Plutarch, Lives: Caius Martius Coriolanus: Julius Caesar: Marcus Brutus: Marcus Antonius: Octavius Caesar Augustus: Theseus: Alcibiades (ed. Thomas North)

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[p. 42]

The Life of Julius Caesar

• 1. Caesar sides with Marius against Sylla.
• 2. Caesar taken by Pirates.
• 3. Caesar's eloquence.
• 4. Cicero's judgment of Caesar. Caesar's funeral oration over his aunt Julia.
• 5. Caesar sets up images of Marius.
• 6. He is made chief Bishop of Rome.
• 7. His action in the case of Catiline's conspiracy.
• 8. Intrigue of Clodius with Caesar's wife Pompeia.
• 9. Caesar's acts in Spain.
• 10. He reconciles Pompey and Crassus.
• 11. His first consulship and laws.
• 12. His daughter Julia is married to Pompey; he himself marries Calphurnia.
• 13. He sends Cato to prison, and drives Cicero out of Italy.
• 14. His conquests in Gaul.
• 15. The valour of Acilius, Cassius Scaeva, and Granius Petronius.
• 16.Description of Caesar's valour, bounty, health and habits.
• 17. His first war with the Gauls and victory over the Helvetti.
• 18. His second war, against Ariovistus.
• 19. He defeats the Belgae.
• 20. He defeats Nervii.
• 21. His conference with Pompey, Crassus and others at Lucca.
• 22. His war against the Ipes and Tenterides.
• 23. He makes a bridge over the Rhine.
• 24.His expedition to England. Death of his daughter Julia.
• 25. Rebellions of the Gauls, and defeat of Vercingetorix.
• 26. Siege of Alexia.
• 27. Discord between Caesar and Pompey.
• 28. Caesar bribes the magistrates at Rome.
• 29. He crosses the Rubicon.
• 30. Pompey flees to Epirus.
• 31. Caesar is made Dictator. His advanture in the pinnace.
• 32. His ill success in Epirus.
• 33. Battle of Pharsalia dand defeat of Pompey.
• 34. Caesar makes Cleopatra Queen of Egypt.
• 35. "Veni, vidi, vici."
• 36. Adventures in Afric and death of Cato.
• 37. Caesar's three triumphs.
• 38. His expedition to Spain against the sons of Pompey; battle of Munda.
• 39. He is chosen perpetual Dictator.
• 40. He reforms the Calendar.
• 41. Feast of the Lupercalia. Caesar twice refuses the diadem.
• 42. Brutus conspires against him.
• 43. Prognostics of his death.
• 44. He is assassinated.
• 45. Events following his death.
• 46. Fate of Brutus and Cassius.

I.

Caesar joined with Cinna and Marius.

At what time Sylla was made lord of all, he would have had Caesar put away his wife Cornelia, the daughter of Cinna dictator: but when he saw he could neither with any promise nor threat bring him to it, he took her jointure away from him. The cause of Caesar's ill will unto Sylla was by means of marriage: [p. 43] for Marius the elder married his father's own sister, by whom he had Marius the younger, whereby Caesar and he were cousin-germans. Sylla being troubled in weighty matters, putting to death so many of his enemies, when he came to be conqueror, he made no reckoning of Caesar: and he was not contented to be hidden in safety, but came and made suit unto the people for the priesthoodship that was void ¹ , when he had scant ² any hair on his face. Howbeit he was repulsed by Sylla's means, that secretly was against him. Who, when he was determined to have killed him, some of his friends told him, that it was to no purpose to put so young a boy as he to death. But Sylla told them again, that they did not consider ³ that there were many Marians in that young boy. Caesar understanding that, stole out of Rome, and hid himself a long time in the country of the Sabines, wandering still from place to place. But one day being carried from house to house, he fell into the hands of Sylla's soldiers, who searched all those places, and took them whom they found hidden. Caesar bribed the captain, whose name was Cornelius, with two talents which he gave him.

After he had escaped them thus, he went unto the seaside, and took ship, and sailed into Bithynia to go unto king Nicomedes. When he had been with him awhile,

Caesar took sea and went unto Nicomedes, king of Bithynia. Caesar taken of pirates.

took sea again, and was taken by pirates about the ile ⁴ of Pharmacusa: for those pirates kept all upon the sea-coast, with a great fleet of ships and boats. They asking him at the first twenty talents for his ransom, Caesar laughed them to scorn, as though they knew not what a man they had taken, and of himself promised them fifty talents.

¹ vacant.

² scarcely.

³ perceive.

⁴ isle.

This text is based on the following book(s):
Plutarch. Rev. Walter W. Skeat. Shakespeare's Plutarch: being a selection from the lives in North's Plutarch which illustrate Shakespeare's plays. Macmillan and Co. 1875. London.