ἔπεσον δὲ τούτων μὲν ὀκτακισχίλιοι σὺν τοῖς στρατευομένοις οἰκέταις, οὓς Βρίγας ὁ Βροῦτος ὠνόμαζε· τῶν δʼ ἐναντίων Μεσσάλας φησὶν οἴεσθαι πλείους ἢ διπλασίους.
There fell on his side eight thousand men, including the camp servants whom Brutus called Briges; but the enemy, in the opinion of Messala, lost more than twice as many.
διὸ καὶ μᾶλλον ἠθύμουν ἐκεῖνοι πρὶν ἢ Κασσίου θεράπων ὄνομα Δημήτριος ἀφίκετο πρὸς Ἀντώνιον ἑσπέρας, εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ νεκροῦ τὰς χλαμύδας λαβὼν καὶ τὸ ξίφος. ὦν κομισθέντων οὕτως ἐθάρρησαν ὥστε ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ προάγειν ὡπλισμένην ἐπὶ μάχῃ τὴν δύναμιν.
They were therefore the more dejected of the two, until an attendant of Cassius, named Demetrius, came to Antony in the evening, bringing the robes and the sword which he had taken at once from the dead body. This encouraged them so much that at break of day they led their forces out arrayed for battle.
Βρούτῳ δὲ τῶν στρατοπέδων ἑκατέρου σαλεύοντος ἐπισφαλῶς τὸ μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ καταπεπλησμένον αἰχμαλώτων ἐδεῖτο φυλακῆς ἀκριβοῦς, τὸ δὲ Κασσίου τὴν μεταβολὴν τοῦ ἄρχοντος οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἔφερεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ φθόνου τι καὶ μίσους ἡττημένοις ἐνῆν αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸ νενικηκός, ὁπλίσαι μὲν ἔδοξε τὸ στράτευμα, μάχης δʼ ἀπέσχετο.
But both the camps over which Brutus had command were in dangerous straits. His own was filled with prisoners of war and required a heavy guard; while that of Cassius was dissatisfied with the change of commanders, and besides, as vanquished men, they were full of hatred and jealousy towards those who had been victorious Brutus therefore decided to put his army in array, but to refrain from battle.
τῶν δʼ αἰχμαλώτων τὸ μὲν δουλικὸν πλῆθος ἐνειλούμενον ὑπόπτως τοῖς ὅπλοις ἐκέλευσεν ἀναιρεθῆναι, τῶν δʼ ἐλευθέρων τοὺς μὲν ἀπέλυε φάσκων ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων μᾶλλον ἡλωκέναι αὐτοὺς καὶ παρʼ ἐκείνοις αἰχμαλώτους εἶναι καὶ δούλους, παρʼ αὑτῷ δʼ ἐλευθέρους καὶ πολίτας·
Moreover, the multitude of slaves among his captives were found suspiciously moving about among the men-at-arms, and he ordered them to be put to death; of the freemen, however, he released some, declaring that they had more truly been captured by his enemies, in whose hands they were prisoners and slaves, while with him they were freemen and citizens;
ὡς δὲ τοὺς φίλους ἑώρα καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἀδιαλλάκτως ἔχοντας, ἀποκρύπτων καὶ συνεκπέμπων ἔσῳζεν.
and when he saw that his friends and officers were implacably hostile to them, he saved their lives by hiding them and helping them to escape.
ἦν δέ τις Βολούμνιος μῖμος καὶ Σακουλίων γελωτοποιὸς ἡλωκότες, οὓς ἐν οὐδενὶ λόγῳ τιθεμένου τοῦ Βρούτου προσάγοντες οἱ φίλοι κατηγόρουν ὡς οὐδὲ νῦν τοῦ λέγειν καὶ σκώπτειν πρὸς ὕβριν αὐτῶν ἀπεχομένους.
Among the prisoners there was a certain Volumnius, an actor, and Saculio, a buffoon, to whom Brutus paid no attention; but the friends of Brutus brought them forward and denounced them for not refraining even now from insolent and mocking speeches to them.
ἐπεὶ δὲ Βροῦτος μὲν ἐσίγα πρὸς ἑτέραις ὢν φροντίσι, Μεσσάλας δὲ Κορβῖνος ἐδικαίου πληγαῖς κολασθέντας ἐπὶ σκηνῆς γυμνοὺς ἀποδοθῆναι τοῖς στρατηγοῖς τῶν πολεμίων, ὅπως εἰδῶσιν οἵων δέονται στρατευόμενοι συμποτῶν καὶ συνήθων, ἔνιοι μὲν τῶν παρόντων ἐγέλασαν,
Brutus had nothing to say, being concerned about other matters, but Messala Corvinus gave his opinion that they should be publicly flogged and then sent back naked to the enemy’s generals, in order to let these know what sort of boon companions they required on their campaigns.
