Brutus and His Mirrors (Brutus10.4–6, 13.7–10, 29.2–3, 40.7–8)

AbstractThis chapter and the next look at the Life of Brutus. This chapter looks at all the passages in the Life which display rhythmic density by the criteria given in ch. 3. Notably, they do not appear at the peaks of action—such as Caesar’s assassination or Brutus’ suicide; rather they involve moments of comparison and reflection. Three of them confront Brutus with Cassius, a central comparative concern internal to the Life: an explicit and sustained comparison of character, and two scenes of interaction, including a point where Brutus looks back on his own life. The other moment confronts Brutus with his brave wife, Porcia. Two of the passages also involve comparison with another vital figure of the Life, the Younger Cato. One of the passages is closely similar to the later Appian, and shows us Plutarch reshaping a source