| GRECIANS AND ROMANS | |
| | |
| things for Dionysius sake and benefit, all the while he | DION |
| trusted him: and when he beganne to mistrust him, then for | AND |
| anger he made warre with him. Wherefore all his frendes | BRUTUS |
| did not beleve, but after he had driven out Dionysius, he | |
| would stablish the government to him selfe, flattering the | |
| people with a more curteous and gentle title then the name | |
| of a tyranne. But for Brutus, his verie enemies them selves | |
| confessed, that of all those that conspired Caesars death, he | |
| only had no other ende and intent to attempt his enter- | |
| prise, but to restore the Empire of Rome againe, to her | |
| former state and government. And furthermore, it was | |
| not all one thing to deale with Dionysius, as it was to | |
| have to doe with Iulius Caesar. For no man that knew | |
| Dionysius, but would have despised him, considering that he | |
| spent the most parte of his time in drinking, dycing, and in | |
| haunting lewde womens company. But to have undertaken | |
| to destroy Iuilius Caesar, and not to have shroncke backe for | |
| feare of his great wisedom, power, and fortune, considering | |
| that his name only was dreadfull unto everie man, and also | |
| not to suffer the kings of Parthia and India to be in rest | |
| for him: this could not come but of a marvelous noble | |
| minde of him, that for feare never fainted, nor let fall any | |
| part of his corage. And therfore, so sone as Dion came | |
| into Sicilia, many thowsands of men came and joyned with | |
| him, against Dionysius. But the fame of Iulius Caesar did | |
| set up his frends againe after his death, and was of suche | |
| force, that it raised a young stripling, Octavius Caesar, (that | |
| had no meanes nor power of him selfe) to be one of the | |
| greatest men of Rome: and they used him as a remedie | |
| to encounter Antonius malice and power. And if men will | |
| say, that Dion drave out the tyran Dionysius with force of | |
| armes, and sundrie battells: and that in contrarie maner | |
| Brutus slue Caesar, being a naked man, and without gard: | |
| then doe I aunswere againe, that it was a noble parte, and | |
| of a wise Captaine, to choose so apt a time and place, to | |
| come uppon a man of so great power, and to finde him | |
| naked without his gard. For he went not sodainlie in a | |
| rage, and alone, or with a small companie, to assaile him: | |
| but his enterprise was long time before determined of, and | |
| 239 | |