up their losses. This once more inspired them with new 
ardour; they admired the liberality of their general, and 
with loud shouts proclaimed his former intrepidity. Still, 
however, he had not confidence sufficient to face the adver¬ 
sary, who offered him battle the ensuing day. His aim was 
to starve his enemies, who were in extreme want of provi¬ 
sions, their fleet having been lately defeated. But his single 
opinion was overruled by the rest of his army, who now 
grew every day more confident of their strength, and more 
arrogant to their new general. He was, therefore, at last, 
after a respite of 20 days, obliged to comply with their soli¬ 
citations to try the fate of the battle. Both armies being 
drawn out, they remained a long while opposite to each 
other without offering to engage. It is said, that he himself 
had lost much of his natural ardour by having again seen 
the spectre the night preceding: however, he encouraged his 
men as much as possible, and gave the signal for battle 
within three hours of sunset. Fortune again declared against 
him ; and the two triumviri expressly ordered by no means 
to suffer the general to escape, for fear he should renew the 
war. Thus the whole body of the enemy seemed chiefly 
intent on Brutus alone, and his capture seemed inevitable. 
In this deplorable exigence, Lucilius his friend, resolved, by 
his own death, to effect the general’s delivery.- Upon per¬ 
ceiving a body of Thracian horse closely pursuing Brutus, 
and just upon the point of taking him, he boldly threw him¬ 
self in their way, telling them that he was Brutus. The 
Thracians, overjoyed with so great a prize, immediately 
dispatched some of their companions, with the news of their 
success, to the army. Upon which, the ardour of the pur¬ 
suit abating, Antony marched out to meet his prisoner; 
but the faithful Lucilius, advancing with a cheerful air, 
owned the deceit that he had put upon him. The trium¬ 
vir, struck with so much fidelity, pardoned him upon 
Von. XXH. No. 1498. 
M E. The Republics 253 
the spot; and from that time'forward loaded him with 
benefits, and honoured him with his friendship. 
In the mean time Brutus, with a small number of friends, 
passed over a rivulet, and, night coming on, sat down under 
a rock which concealed him from the pursuit of the enemy. 
After taking breath for a little time, he sent out one Statilius 
to give him some information of those that remained; but 
he never returned, being killed by a party of the enemy’s 
horse. Brutus judging very rightly of his fate, now resolved 
to die likewise, and spoke to those who stood round him to 
lend him their last sad assistance. None of them, however, 
would render him so melancholy a piece of service. At last 
one Strato, averting his head, presented the sword’s point 
to Brutus; who threw himself upon it, and immediately 
expired. 
From the moment of Brutus’s death, the triumviri began 
to act as sovereigns, and to divide the Roman dominions 
between them. However, though there were apparently 
three, yet only two were actually possessed of power; since 
Lepidus was at first admitted merely to curb the mutual jea¬ 
lousy of Antony and Octavianus, and was possessed neither 
of interest in the army, nor authority among the people. 
Their first care was to punish those whom they had formerly 
marked for vengeance. The head of Brutus was sent to 
Rome to be thrown at the foot of Caesar’s statue. His ashes, 
however, were sent to his wife Portia, Cato’s daughter, who 
afterwards killed herself by swallowing burning coals. 
The power of the triumviri being thus established, Antony 
went into Greece, and spent some time at Athens, conversing 
among the philosophers, and assisting at their disputes in 
person. From thence he passed over into Asia, where all 
the monarchs of the east, who acknowledged the Roman 
power, came to pay him their obedience. In this manner 
he proceeded from kingdom to kingdom, attended by a 
crowd of sovereigns, exacting contributions and distributing 
favours. He presented the kingdom of Cappadocia to 
Sysenes, in prejudice of Ariarathes, only because he found 
pleasure in the beauty of Glaphyra, the mother of the former. 
He settled Herod in the kingdom of Judea, and supported 
him against every opposer. But among all the sovereigns of 
the east who shared his favours, none had so large a part as 
Cleopatra, the celebrated queen of Egypt. 
It happened that Serapion, her governor in the island of 
Cyprus, had formerly furnished some succours to the con¬ 
spirators ; and it was thought proper that she should answer 
for his conduct on that occasion. Accordingly, having 
received orders from Antony to come and clear herself of 
this imputation of infidelity, she readily complied, if not 
conscious of the goodness of her cause, yet confident of the 
power of her beauty. She had already experienced the 
force of her charms upon Caesar and Pompey’s eldest son; 
and the addition of a few years since that time had not im 
paired their lustre. Antony was now in Tarsus, a city of 
Cilicia, when Cleopatra resolved to attend his court in per¬ 
son. She sailed down the river Cydnus, at the mouth of 
which the city stood, with the most sumptuous pageantry. 
Her galley was covered with gold; the sails were of purple, 
large, and floating in the wind. The oars of silver kept 
time to the sound of flutes and cymbals. She herself lay 
reclined on a couch spangled with stars of gold, and with 
such ornaments as poets and painters had usually ascribed 
to Venus. On each side were boys like cupids, who fanned 
her by turns; while the most beautiful nymphs, dressed like 
Nereids and Graces, were placed at proper distances around 
her. Upon the banks of the river were kept burning the 
most exquisite perfumes, while an infinite number of people 
gazed upon the sight. Antony was captivated with her 
beauty; and, leaving all his business to satisfy his passion, 
shortly after followed her into Egypt. 
While he thus remained idle, Octavianus, who took upon 
him to lead-back the veteran troops and settle them in Italy, 
was assiduously employed in providing for their subsistence. 
He had promised them lands at home, as a recompense for 
their past services; but they could not receive new grants, 
3 T without 
