Who was Brutus related to Caesar? Biography

Reading time: 11 min

LifeGid continues the series “Stories with Alexey Kurilko”. The writer focuses on a man whose name has become synonymous with the word “betrayal.” The one whom Dante placed in the very heart of hell in The Divine Comedy.

There are names that are familiar to everyone. But not everyone knows the details of the life of the bearer of this name. Not everyone knows where and when it became known, and why it carries a negative charge, for example, or, on the contrary, a positive charge, this or that assessment.

But the name is considered iconic, and sometimes becomes synonymous with some quality of character. Let's say, we can calmly call a lazy, indifferent couch potato Oblomov. Although, more precisely, the surname of this literary hero is transformed into a word that eloquently and briefly conveys what previously needed to be explained at length - “active” passivity, or simply “bummer”.

We automatically call the bloodthirsty killer and torturer Herod. Although in fact, historically, without the biblical legend, he was not the worst and far from being such a cruel king and person. However, the torturer is Herod.

What could we call a vile traitor? Well, first of all, Judas. Why, Judas Iscariot! There really is a reason! Betrayed! Even worse, he sold it. For thirty pieces of silver! And who?! The Lord God Himself, Jesus! It is not surprising if you, without hesitation, call the one who betrayed you Judas.

Well, if it suddenly turns out that he was not alone, that someone else helped him betray you, and someone very close to you, then you definitely won’t be able to resist the catchphrase: “And you, Brutus!”

Brutus' betrayal undermined Caesar

Now there are books and films in which they try to somehow explain, whitewash, justify the act of Marcus Junius Brutus. Like, all this is a consequence of his noble nature. He, they say, could not do otherwise, it was written in his nature.

And he did all this for the sake of the republic and in the name of justice. Just you know, committing meanness, hiding behind beautiful words, is not new! And good deeds are not achieved by bad deeds.

He was right who said: “When someone kills a murderer, the number of murderers remains the same.” And in the case of Brutus and Caesar - not just murder. There is also betrayal, and in droves for one unarmed person!

No. Brutus does not look like a hero, and it is difficult to make him a noble man, since he has stained his hands with blood, even the blood of a tyrant. Yes, even if that tyrant is wrong even three times, you cannot act so vilely, basely and cowardly! This is unethical, unaesthetic, although “cheap and practical.”

After all, only a few were able to carry weapons under their togas, secretly, since it was forbidden to enter the Senate armed. The rest struck Caesar with styluses - writing sticks. Handmade, however. But not for the poet and thinker that our “hero” wanted to see himself as.

Many books and films have been dedicated to the assassination of Caesar.

Ninth Circle of Hell

Those who have read Dante’s “Divine Comedy” know that in the very center of hell, in the icy kingdom of the ninth circle, the devil himself, in the form of an animal-like monster with three heads, torments three frozen souls that belonged to the very category that interests us.

All three, according to Dante, are considered the most terrible sinners who once lived on earth, for all three were traitors. It is betrayal that is considered the most terrible sin. They are subject to the harshest demands. Their names are known: Gaius Cassius, Marcus Junius Brutus and, of course, Judas.

For Dante, these three were the greatest sinners in all of human history. The third requires a separate discussion, but the first two were involved in the murder of Gaius Julius Caesar - who, by the way, is also suffering here in hell, nearby. True, not in the ninth, but in the very first circle of hell.

But in this case we are specifically interested in Brutus, whose name has become a symbol of betrayal. After all, he not only betrayed, but also personally struck a blow to someone who trusted him so much and loved him so much that he asked in bewilderment: “And you, Brutus!?”

However, this is so according to Shakespeare! And when he composed his historical plays about the times of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, he always referred to Plutarch. But you shouldn't trust this couple.

Personally, I prefer to believe in another version, even more terrible and sad. Namely: Caesar once had a whirlwind romance with Servilia, Brutus’s mother, which from time to time died out and then flared up with new passion. This gives reason for some historians to repeat, following the gossips who lived in those distant times, that Marcus Junius Brutus was the illegitimate child of Caesar. And so he did not shout: “And you, Brutus?”, but something completely different. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Rod Brutov

Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 BC) was of plebeian descent. Although Guy Junius Brutus himself, like his father, had reason to believe that their family was very ancient, aristocratic, and dates back to that same legendary Brutus, who in distant years killed the last king, and since then the Roman Republic was formed.

In fact, their origin was lower and could not come from the legendary founder of the Roman Republic, who overthrew the last king, Tarquin the Proud, who was his uncle. And if so, then “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Marcus Junius himself, when he earned the right to issue his own coin, first of all began to mint money that depicted exactly that Brutus, whose name went down in history as the name of the man who gave Rome freedom. From then on, the Romans swore that they would never be ruled by one person.

For the sake of this freedom, the father of our hero, also Marcus Junius Brutus, died. In Rome, it was customary for names to pass from generation to generation, and Junius most often meant “younger” - so, his father died when the boy was barely eight years old. He was a senator and an ardent supporter of the Senate republic. After the death of the dictator and tyrant Sulla, whose long and bloody dictatorship he opposed, the time had come to return to the old order - the republican system in its purest form.

Waited for the hour for revenge

But some, and most importantly Pompey, who had temporarily made peace with Caesar, desired more power. And, as they say now, he “ordered” the death of his father: on his orders, he was secretly and vilely killed. Brutus's father knew that he was in danger of death and tried to escape from Rome. But Pompey's mercenaries overtook the senator on the Via Aemilium, near the Po River in northern Italy, and killed him.

