| LIVES OF THE NOBLE | | |
| | | |
MARCUS | of the people were a litle asswaged. The which they hoped | |
BRUTUS | would be quickly, considering that they had to deale with a | |
| fickle and unconstant multitude, easye to be caried, and that | |
| the Senate stoode for them: who notwithstanding made no | |
| enquiery of them that had torne poore Cinna the Poet in | |
| peeces, but caused them to be sought for and apprehended, | |
| that went with fire brands to set fire of the conspirators | |
| houses. The people growing weary now of Antonius pride | |
| and insolency, who ruled all things in manner with absolute | |
| power: they desired that Brutus might returne againe, and | |
| it was also looked for, that Brutus would come him selfe in | |
| person to playe the playes which were due to the people, by | |
| reason of his office of Praetorship. But Brutus understanding | |
| that many of Caesars souldiers which served under him in the | |
| warres, and that also had lands and houses given them in the | |
| cities where they lay, did lye in wayte for him to kill him, and | |
| that they dayly by small companies came by one and by one | |
| into Rome: he durst no more returne thither, but yet the | |
Brutus playes | people had the pleasure and pastyme in his absence, to see | |
and sportes at | the games and sportes he made them, which were sumptu- | |
Rome in his | ouslie set foorth and furnished with all thinges necessarie, | |
absence. | sparing for no cost. For be had bought a great number of | |
| straunge beastes, of the which he would not geve one of them | |
| to any friende he had, but that they shoulde all be employed | |
| in his games: and went him selfe as farre as Byzantium, to | |
| speake to some players of comedies and Musitions that were | |
| there. And further he wrote unto his friends for one Canu- | |
| tius an excellent player, that whatsoever they did, they | |
| should intreate him to play in these playes: For, sayd he, | |
| it is no reason to compell any Graecian, unles he will come | |
| of his owne good will. Moreover, he wrote also unto Cicero, | |
| and earnestly prayed him in any case to be at these playes. | |
| Now the state of Rome standing in these termes, there fell | |
| out an other chaunge and alteracion, when the younge man | |
Octavius | Octavius Caesar came to Rome. He was the sonne of Iulius | |
Caesars com- | Caesars Nece, whome he had adopted for his sonne, and made | |
ming to | his heire, by his last will and testament. But when Iulius | |
Rome. | Caesar his adopted father was slayne, he was in the citie of | |
| Apollonia, where he studied tarying for him, bicause he was | |
| 202 | |