Πόπλιος δὲ Κάσκας, ὁπρῶτος Καίσαρα πατάξας, οὐ καλῶς, ἔφη, τεθνηκότι Κασσίῳ παίζοντες καὶ γελωτοποιοῦντες ἐναγίζομεν σὺ δέ, εἶπεν, ὦ Βροῦτε, δείξεις ὅπως ἔχεις μνήμης πρὸς τὸν στρατηγόν ἢ κολάσας ἢ φυλάξας τοὺς χλευασομένους καὶ κακῶς ἐροῦντας αὐτόν.
At this some of the bystanders burst out laughing, but Publius Casca, the one who first smote Caesar, said: It is not meet for us to celebrate the funeral rites of Cassius with jests and mirth; and thou, Brutus, wilt show what esteem thou hast for the memory of that general according as thou punishest or shieldest those who will abuse and revile him.
πρὸς τοῦτο Βροῦτος εὖ μάλα δυσχεράνας, τίοὖν, εἶπεν, ἐμοῦ πυνθάνεσθε, Κάσκα, καὶ οὐ πράττετε τὸ δόξαν ὑμῖν; ταύτην ἐκεῖνοι τὴν ἀπόκρισιν συγκατάθεσιν ποιησάμενοι κατὰ τῶν ἀθλίων ἀνθρώπων, διέφθειραν αὐτοὺς ἀπαγαγόντες.
To this Brutus, in high dudgeon, said: Why, then, do ye enquire of me, Casca, instead of doing what seems best to you? This answer was taken to be a condemnation of the poor wretches, and they were led off and put to death.
ἐκτούτου τὴν δωρεὰν ἀπέδωκε τοῖς στρατιώταις, καὶ μικρὰ μεμψάμενος ἐπὶ τῷ τὸ σύνθημα μὴ λαβόντας ἄνευ παραγγέλματος ἀτακτότερον ἐναλέσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις, ὑπέσχετο καλῶς ἀγωνισαμένοις δύο πόλεις εἰς ἁρπαγὴν καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἀνήσειν, Θεσσαλονίκην καὶ Λακεδαίμονα.
After this, he gave the soldiers their promised rewards, and after gently chiding them for not getting the watchword and for rushing upon the enemy without command and in great disorder, he promised that if they now fought well, he would turn over to them two cities for plunder and booty, Thessalonica and Lacedaemon.
τοῦτο τῷ Βρούτου βίῳ μόνον ἔνεστι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἀναπολόγητον, εἰ καὶ πολὺ τούτων δεινότερα νικητήρια τοῖς στρατευομένοις Ἀντώνιος καὶ Καῖσαρ ἐξέτισαν, ὀλίγου δεῖν πάσης Ἰταλίας τοὺς παλαιοὺς οἰκήτορας ἐξελάσαντες, ἵνα χώραν ἐκεῖνοι καὶ πόλεις τὰς μὴ προσηκούσας λάβωσιν.
This is the only accusation in the life of Brutus against which no defence can be made, even though Antony and Octavius practised far greater cruelty than this in rewarding their soldiers, and drove her ancient inhabitants out of almost the whole of Italy, in order that their followers might get land and cities to which they had no right.
ἀλλὰ τούτοις μὲν ἄρχειν καὶ κρατεῖν ὑπέκειτο τοῦ πολέμου τέλος, Βρούτῳ δὲ διὰ δόξαν ἀρετῆς οὔτε νικᾶν οὔτε σῴζεσθαι συνεχωρεῖτο παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν ἢ μετὰ τοῦ καλοῦ καὶ δικαίου, καὶ ταῦτα Κασσίου τεθνηκότος, ὃς αἰτίαν εἶχε καὶ Βροῦτον ἐνάγειν εἰς ἔνια τῶν βιαιοτέρων.
But in their minds conquest and dominion were the end and object of the war; whereas Brutus had such a reputation for virtue with the multitude that he was not permitted either to conquer or to gain safety except with honour and justice, especially now that Cassius was dead, who was accused of leading Brutus with him into some acts of violence.
ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐν πλῷ πηδαλίου συντριβέντος ἕτερα ξύλα προσηλοῦν καὶ προσαρμόττειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, οὐκ εὖ μέν, ἀναγκαῖα δὲ, μαχόμενοι πρὸς τὴν χρείαν, οὕτω Βροῦτος ἐν δυνάμει τοσαύτῃ καὶ μετεώροις πράγμασιν οὐκ ἔχων ἰσορροποῦντα στρατηγόν ἠναγκάζετο χρῆσθαι τοῖς παροῦσι καὶ πολλὰ πράσσειν καὶ λέγειν τῶν ἐκείνοις δοκούντων.