Brutus vowed to avenge his father's death, and even then, being too young, he harbored a deep grudge and waited for the right hour. In any case, he grew up hating Pompey, who, as he believed, killed his father.

Brutus's mother's affair with Caesar

Unlike his respected and heroic father, Brutus’s mother, Servilia, was known throughout the city not for her noble behavior, but quite the opposite. She was considered a depraved woman.

However, in that era, the debauchery of high society was not considered shameful. Rome gradually sank into debauchery; one might say it was the Golden Age of debauchery. Of course, particularly dissolute women were condemned and reproached, but, in principle, they turned a blind eye to everything unless it clearly crossed the line of what was permitted. However, these lines were blurred.

In their youth, Servilia and Julius Caesar had an affair, although both were already married by that time. However, their romance was very stormy and long-lasting, which later gave rise to suspicions that Marcus Junius could be the son of Caesar.

In any case, Caesar and Servilia retained warm feelings for each other throughout their lives. When Caesar became popular and rich, Servilia had the audacity to ask him for various valuable gifts. And if at first it was all sorts of trinkets, such as a pearl necklace, then as he moved up the career ladder, her requests also grew. And soon he was already giving her or her family entire houses and estates confiscated from the enemies of the fatherland.

Beauty Servilia - mother of Brutus

Honest teacher and friend

Brutus grew up without a father. Later he had a stepfather, but he did not replace his father. His mother’s half-brother, Marcus Porcius Cato Jr., played a big role. He became for Brutus more than a father - an idol, because he was, in fact, an exemplary Roman. Everyone in Rome looked up to Cato. The boys dreamed of being just like him.

Marcus Porcius Cato was brave, selfless, fundamentally honest and fair. Soon in Rome it became customary to say: “One witness is not a witness, even if it is Cato himself.” Or this proverb came into use in Rome: “I wouldn’t believe it even if Cato himself told me about it.” This is what a noble and honest idol and teacher Brutus had.

But their age difference was small. Marcus Porcius Cato Jr. became something like an older comrade or brother for the boy. Friendship with him, of course, influenced his development, but alas, not so much that he could become as honest and noble.

This friend of Brutus was a Stoic - for him, virtue was higher than pleasure or anything that is done for one’s own good. The main virtue of a true Roman is good for the Motherland and Roman society.

Brutus received a classical Roman education, knew several languages, visited Athens, but most of all he loved Greece. It was not without reason that they said about Greece that even when conquered, it completely conquered the invader. Gradually, everything Greek seeped into everything Roman. Including the construction of thoughts, worldview, values ​​and ideals. And the Greek core turned out to be the basis of literally all Roman cultural achievements.

Brutus considered Greece, or rather Athens, the birthplace of democratic ideas about a wonderful social order, which in Rome at that time was shaking. The very ideas for which his father died.

In Rome at this time, the first triumvirate was formed: the Union of three consuls, with dictatorial, albeit temporary, powers - Caesar, Pompey and Crassus - the most prominent politicians. But it was not the powers that turned out to be temporary, but the union of this troika itself—the triumvirate. After the death of Crassus, Caesar and Pompey entered into confrontation. Both promise the people the same thing: freedom, happiness and fulfillment of the people's will. And both actually want the same thing - sole and complete power.

How Caesar saved Brutus from death

Marcus Junius Brutus found himself in a very difficult situation. Both dictators tried to win over the young writer
- and he has already written something - and the aspiring politician - and he has already earned the title of “first among the youth” - on his side. He was respected by the people, and his proud name was not an empty phrase for either Pompey or Caesar - it could play into the popularity of one or the other. Although, for sure, his republican ideas were deeply alien to both of them. Brutus acts as his two idols do - Uncle Marcus Porcius Cato the Younger and the great Cicero - the idol of the youth of that time. And his friend Cassius did the same. Everyone supported Pompey. And Pompey was defeated! They did not stand on ceremony with Pompey's friends and associates. And although Caesar soon announced a general amnesty, many were killed quietly in broad daylight. Servilia, Brutus's mother, rushed to Caesar and began to ask him to intercede for her son. And Julius Caesar saved the young man, whose life was not worth a penny today.

Moreover: not only did he not punish the young man, but, like Cicero, he brought him closer to himself. Showered with gifts. Appointed to a prestigious position. Caesar knew how to be not only generous, but also magnanimous. Well, okay, why they stand on ceremony with Marcus Tullius Cicero, a brilliant Roman orator, a wonderful writer, known not only to all of Rome, but to the whole world - it’s clear. But why are they so ceremonious with Brutus? Yes, he liked this guy. And the mother asked.
It must be said that the talented Brutus started his career well and quickly gained some fame. He wrote and composed both in prose and in other genres. He made several public speeches at the courts, and quite successfully. He was noticed. He was respected.

Caesar forgave and accepted Brutus, but he planned his murder

Ugly loan shark

Just don’t idealize him! Not only because he soon committed a terrible sin: he was not a saint before that either. Cicero himself, in one letter, admitted to a friend that Marcus Junius Brutus was greedy, and that he was a malicious secret moneylender who lent money under a pseudonym, and at almost 50%! To be precise - under 48. This was simply unheard of! Cicero was so outraged that at first he did not want to have anything in common with such a person.

