Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/171

ANTONY. 163 man and eager for change, was now for bringing in a general measure for cancelling debts, and wanted Antony, who was his friend, and forward enough to promote any pojjular project, to take part with him in this step. Asinius and Trebellius were of the contrary opinion, and it so happened, at the same time, Antony was crossed by a terrible suspicion that Dolabella was too familiar with his wife ; and in great trouble at this, he parted with her (she being his cousin, and daughter to Cains Antonius, the colleague of Cicero), and, taking part with Asinius, came to open hostilities with Dolabella, who had seized on the forum, intending to pass his law by force. Antony, backed by a vote of the senate that Dolabella should be put down by force of arms, went down and attacked him, killing some of his, and losing some of his own men ; and by this action lost his favor with the com- monalty, while with the better class and with all well conducted people his general course of life made him, as Cicero says, absolutely odious, utter disgust being ex- cited by his drinking bouts at all hoiu-s, his wild expenses, his gross amours, the day spent in sleeping or walking off his debauches, and the night in banquets and at theati'es, and in celebrating the nuptials of some come- dian or buffoon. It is related that, drinking all night at the wedding of Hippias, the comedian, on the morning, having to harangue the people, he came forward, over- charged as he was, and vomited before them all, one of his friends holding his gown for him. Sergius, the player, was one of the friends who could do most with him ; also Cytheris, a woman of the same trade, whom he made much of, and who, when he went his progress, accompanied him in a litter, and had her equipage, not in any thing inferior to his mother's ; while every one, moreover, was scandalized at the sight of the golden oups that he took with him, fitter for the ornaments of