But just as sailors, when their rudder has been shattered, try to fit and fasten other timbers in its place, striving to meet their needs, not well, indeed, but as best they can, so Brutus, not having in his great army and dangerous plight a general who was equal to the emergency, was forced to employ such as he had, and to do and say many things which they approved.
ἐδόκει δʼ ὅσα τοὺς Κασσίου στρατιώτας ᾤοντο βελτίους παρέξειν δυσμεταχείριστοι γὰρ ἦσαν, ἐν μὲν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ διʼ ἀναρχίαν θρασυνόμενοι, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς πολεμίους διὰ τὴν ἧτταν ἀποδειλιῶντες.
And so he decided to do whatever they thought would make the soldiers of Cassius better men. For these were very intractable; their lack of a leader made them bold in camp, while their defeat made them afraid to face the enemy.
οὐδὲν δὲ βέλτιον εἶχε τὰ πράγματα τοῖς περὶ Καίσαρα καὶ Ἀντώνιον, ἀγορᾷ τε χρωμένοις ἀναγκαῖα καὶ διὰ κοιλότητα τοῦ στρατοπέδου χειμῶνα μοχθηρὸν προσδοκῶσιν.
But Octavius and Antony were no better off; they were scantily provisioned, and the low site of their camp made them expect a grievous winter.
εἱλούμενοι γὰρ πρὸς ἕλεσι καὶ μετὰ τὴν μάχην ὄμβρων φθινοπωρινῶν ἐπιγενομένων πηλοῦ κατεπίμπλαντο τὰς σκηνὰς καὶ ὕδατος παραχρῆμα πηγνυμένου διὰ ψῦχος.
For they were huddled together on the edge of marshes, and the autumn rains which fell after the battle kept filling their tents with mud and water that froze at once, so cold was the weather.
ἐν τούτῳ δʼ οὖσιν αὐτοῖς ἧκεν ἀγγελία περὶ τῆς κατὰ. θάλατταν γενομένης ἀτυχίας περὶ τὴν στρατιάν. ἐξ Ἰταλίας γὰρ πολλὴν κομιζομένην παρὰ Καίσαρος αἱ Βρούτου νῆες ἐπιπεσοῦσαι διέφθειραν, ὧν ὀλίγοι παντάπασι τοὺς πολεμίους διαφυγόντες ὑπὸ λιμοῦ τῶν ἱστίων καὶ τῶν σχοινίων ἐσθίοντες διεγένοντο.
Moreover, while they were in this plight, word came to them of the disaster which had befallen them at sea. For a large force which was being brought from Italy by command of Octavius was attacked by the ships of Brutus and destroyed, and the small remnant of them that escaped their enemies were driven by hunger to subsist upon the sails and tackle of their ships.
ταῦτʼ ἀκούσαντες ἔσπευδον διὰ μάχης κριθῆναι πρὶν αἰσθέσθαι τὸν Βροῦτον ὅσον αὐτῷ γέγονεν εὐτυχίας.
On hearing of this, they were eager to have the issue decided by battle before Brutus learned what great good fortune had come to him.
καὶ γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ συνέβη τόν τε κατὰ γῆν ἅμα καὶ τόν κατὰ θάλατταν ἀγῶνα κριθῆναι. τύχῃ δέ τινι μᾶλλον ἢ κακίᾳ τῶν ἐν ταῖς ναυσὶν ἡγεμόνων ἠγνόησε τὸ κατόρθωμα Βροῦτος ἡμερῶν εἴκοσι διαγενομένων.
For it happened that the conflicts on sea and land were decided on one and the same day. But by some chance, rather than by the fault of his naval commanders, Brutus was ignorant of their success until twenty days afterwards.
οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἰς δευτέραν μάχην προῆλθε, τὰ μὲν ἀναγκαῖα τῇ στρατιᾷ παρεσκευασμένος εἰς πολὺν χρόνον, ἐν καλῷ δὲ τῆς χώρας ἱδρυμένος, ὥστε καὶ χειμῶνος ἀπαθὲς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους δυσεκβίαστον ἔχειν τὸ στρατόπεδον, τῷ δὲ κρατεῖν βεβαίως τῆς θαλάττης καὶ νενικηκέναι πεζῇ τὸ καθʼ αὑτὸν ἐπʼ ἐλπίδων μεγάλων καὶ φρονήματος γεγονώς.