Those who try to idealize Brutus are often embarrassed by this circumstance, and try to justify all this as nothing other than the bad heredity of his mother, who was indeed extremely selfish. But what difference does it make why he had this trait? What if we kick an owl, what an owl might hit a stump, but all the same - the owl can’t live! Right? Although both Cicero and Brutus, nevertheless, will become friends, comrades and comrades... What can you do? Politics is a dirty business.

They say that when Caesar was informed about Brutus that he was allegedly preparing an assassination attempt on him, Gaius Julius did not believe it. He treated him too well. And one day, when they again informed him that Brutus was clearly plotting something, Caesar, pointing to his chest, asked: “Do you really think that my boy cannot wait until this becomes dead flesh?” That is, there is a possibility that Caesar was preparing Brutus to be his successor. And many people claim this.

Brutus betrayed those who believed in him

Payback for mercy towards enemies

However, Brutus did not decide to betray immediately, but after much hesitation. He even had to be persuaded. Letters were thrown at him in which he was reproached as a coward who did not dare to give freedom to the Fatherland, as his great ancestor did. Opponents of autocracy suddenly saw their leader in Brutus, favored by Caesar. Brutus was like a banner for them to overthrow the dictatorship. Although in fact they used him stupidly, playing on his vanity. They actually called out to Brutus: kill the tyrant! And this “tyrant,” to his misfortune, always pursued a policy of mercy towards his enemies. He never executed former enemies or opponents. Moreover: he often even helped them make a good career, and in this sense he was unique. Which is what ruined him.

Despite the terrible omens, and there were many of them, Caesar, as planned, went to the Senate on the very day that was to become fatal for his fate. What he was repeatedly warned about! Moreover, Caesar set off without security, which is typical. And his friends and closest associates were simply distracted. And so - on March 15, 44, right at the statue of his defeated rival Pompey, Caesar was attacked by numerous conspirators. No one wanted to answer for his murder, so Brutus proposed a cowardly plan: everyone would attack at the same time, and everyone should strike at least one blow so that everyone without exception would be guilty of his death. So that Caesar's blood would be on all the conspirators.

The first to strike was the same Gaius Cassius. But his hands were shaking so much that the blow was weak and not fatal. Caesar shouted: “What are you doing, bastard Cassius?” But no one began to listen to Caesar, and everyone attacked him en masse. Caesar defended himself as best he could until he saw that his closest friend Brutus was among the attackers. And then... then it was as if his strength left him. He just said in surprise and somehow confused, half-questioningly: “How? And you, my child? To which, according to one of the ancient historians, the cynical Marcus Junius Brutus said: “And I, Caesar.” He had no choice but to lift the edge of his toga and cover his head with it as a sign of complete shame and despair. Then the conspirators dealt fatal blows to a man who did not even think of resisting. The betrayal of a friend was the final fatal blow for Caesar.
With his murder, Marcus Junius Brutus, unlike his legendary ancestor, did not receive dividends in the form of respect and glory. On the contrary, for posterity he became a symbol of vile betrayal and the insidious murder of his closest friend.

But there is still a God on earth. Although the ancient Romans were not Christians. Dante placed the innocently murdered Caesar in the first circle of hell because he was not baptized. Where is God? Yes everywhere! The conspirators’ plan, even though it was successful, ultimately failed. The 300 sesterces that Caesar bequeathed to the Romans were “compensated” by his murder. Brutus escaped. He gathered an army, but was defeated. Then he decided to kill himself. But even here he could not die heroically. Fearing that his hand would tremble at the last minute, he ordered the slave to hold the sword, on which he rushed to die himself. In Rome, death by one's own sword was considered honorable. But he received neither honor nor glory, which Brutus cared so much about. Although it has become a classic. A classic of betrayal and the treacherous murder of your closest friend. And we can only repeat after Milady from The Three Musketeers, brilliantly played by Margarita Terekhova: “Cursed be he!”

What to watch: famous film adaptations

• Funny film "Asterix at the Olympic Games" (2008)
• TV series "Rome", 2 seasons (2005-2007)
• "Julius Caesar" with Marlon Brando

There are plenty of iconic personalities in world history. And if you want to continue the fascinating reading, we have for you other characters from “True Tales” - the 16th President of the United States, the great Abraham Lincoln, the mysterious Joan of Arc, and many others.

Brutus was the son of Marcus Junius Brutus and Cato Uticus' half-sister, Servilia. Erroneously considered a descendant of Lucius Junius Brutus, who expelled the last Roman king, Tarquinius the Proud. In fact, the first consul Brutus was a patrician, and Caesar's murderer belonged to a plebeian family, presumably descended from one of the freedmen (just as the plebeian family of the Claudii descended from a freedman of the Claudian patricians). Brutus was adopted by his mother's brother, Quintius Servilius Caepio, and therefore received his name. He was married for the second time to Portia, daughter of Cato Uticus.

Political activity

In 59 BC e. Brutus was falsely accused of plotting against Pompey, but Caesar, by then the lover of Brutus' mother, saw to it that the charges were dropped. Brutus was at first an opponent of Pompey, who killed his father in Gaul, but then sided with him when Pompey defended the cause of the optimates (aristocratic faction) in the civil war. However, after Caesar defeated Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC), Brutus switched sides to Caesar, who received him in a friendly manner and gave him the title in 46 BC. e. in the administration of Cisalpine Gaul. In 44 BC e. Brutus became praetor, after which he was to gain control of Macedonia and even become consul.

