[1] Brutus now summoned Cassius to Sardis,
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as he drew near, went to meet him with his friends; and the whole army, in full array, saluted them both as Imperators.
[2] But, as is wont to be the case in great undertakings where there are many friends and commanders, mutual charges and accusations had passed between them, and therefore, immediately after their march and before they did anything else, they met in a room by themselves. The doors were locked, and, with no one by, they indulged in fault-finding first, then in rebukes and denunciations.
[3] After this, they were swept along into passionate speeches and tears, and their friends, amazed at the harshness and intensity of their anger, feared some untoward result; they were, however, forbidden to approach.
[4] But Marcus Favonius, who had become a devotee of Cato, and was more impetuous and frenzied than reasonable in his pursuit of philosophy, tried to go in to them, and was prevented by their servants.
[5] It was no easy matter, however, to stop Favonius when he sprang to do anything, for he was always vehement and rash. The fact that he was a Roman senator was of no importance in his eyes, and by the
cynical boldness of his speech he often took away its offensiveness, and therefore men put up with his impertinence as a joke.
[6] And so at this time he forced his way through the bystanders and entered the room, reciting in an affected voice the verses wherein Homer
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represents Nestor as saying:—
and so forth.
But do ye harken to me, for ye both are younger than I am,
[7] At this Cassius burst out laughing; but Brutus drove Favonius out of the room, calling him a mere dog, and a counterfeit Cynic.
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However, at the time, this incident put an end to their quarrel, and they separated at once.
[8] Furthermore, Cassius gave a supper, to which Brutus invited his friends. And as the guests were already taking their places at the feast, Favonius came, fresh from his bath. Brutus protested that he had come without an invitation, and ordered the servants to conduct him to the uppermost couch; but Favonius forced his way past them and reclined upon the central one. And over the wine mirth and jest abounded, seasoned with wit and philosophy.
Brutus. Plutarch. Cambridge, MA. 1918.
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