BRUTUS, ARCUS JUNIUS (B.C. 85-42). One of the conspirators against Caesar. His father bore the same name, was a follower of Marius, and, suffering defeat from Pompey, was at the latter's direction put to death. At this time the son was but eight years old, and his educa tion was in part watched over by his uncle, :Marcus Cato. whose philosophy lie adopted. Ile studied and practiced law, like his father before him, but civil life was interrupted by political conditions. On the outbreak of hostilities be tween Ca'sar and Pompey, he gave his support to the man who destroyed his father. C:esar, how ever, victor at Pharsalia, pardoned him, took him into favor, and appointed him Governor of Cisalpine Gaul. Here his conduct was that of a high-minded official, and in B.C. 44 the office of prcrtor urbanus was conferred upon him by the same steadfast friend. It was while hold ing this place that lie became a conspirator against the promoter of his career. After the assassination of Caesar, unable to win a follow ing, he escaped to Athens, and succeeded in rais ing a large force and becoming powerful in Mace donia. Cassius had been equally successful in equipping an army in Asia, and together they proceeded to Philippi, where they joined bat tle with Antony and Octavius. As counnander
of the Republican right, Brutus repulsed Octa vius; while Cassius, overcome by Antony, and feeling that their cause was lost, made an end of himself. This example Brutus soon followed. The glamor thrown over the character of Bru tus by Shakespeare will, unhappily, not bear scrutiny. Ile was at one time a relentless and did not scruple to apply to Cicero as Governor of Cilieia for power to make unlaw ful exactions. Ilis political affiliations, too, ap pear suspicious, and his joining the conspirators seems to have been the result of the seductive power of the astute Cassius rather than of any deep-set convictions. Somewhere lie was weak or corrupt; but it is charitable to believe that the principles of his Stoic philosophy grew upon him, and that he became worthier of his grand old uncle, Cato. His studies present him in his most amiable light: for, notwithstanding his military successes, he was a student, not a man of action; a theorist, not a doer of deeds. All his writings have been lost.