Assassination of Caesar

And yet Brutus became the head of the conspiracy against Caesar. He received anonymous demands from various sides, reminding him of his origins from Brutus, the liberator of Rome from royal power, and prompting him to break with Caesar. Finally, Gaius Cassius Longinus attracted him to his side. The example of Brutus then prompted many noble Romans to join the conspiracy against Caesar.

But when Caesar was killed on March 15, 44 BC. e., Brutus and the conspirators failed to captivate the people. Anthony, whose death, together with Caesar, was prevented by Brutus himself, managed, by reading Caesar's will to the people, which provided the people with very significant sums, to arouse rage in the crowd and a thirst for revenge on his murderers.

Fighting against the triumvirs and death

Then Brutus went to Athens and captured Macedonia. Hortensius, who had until then ruled Macedonia, joined him. Owning all of Greece and Macedonia, Brutus became the head of a strong army, with which he defeated in 43 BC. e. Guy Anthony, brother of the triumvir, and took him prisoner. Then he moved to Asia and united with the victorious Cassius, together with whom he received from the Senate supreme power over all the provinces in the East.

In Rome, however, the triumvirs soon triumphed: Mark Antony, Octavian and Lepidus. All the conspirators were convicted, and an army was equipped against Brutus and Cassius. The latter moved back to Europe to repel the triumvirs. They crossed the Dardanelles and massed their army, 17 legions and 17,000 cavalry, on the plains of Philippi in Macedonia, where the triumvirs Antony and Octavian encountered them in the fall of 42 BC. e.. In the first battle fought by Octavian, Brutus prevailed over his troops; but Cassius was defeated by Antony and committed suicide. After about 20 days, Brutus was forced by the demands of his army to give a second battle, in which he suffered a complete defeat. With a few friends, he managed to escape death. Seeing, however, that his cause was lost irrevocably, he threw himself on his sword...

Essays

Only a few fragments of Brutus' speeches have survived; on the contrary, his correspondence with Cicero has been preserved in its entirety and amounts to two volumes. The authenticity of individual letters, however, was disputed, namely by Tanstall (Cambr., 1741 and Lond., 1744), Zumpt (Berlin, 1845) and Meyer (Stuttg., 1881); defenders of their authenticity were: Middleton (London, 1743), Hermann (Gött., 1844-45), Kobe (in “Mnemosyne”, 1879), Gaston Boissier (“Cicéron et ses amis”, Paris, 1865; 7th ed., 1884).

BRUTUS, MARK JUNIUS (Marcus Iunius Brutus) (85?–42 BC), Roman senator. Brutus came from a family that consciously cultivated tyrant-fighting traditions. On his paternal side, his family was traced back to Lucius Junius Brutus, who overthrew in 509 BC. Tarquiniev; on his mother's side, among his ancestors was Gaius Servilius Agala, who in 439 BC. killed Spurius Melius, who claimed dictatorial power. In fact, this pedigree is quite dubious: the Brutus family can be traced with certainty no further than the end of the 4th century. BC. After in 77 BC. Brutus's father was treacherously killed by Pompey the Great, the boy was adopted by his mother's brother Quintus Servilius Caepio, and therefore contemporaries often referred to him as Quintus Caepio Brutus. The first mention of Brutus as a political figure dates back to the so-called period. the first triumvirate, which took shape in 60 BC. alliance of Caesar, Pompey and Crassus. Then Brutus was falsely accused of preparing an assassination attempt on Pompey (59 BC). Soon (in 58 BC) he went to Cyprus (actually into exile) in the retinue of his other uncle, Marcus Porcius Cato. Perhaps Brutus's provision of a loan to this province at interest dates back to this time. Brutus next traveled east in 53 BC, accompanying his father-in-law Appius Claudius, proconsul of Cilicia in Asia Minor. Perhaps this trip was also connected with financial transactions.

When in 49 BC. A civil war began between Caesar and Pompey, Brutus took the side of Pompey, the murderer of his father. Without a doubt, he was prompted to this by the example of Uncle Cato. Brutus distinguished himself at the battle of Dyrrachium, on the Adriatic coast of modern Albania. After Pompey's decisive defeat at Pharsalus in northern Greece (48 BC), Caesar not only spared Brutus's life, but also appointed him to responsible positions. The future assassin of Caesar became proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul (46 BC), city praetor in Rome (44 BC), by 43 BC. he was promised control of Macedonia, a province north of Greece, and in the future a consulate. Despite all these signs of favor on the part of Caesar, Brutus responded to the proposal of Gaius Cassius Longinus to kill the great dictator and became the soul of the conspiracy. The traditional version of the circumstances of the murder made immortal a small touch - Caesar’s woeful amazement (“And you, Brutus!”) when he saw Brutus among the attackers.

After Mark Antony’s fiery speech at Caesar’s funeral, the leaders of the conspiracy considered it best to leave the capital. In September 44 BC. Brutus was already in Athens. He then went north to Macedonia, the province that Caesar had assigned to him. The former proconsul Quintus Hortensius, the son of the famous orator Hortensius, recognized the legitimacy of Brutus' claims and transferred the province to him along with the army.

