Discovering the error which they had committed, the senate now elected Octavianus consul, and held out to him the prospect of new honours. By means of this newly acquired influence, he obtained a law for the condemnation of Brutus and Cassius, and then he united his army with that of Antony.
At a conference, which lasted for three days, Octa vianus, Antony, and Lepidus established themselves into a triumvirate for five years, during which Octa vianus should have Africa and the Mediterranean, Antony, Gaul, and Lepidus, Spain. They agreed that their enemies should be destroyed; and in the lists which they gave in, were comprehended the names even of the friends of the triumvirs. Above 300 sena tors, among whom were Cicero, Paulus the brother of Lepidus, and Lucius, the uncle of Antony, and above 2,000 knights, were included in the fatal list, and their estates divided among their murderers. In conse quence of these cruelties many Romans fled to the army of Brutus, and others sought for protection from Pom pey, whose fleet now covered the Mediterranean.— Having satiated their vengeance and their avarice, the triumvirs announced to the senate that their cruelties were at an end; and leaving Lepidus with the charge of Rome, Octavianus and Antony marched into Asia to meet the conspirators.
Brutus having raised a powerful army in Macedonia, and Cassius another in Syria, they united their forces with the view of attacking Cleopatra, who was prepar ing to assist their opponents, when they received in formation of the advance of Octavianus and Antony at the head of forty legions. Brutus was desirous of pass ing over into Macedonia to meet the enemy; but Cas sius insisted upon first reducing the Rhodians and Ly tham, who had withheld their contributions. The un fortunate Rhodians were stripped of every thing but their lives; and the Lydians, having shut themselves up in the city of Xanthus, and set fire to the town, threw themselves into the flames rather than surrender to Brutus. The Roman general exhibited great generosity during the siege. He not only entreated his soldiers to extinguish the fire; but gave his personal assistance to save the infatuated Lydians and even offered a reward to every soldier who should save a Lydian from the flames.
Having met at Sardis, Brutus and Cassius were, after much altercation, reconciled to each other. Cas sius entertained Brutus in his tent; and it was after the return of the latter from this entertainment, that he saw the spectre of which we have already given an account in our life of Bennis. This event was im mediately followed by the battle of Philippi, in which the conspirators were defeated, and Cassius killed, as already described in the article now quoted.
Having assembled the dispersed troops of Cassius, recompensed them for their losses, and encouraged them with hopes of success, Brutus resolved, if pos sible, to starve his enemies, who were in great want of provisions. His troops, however, could not brook this species of warfare, and forced their general to try the fortunes of war. The force of the triumvirate was directed solely against the person of Brutus, and when the ranks of the confederates were giving way, orders were given not to permit the general to escape. Thus singly exposed as the prize of battle, the Brutus seemed inevitable. In this emergency his friend Lu cilius threw himself before a body of Thracian horse, who were closely pursuing Brutus, and on the point of seizing him, and called out that he was Brutus.— The Thracians, overjoyed with their success, sent notice of it to Antony; but when that general received from Lucilius an acknowledgment of the deceit, he treated him with kindness, and sought the friendship of a man who had thus done honour to their common nature.
Brutus escaped with a small number of his follow ers; and seating himself beneath a rock which con cealed him from the enemy, he saw no prospect of escape, and throwing himself upon his sword, he in stantly expired. The head of Brutus was sent to Rome, to be thrown at the foot of Caesar's statue, and his ashes were sent to his wife Portia, who killed herself by swallowing burning coals. Thus fell the last of the enemies of Czesar; and it has been affirmed, that not one of those died a natural death who were concerned in the murder of that great man.