Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/323

MARCUS BRUTUS. 315 tion. Porcia, as was said before, was the daughter of Cato, and Brutus, her cousin-german, had married her very young, though not a maid, but after the death of her former husband, by whom she had one son, that was named Bibulus ; and there is a httle book, called Memoirs of Brutus, written by him, yet extant. This Porcia, being addicted to philosoph}-, a great lover of her husband, and full of an understanding courage, resolved not to inquire into Brutus's secrets before she had made this trial of herself She turned all her attendants out of her cham- ber, and, taking a little knife, such as they use to cut nails with, she gave herself a deep gash in the thigh ; upon which followed a great flow of blood, and, soon after, vio- lent pains and a shivering fever, occasioned by the wound. Now when Brutus was extremely anxious and afflicted for her, she, in the height of all her pain, spoke thus to him: "I, Brutus, being the daughter of Cato, was given to you in marriage, not like a concubine, to partake only in the common intercourse of bed and board, but to bear a part in all 3-our good and all yom* evil for- tunes ; and for your part, as regards your care for me, I find no reason to complain ; but from me, what evidence of my love, what satirfaction can you receive, if I may not share with you in bearing your hidden gi'iefs, nor be admitted to any of your counsels that require secrecy and trust ? I know very well that women seem to be of too weak a nature to be trusted with secrets ; but certainly, Brutus, a virtuous birth and education, and the company of the good and honorable, are of some force to the form- ing our manners ; and 1 can boast that I am the daughter of Cato and the wife of Brutus, in which two titles though before I put less confidence, yet now I have tried myself, and find that I can bid defiance to pain." Which words having spoken, she showed him her wound, and re- lated to him the trial that she had made of her con-