BRUTUS, Marcus Junius, Roman republi can: b. 85 ac.; d. 42 B.C. He was the son of that Marcus Junius Brutus whom Pompey caused to be murdered, and of Servilia, the half-sister of Cato. He lost his father when he was only eight years old, but his mother and uncles carefully directed his education. On the outbreak of the civil war he followed the example of Cato, and joined the Pompeians, notwithstanding his aversion to their leader. After the unfortunate battle of Pharsalia, he surrendered himself to Caesar, who received him generously, allowed him to withdraw from the war, made him in the following year gov ernor of Cisalpine Gaul and afterward con ferred on him the government of Macedonia. Notwithstanding these benefits, Brutus allowed himself to be drawn by Cassius and others into the conspiracy against Caesar, who had now made himself master of the supreme power in the state. Caesar was assassinated in the Senate house. In public speeches Brutus explained the reasons of this deed, but he could not appease the dissatisfaction of the people, and retired with his party to the capitol. Antony succeeded in exciting the popular indignation against the murderers of Caesar, and they were compelled to flee from Rome. Brutus went to Athens,
raised a large force, and also gained over the troops in Macedonia. Thus, master of all Greece and Macedonia, he stood at the head of a powerful army. He went to Asia and joined Cassius, whose forces were also strong. At Philippi they fought the army of Antony and Octavius. Cassius was beaten by Antony, and caused himself to be killed. Brutus re pulsed Octavius, by whom, however, he was soon afterward totally defeated. Seeing his cause ruined, he ended his life by falling upon his sword. The glamour thrown over the char acter of Brutus by Shakespeare will not bear scrutiny. He was at one time a relentless usurer and did not hesitate to apply to Cicero as governor of Cilicia for power to make un lawful exactions. Brutus was a man of little independent judgment, a mere student, liable to be swayed by others, and he was in no sense a martyr to a genuine patriotism. He was the author of philosophical and historical treatises, orations, etc., none of which now survive. We still have part of his correspondence with Cicero. Cicero dedicated to him his a description of the ideal orator, and called his history of Roman oratory 'Brutus.'