Meanwhile, Anthony demanded Macedonia from the Senate for himself, or more precisely, for his brother Guy. However, when Guy crossed the Adriatic Sea, Brutus' troops locked him in Apollonia on the coast and forced him to surrender (March 43 BC). After this, the Senate confirmed Brutus as proconsul of Macedonia, and after Antony's defeat at Mutina in northern Italy (April 43 BC), Brutus and Cassius were appointed commanders-in-chief of the troops of the eastern provinces. First of all, Brutus made a campaign against the Thracians, mainly for the sake of booty. But when in November 43 BC. Antony, Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus) and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus formed the second triumvirate, Brutus, who realized that he would have to fight this new coalition, moved to Asia Minor to recruit men, a fleet and funds here, and then join Cassius . Precious time was spent collecting money in Lycia on the coast of Asia Minor and on the island of Rhodes off its coast, and only in the second half of 42 BC. Brutus and Cassius moved west. The meeting with the army of Anthony and Octavian took place in Macedonia, where the double battle of Philippi took place. In the first battle, Brutus defeated Octavian, but Cassius, who thought that defeat was inevitable, committed suicide. In the second battle, about three weeks later, Brutus was defeated, after which he committed suicide (October 23, 42 BC).

Although Brutus is often portrayed as a man of strict rules who fought for republican freedoms, rejecting unnecessary bloodshed, he is very far from being “the noblest of the Romans”, as Shakespeare called him. A typical aristocratic senator, he stubbornly defended the legalized privileges and other interests of the nobility, the class traditionally in power in Rome. Brutus's severity towards the provincials and his willingness to become proconsul, for which he was completely unprepared, speak of his unshakable belief that the calling of people belonging to his class was to rule and use the state apparatus in their own interests. But what he was not able to come to terms with was the appropriation of all power by one person. However, there is no doubt that Brutus, a scientist and scribe (the great orator, writer and politician Cicero named one of his significant treatises after him, and several others, no less important, were dedicated to Brutus), could have found other arguments to justify of his bloody deed. Greek philosophy justified the murder of a tyrant, and Caesar's seduction of Servilia, Brutus's mother, could have given him personal motives for murder. However, all these considerations are secondary: Caesar's true guilt was in accepting the position of dictator for life, dictator perpetuus. Brutus, who was undoubtedly under the influence of his uncle Cato, whom he sincerely admired (this is evidenced by Brutus’ divorce from Claudius for the sake of marrying Portia, the daughter of his uncle, after his death, and the panegyric, then composed by Brutus to Cato), formed an unshakable conviction , that the entire class of senators should rule, and not an individual. In the words of Brutus himself: “I will oppose any power that places itself above the law.”

Marcus Junius Brutus* is one of the remarkable personalities in the history of the Roman Republic in the last decades of its existence. Times were difficult: foreign wars, slave uprisings, bloody feuds of the Civil War. All this weakened the political system of Rome, which had developed in other times and had long ceased to correspond to modern reality. From a city-state over the centuries, Rome grew into a huge power inhabited by different peoples. A new system of governing the state, its remote provinces, vassal kingdoms and border settlements of Roman soldiers was needed. The old aristocratic republic has outlived its usefulness. New forms were born in the throes of civil wars. The army became the only real force. Generals turned into prominent figures of power. Everything led to the establishment of a dictatorship. In the struggle for power, Julius Caesar rose above others, defeating his rivals. Caesar suppressed with an iron hand all resistance from the aristocratic elite of the republic - the optimates. At the same time, he flirted with the people, trying to distract them from politics, bribing them with shows, magnificent festivities, and various handouts.
During these years, the political activity of Marcus Brutus developed. The future defender of the republic and an ardent opponent of Caesar came from an old and famous family. His ancestor, the legendary Junius Brutus, according to legend, rebelled against King Tarquin the Proud and expelled him from Rome. The royal power was ended forever. Junius Brutus became consul of Rome

* The biography of Marcus Brutus was written based on an essay by B. M. Kogan in the book “Famous Romans” (M. 1964).

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Republic (509 BC). In this post, he became famous for his willpower, courage and intransigence towards the enemies of the republic.
In the Brutus family, their glorious ancestors were deeply revered and hatred of tyranny was traditional.
The mother of Marcus Brutus, Servilia, also belonged to the most famous Roman family, famous for the famous people who stood in defense of the republic.
Marcus Junius Brutus received an excellent education. He studied Greek philosophers, literature, and spoke Greek as his native language. He composed poetry, ceremonial and judicial speeches and was an excellent orator.
As a young man, Brutus first took part in a campaign on the island of Cyprus, which then belonged to Egypt. The expedition was commanded by his uncle. Brutus spent three years on the island, getting used to the affairs of government and gaining experience.
After Cyprus, Brutus went to the center of the then culture and education - Athens, where he continued to study Greek philosophers.
He soon took up the official post of quaestor in the Roman province of Cilicia (Asia Minor). According to the customs of that time, he was also involved in trading and usury. Among his debtors were the kings of the Asia Minor states. Brutus became a rich man, one of the wealthiest people in the republic.
When a new civil war began, the struggle between Caesar and Pompey, Brutus took part in it. No one doubted that Brutus would take Caesar's side. Indeed, at one time, on the orders of Pompey, Brutus’s father was killed. However, the personal always gave way to Brutus’s sense of justice and devotion to the republic. He considered Caesar the main danger to her. And Brutus takes the side of Pompey, seeing in him the leader and defender of the republican system. In Asia Minor, where he was sent by Pompey, Brutus gathered a legion, a significant fleet, a lot of weapons and money. He led his forces to Macedonia, where he linked up with Pompey's army.
Soon Caesar's army arrived. Both armies settled near the city of Farsala. Even before the battle, Brutus remained true to himself. In the camp, every free hour he read, reflected on what he read.
The Battle of Pharsalus ended in the defeat of Pompey, who fled with his few supporters to the sea. Brutus hid in the marsh reeds, and under the cover of darkness went to the city of Larissa (in Thessaly). From there he wrote a letter to Caesar. The winner was delighted with the letter. He favored Brutus and always hoped to win him over to his side. Before the Battle of Pharsalus, Caesar ordered the commanders of his legions not to kill Brutus, but to

