Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/316

308 MARCUS BRUTUS. reported that Caesar, when he first heard Bi'utus speak in public, said to his friends, " I know not what this young man intends, but, whatever he intends, he intends vehe- mently." * For his natural firmness of mind, not easily yielding, or complying in favor of every one that entreated his kindness, once set into action upon motives of right reason and deliberate moral choice, whatever direction it' thus took, it was pretty sure to take efiectivelj^, and to work in such a way as not to fail in its object. No flattery could ever prevail with him to listen to unjust petitions; and he held that to be overcome by the importunities of shameless and fawning entreaties, though some compliment it with the name of modesty and bashfulness, was the worst disgrace a great man could suffer. And he used to say, that he always felt as if they who could deny nothing could not have behaved well in the flower of their youth. Caesar, being about to make his expedition into Africa against Cato and Scipio, committed to Brutus the gov- ernment of Cisalpine Gaul, to the great happiness and advantage of that province. For while people in other provinces were in distress with the violence and avarice of their governors, and suffered as much oppression as if they had been slaves and captives of war, Brutus, by his easy government, actually made them amends for their calamities under former rulers, directing moreover all their gratitude for his good deeds to Ca3sar himself; insomuch that it was a most welcome and pleasant spec- tacle to Caesar, when in his return he passed through Italy, to see the cities that were under Brutus's command and Brutus himself increasing his honor and joining agreeably in his progress. • Quidquid vult, valde vult ; the where Brutus's speech in favor of words are recorded by Cicero in Deiotarus is also mentioned, the Letters to Atticus, xiv., 1, —