Otherwise he would not have proceeded to a second battle, since his army was supplied with provisions for a long time, and he was posted in an advantageous position, so that his camp did not suffer from wintry weather, and on the side towards the enemy was almost impregnable, while his secure mastery of the sea and the victory of the land forces under his own command had put him in high hopes and spirits.
ἀλλὰ τῶν πραγμάτων, ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐκέτι πολλοῖς ὄντων καθεκτῶν, ἀλλὰ μοναρχίας δεομένων, ὁ θεὸς, ἐξάγειν καὶ μεταστῆσαι τόν μόνον ἐμποδὼν ὄντα τῷ κρατεῖν δυναμένῳ βουλόμενος, ἀπέκοψε τὴν τύχην ἐκείνην, καίπερ ἐγγυτάτω τοῦ μὴ λαθεῖν τόν Βροῦτον ἀφικομένην,
But since, as it would seem, the government of Rome could no longer be a democracy, and a monarchy was necessary, Heaven, wishing to remove from the scene the only man who stood in the way of him who was able to be sole master, cut off from Brutus the knowledge of that good fortune,
μέλλοντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ μάχεσθαι πρὸ μιᾶς ἡμέρας ὀψὲ Κλώδιός τις ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων αὐτόμολος ἧκεν, ἀγγέλλων ὅτι διεφθαρμένον ᾐσθημένοι τόν στόλον οἱ περὶ Καίσαρα σπεύδουσι διαγωνίσασθαι.
although it very nearly reached him in time; for only one day before the battle which he was about to fight, late in the day, a certain Clodius deserted from the enemy, and brought word that Octavius had learned of the destruction of his fleet and was therefore eager for a decisive struggle.
ταῦτα λέγων ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ εἶχε πίστιν οὐδʼ εἰς ὄψιν ἦλθε τῷ Βρούτῳ, καταφρονηθεὶς παντάπασιν ὡς μηδὲν ἀκηκοὼς ὑγιές ἢ τὰ ψευδῆ πρὸς χάριν ἀπαγγέλλων.
The man found no credence for his story, nor did he even come into the presence of Brutus, but was altogether despised; it was thought that either he had heard an idle tale, or was bringing false tidings in order to win favour.
ἐνἐκείνῃ δὲ τῇ νυκτὶ πάλιν φασὶν εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν τὸ φάσμα τῷ Βρούτῳ, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιδειξάμενον ὄψιν οὐδὲν εἰπεῖν, ἀλλʼ οἴχεσθαι.
On that night, they say, the phantom visited Brutus again, manifesting the same appearance as before, but went away without a word.
Πόπλιος δὲ Βολούμνιος, ἀνὴρ φιλόσοφος καὶ συνεστρατευμένος ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς Βρούτῳ, τοῦτο μὲν οὐ λέγει τὸ σημεῖον, μελισσῶν δέ φησι τὸν πρῶτον ἀετὸν ἀνάπλεων γενέσθαι·
Publius Volumnius, however, a philosopher, and a companion of Brutus in all his campaigns, makes no mention of this omen, but says that the foremost standard was covered with bees;
καὶ τῶν ταξιάρχων τινὸς ἀπʼ αὐτομάτου τὸν βραχίονα μύρον ῥόδινον ἐξανθεῖν, καὶ πολλάκις ἐξαλείφοντας καὶ ἀπομάττοντας μηδὲν περαίνειν.
and that of its own accord the arm of one of the officers sweated oil of roses, and though they often rubbed and wiped it off it was of no avail.
καὶ πρὸ τῆς μάχης αὐτῆς ἀετοὺς δύο συμπεσόντας ἀλλήλοις ἐν μεταιχμίῳ τῶν στρατοπέδων μάχεσθαι, καὶ σιγὴν ἄπιστον ἔχειν τὸ πεδίον θεωμένων ἁπάντων, εἶξαι δὲ καὶ φυγεῖν τὸν κατὰ Βροῦτον.
He says also that just before the battle itself two eagles fought a pitched battle with one another in the space between the camps, and as all were gazing at them, while an incredible silence reigned over the plain, the eagle towards Brutus gave up the fight and fled.
ὁ δέΑἰθίοψ περιβόητος γέγονεν ὁ τῆς πύλης ἀνοιχθείσης ἀπαντήσας τῷ φέροντι τὸν ἀετὸν καὶ κατακοπεὶς ταῖς μαχαίραις ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν οἰωνισαμένων.
And the story of the Ethiopian is well known, who, as the gate of the camp was thrown open, met the standard-bearer, and was cut to pieces by the soldiers, who thought his appearance ominous.
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