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put him alive if he surrenders voluntarily. If he shows resistance, let him go. Now Caesar called Brutus to him and not only forgave him, but accepted him as one of his closest friends. He talked with him a lot. Brutus convinced Caesar to pardon Cassius and many other prominent Pompeians.
Before sailing to Africa to fight the remnants of the Pompeians, Caesar appointed Brutus as ruler - legate - of Pre-Alpine Gaul, as the Romans called Northern Italy. Brutus did an excellent job with the affairs of government, gaining universal respect. He did not disgrace himself either by cruelty or robbery. Residents breathed freely, as if there had been no civil war.
Caesar, returning from Africa and traveling around Italy, was very pleased with Brutus's leadership. In gratitude, the increasingly powerful dictator helped Brutus obtain the most important and honorable of the praetorships, the so-called city praetorship.

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Using Caesar's trust and love, Brutus could achieve an even higher position. He became the second person in the state. But he became increasingly wary of Caesar, listening to the voices of those who warned about the danger of the caresses of a tyrant threatening the republic. And Caesar’s power increased: for the fourth time he became a dictator, this time for life, for the fifth time he was elected consul, and constantly bore the title of emperor as the military leader of the Roman army.
He received the right to declare war and manage the treasury. He began to appear dressed in a purple toga, like kings.
Rumors soon spread that the following year (44 BC) Caesar would be offered the royal crown. Nobody was surprised by this.
But not everyone bowed to the dictator; there were many dissatisfied with Caesar. There were many supporters of preserving the oligarchic republic. There were also simply dissatisfied people, offended by Caesar and seeking revenge on him.
A conspiracy against the dictator began to mature. By the end of winter (45/44 BC) it began to take shape. The conspirators sought to attract Brutus to lead them.
Brutus hesitated for a long time; he still believed Caesar and did not notice that his patron had actually crushed the republic and established a military dictatorship, shamelessly using power in his own interests.
The conspirators awaited Brutus' decision. His participation would be the key to success; he would justify their cause in the eyes of the people. If Brutus remains on the sidelines, then the conspiracy will be dealt an irreparable blow. After all, everyone knows the honesty and justice of Brutus and his love of freedom. Many will follow such a person.
Brutus's friend in the praetorship, Cassius, who had separated from him for some time, approached him, put his hand on his shoulder and said confidentially:
- They say that they want to proclaim Caesar king. What will we do if the flatterers in the Senate offer Caesar the crown??
“I will not go to the Senate,” answered Brutus.
“What if,” Cassius asked again, “as praetors we are obliged to appear in the Senate?”
- Then I will defend freedom and the republic!
Cassius embraced Brutus and revealed to him the secret of the conspiracy. Brutus's hesitation was over. He wholeheartedly defended the republic against tyranny and led the conspiracy. The name of Brutus attracted new supporters. More than sixty senators joined the conspiracy.
The entire burden of preparing the performance fell on Brutus’s shoulders. In public, he still maintained equanimity, nothing of himself

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Without giving it away, he led an ordinary life. But those close to him could not help but notice that he was hiding something, keeping some secret. First of all, his wife, the noble Portia, noticed this. She loved her husband dearly, Brutus’s torment could not escape her, and she realized that he was hatching some dangerous plan. She decided to prove to her husband that she was worthy of trust and was ready to walk next to him to the end. She decided to show her toughness. Having locked herself in the bedroom, Portia stabbed herself in the leg with a knife. Blood gushed out and she felt a sharp pain. Then she called Brutus.
“Brutus,” she said, “I entered your house as a wife to share all your joys and sorrows.” I want to share everything with you. I am capable of keeping any secret. Have you forgotten that I am the daughter of Cato and the husband of Brutus?
With these words, she threw back the blanket, showed the wound on her thigh and said that in this way she decided to test her toughness.
Brutus hugged her and blessed the gods that he had received such a wife and friend. He became even more strengthened in his goals and determination to act.
The conspirators decided to kill Caesar in the Senate on the day of the Ides of March, that is, in mid-March, when the senators gathered for a meeting. They said that at this meeting Caesar would be proclaimed king. On such a day it was possible to get together without arousing suspicion.
When the appointed day arrived, Brutus and the other conspirators, hiding short swords under their toga, went to the Senate. Brutus was amazingly calm.
Caesar was a little late. The conspirators began to fear that he had learned something and took precautions. But soon a stretcher appeared, carried by six tall slaves. They placed the stretcher on the ground, Caesar got out of it and went to his chair. The senators greeted the dictator standing.
The conspirators, led by Brutus, divided into two groups, one stood behind Caesar’s chair, the other came out to meet him. One of the conspirators turned to Caesar with a request to forgive his brother, who had recently been expelled from Rome. Caesar refused to pardon. But the petitioner did not leave, but together with others approached the chair even closer. The blades of short swords and daggers flashed. Blows rained down on the dictator.
Senators; numb, they looked at the bloody scene.
Caesar screamed and fought, trying to break through the circle of killers. Suddenly he saw Brutus with a sword in his hand.
- And you Brute! - exclaimed the amazed Caesar and stopped resisting. He wrapped his head in a toga and silently accepted the fatal blows. He received twenty-three wounds. He fell dead at the foot of the statue of Pompey that stood there. One might have thought that Pompey himself had come to take revenge on his enemy.

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The senators fled in horror. The conspirators with bloody swords in their hands rushed into the streets of the city, shouting: “We have destroyed the king and the tyrant!”
They called for the restoration of the freedom trampled by Caesar.
Brutus and Cassius addressed the people at the forum. But the people of Rome were not on the side of Caesar's killers. Many did not understand why the conspirators were afraid of new unrest.
The Senate did not agree to declare Caesar a tyrant and express gratitude to his murderers. At Cicero's suggestion, the Senate adopted a compromise decision: to leave all Caesar's laws in force and not to punish his murderers.
Caesar was given a magnificent state funeral. The dictator bequeathed seventy-five silver coins to each Roman and left his huge gardens beyond the Tiber to the people. Caesar's generosity changed the mood of the citizens, they praised the character of the deceased and expressed hostility towards his murderers. The crowd began to destroy the houses of the conspirators.
Brutus and his friends achieved nothing. They eliminated Caesar, but could not restore the republic. The Caesarians remained in power. They were led by Mark Antony, a military leader close to Caesar - brave, ardent, but indecisive. The second leader of the Caesarians was the chief of cavalry under Caesar, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. The third was Caesar's young grandnephew Octavian. They formed a government known as the second triumvirate and shared power among themselves.
Brutus and his friends fled to Greece, preparing to fight. Brutus showed remarkable qualities as a commander and ruler. In a short time he gathered significant forces. Asia Minor, Syria, Greece were for him. Former soldiers and officers of Pompey flocked to him. The kings of Asia Minor delivered him weapons and money.
Just recently, Brutus and Cassius left Italy as fugitives, without money, without weapons, without a single ship, not a single city on their side. And a few months later they had a well-equipped fleet, infantry, cavalry, a rich treasury and vast territory in the east of the Roman state.
Despite the difference in character between the two Republican leaders, Brutus and Cassius, they got along well with each other. Cassius was harsh, even cruel to his subordinates and merciless to the enemy. Even his enemies respected Brutus for his straightforwardness, generosity, honesty and forbearance.
Cassius captured the island of Rhodes, where he mercilessly dealt with those residents who opposed the Republicans. He said that mercy cannot be expected from someone who did not spare Caesar.
Brutus besieged the city of Xanthus (in Lycia), whose inhabitants preferred death by fire to surrender. Brutus rewarded those warriors

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who saved townspeople from the fire. After this, another Lycian city, Patara, surrendered to Brutus without resistance.
Having conquered these cities, Brutus addressed the inhabitants of the island of Samos:
- The Xanthians, having rejected my merciful offers, turned their homeland into a grave, into ashes. The Patarians, trusting me, saved both life and freedom. Choose!
The Samians, having received this letter, worthy of the brevity of the ancient Spartans, surrendered to Brutus.
But Brutus could be cruel. In response to the execution of Cicero*, he ordered the execution of the captured brother of the triumvir, Gaius Antony. When Theodotus, the murderer of Pompey, fell into the hands of the Republicans, he was put to painful execution by order of Brutus.
Brutus and Cassius concentrated their forces in Macedonia, near the city of Philippi.
The triumvirs, preparing for the fight, also gathered an army to defeat the Republicans. Soon Mark Antony and Octavian led legions loyal to them into Macedonia. Their troops camped near the Republicans.
The enemy forces were approximately equal. Only Brutus and Cassius had more cavalry.
Both armies stood opposite each other in inaction. The Republicans did not want a decisive battle. They hoped that after cutting off the enemy's sources of supply, his troops would be forced to surrender.
However, Antony and Octavian managed to force a battle on the Republicans.
The opponents were separated by a vast swamp. Anthony decided to overcome it and go behind enemy lines. For show, Anthony reviewed his soldiers every day, and secretly some of the legionnaires built an embankment in the swamp to make it passable. Ten days later, the embankment was built, and the army moved along it, without unnecessary noise, at night. Cassius' forces were surrounded.
Cassius quickly retaliated: his soldiers built a wall across the swamp. Anthony's legions rushed to storm the wall. Thus began the battle of Philippi. When Anthony's right wing went to the rear, Cassius's cavalry, not thinking about resistance, began to retreat. Left without cover, the infantry also wavered. All attempts by Cassius to stop the warriors were unsuccessful. He had to retreat too. Enemies burst into the camp. At this time, Cassius' companions saw horsemen quickly approaching them. This was Brutus's vanguard, rushing to the rescue. But Cassius decided that this was an enemy pursuit. He was persuaded to send a man on reconnaissance. He was a certain Titinius, a close friend of Cassius. The horsemen recognized him and greeted him with joyful cries, many dismounted and hugged him. But this led to disaster. Cassius

* Cm. biography of Marcus Tullius Cicero.

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decided that Titinius had fallen into the hands of enemies. In despair, Cassius threw himself on his sword.
Having learned of Cassius's defeat, Brutus hurried to him, but found his friend already dead. Mourning his comrade-in-arms, Brutus said that he was the last Roman, for we will never see a man of such fortitude. Brutus encouraged Cassius' soldiers, promised each a reward and assured that final victory was near. After all, he managed to defeat Octavian. Brutus's warriors burst into the enemy camp, but they did not find Octavian there; he managed to get out of the camp fortifications.
The double mistake of the commanders turned out to be fatal for the Republicans: Brutus was sure that Cassius had won and therefore did not immediately come to his rescue, and Cassius believed that Brutus had died and therefore did not wait for his help.
Brutus set about rebuilding Cassius' camp. The Republican commander decided not to storm the enemy positions until all forces were gathered together. This decision was a mistake. Many of Cassius's commanders and warriors were unhappy that they were commanded by Brutus. Discipline in the Republican army fell, as did faith in victory.
The Republicans had many prisoners. They needed to be guarded, and there were no extra soldiers for this. Brutus decided to release those prisoners who were born free, and ordered the captured slaves to be slaughtered, because they were not considered people. He paid money to Cassius' soldiers. Then he promised the entire army to give two Greek cities - Thessalonica and Sparta - for plunder. These cruel and shameful acts were a stain on Brutus's good name, the only stain on Brutus's reputation that cannot be justified.
The situation was no better for the triumvirs. Food was running out. The camps were located in a lowland, in a swamp. Everyone looked forward to the winter cold with fear. To top off the troubles came the news of a defeat at sea: Brutus’s ships destroyed the ships that were carrying reinforcements and food.
When Antony and Octavian received this message, they decided to rush the battle, eager to finish the fight before Brutus learned of his sailors' victory.
On a cloudy November morning, the Republican army began to form into battle formation. They were waiting for the order to start the battle. But Brutus remained silent. It was as if he had been replaced. He hesitated and did not make a decision. Many Republicans defected to the enemy. Brutus stopped trusting even his friends. Only in the evening did he give the signal for battle. The army began to move. The Second Battle of Philippi began (November 42 BC). At first the battle went well for the Republicans. At the head of the left flank, Brutus led his soldiers against the enemy. The enemy was crushed and became

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retreat. But Brutus's right wing was too weakened. It could not withstand the enemy's blow and retreated. Brutus's army was surrounded and almost all were destroyed.
In this terrible hour, Brutus showed miracles of courage and skill as a commander; but it was no longer possible to turn the tide of the battle. His warriors fought differently than they once did, especially those who came to him from Cassius’s detachment. Many surrendered, but Brutus's best comrades fell, fighting to the end. Some of them tried to save Brutus. So, one of his friends, Lucilius, seeing that the enemy’s horsemen were rushing towards Brutus, rushed across, shouting that he was Brutus and that he was surrendering to the mercy of Antony. The overjoyed soldiers triumphantly took the imaginary Brutus to Antony’s tent. Remaining calm, Lucilius said:
- Nobody captured Marcus Brutus and, I hope, never will. I deceived your soldiers and for this I am ready to endure any punishment.
Those present were both confused and amazed at the courage and composure of Lucilius. To their surprise, Anthony said:
- We have captured a prey that is better than what we were looking for. They were looking for an enemy, but they found a friend. I swear to the gods, I don’t know what I would have done with Brutus if I had caught him. And let people like this Lucilius always be Anthony’s friends and not enemies!
With these words, he hugged Lucilius, who remained devoted to him throughout his life.
Meanwhile, Brutus fled. He crossed a river, the banks of which were overgrown with dense forest. It was already dark when he stopped in a hollow at the foot of a high cliff. Brutus sat for a long time in deep thought. Then he began to loudly mourn the friends who had fallen defending him in battle. He called everyone by name, leaving no one out. He ordered all his companions to take care of salvation.
The quietest and darkest time of the night has arrived. Brutus leaned over to his devoted slave Clitus and whispered something to him. Cleitus did not answer and began to cry. Brutus called his squire Dardan and spoke with him face to face for quite a long time. Dardan was sullenly silent. Then Brutus turned to his friend Volumnius, recalled their long friendship and said:
- Now do me one last favor: I will take the sword, and you put your hand on top of mine to add strength to the blow.
Volumnius flatly refused. Then someone noticed that the enemy was approaching and they had to run. Brutus stood up.
“Yes, we must run,” he said, “but I will act not with my feet, but with my hands.”
He was completely calm. With a smile, he said goodbye to everyone in turn and thanked his friends for their loyalty. Finally, he again called on everyone to take care of saving lives and stepped aside.

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Three followed him, including a Greek named Strato, an old friend of Brutus. Brutus ordered him to stand next to him, placed the hilt of his sword on the ground and, holding the sword with both hands, rushed at him. The tip pierced right through him. This is how the life of Marcus Junius Brutus ended.
Antony found the body of Brutus and gave it a solemn burial. Anthony ordered the urn with the ashes to be taken to Rome to his mother. Having learned of her husband's death, Brutus's wife Portia followed his example.
Brutus remained in history as a hero of the struggle for freedom and was preserved as such in the memory of peoples; she is still alive today *.

* Suffice it to recall Michelangelo’s sculpture “Brutus”, which was recently brought to Russia, and the mention of the name of this hero by A. S. Pushkin.

Prepared according to the edition:

Famous Greeks and Romans: 35 biographies of outstanding figures of Greece and Rome. Collection. Authors and compilers: M. N. Botvinnik and M. B. Rabinovich - St. Petersburg: Individual private enterprise of Kuznetsov “Publishing house “Epoch”, 1993. 448 p.
ISBN 5-87594-034-4.
© M. N. Botvinnik and M. B. Rabinovich, authors of the arrangement, 1993