The Fragments of the Histories

he manages the actions performed by the young Pompey, where Vogel 1) l. l. p. 21. has not implausibly concluded that much flowed from Strabo due to the similarity of Plutarch and Appian; soon, in chapter 16, he narrates the actual sedition of Lepidus and Catulus. And first, we see that Plutarch's source stood on the side of the optimates the aristocratic party; for he alleges that Lepidus stirred up the sedition out of ambition, cf. "Lepidus, insinuating himself into his Sulla’s power"; regarding Catulus, however, he judges much better: "Catulus, to whom the pure and healthy part of the senate and the people held fast." Shortly after, concerning Brutus captured at Mutina, he had two authors: "for Brutus, either having surrendered his power himself or having been betrayed, the former having changed," but further down he follows one, and indeed the former, report in narrating the affair: "for having written—as if Brutus surrendered himself willingly." But it is evident that this must be attributed to an aristocratic writer, since Brutus, a leader of the popular party, is accused of cowardice and inconstancy, while that one is attributed to a popular author, since the surrender of Brutus is excused by the treachery of his army. If these things are so, it may be conjectured that the aristocratic writer, whom Plutarch follows mainly in this chapter, is Livy, while the popular one is Sallust. Finally, regarding the death of Lepidus, we again hold a double memory in Plutarch: "And having fallen ill there, he died from melancholy, not of affairs as they say, but having stumbled upon a note, from which he discovered some adultery of his wife." This, which he refutes by the author's words indicated by "as they say," that Lepidus died "from melancholy of affairs," belongs to Livy 2) Cf. Flor. II 11: "There he perished from disease and repentance." However, Judeich p. 45 observed that Plutarch more often does this with the words "as he says" or "it is said" if he introduces a new author or if he corrects his primary source in some matter, especially if he takes something from Livy.; conversely, Sallust had only mentioned the disease and had vehemently denied the repentance 3) Cf. Exup. p. 4, 5: "And while he was preparing many things, he was oppressed by a grave disease and died.". A third cause of death, besides disease and repentance, is reported by another of Plutarch's authors, namely anger at an unfaithful wife, regarding which Plutarch agrees with Pliny III 122 and 186. But since Pliny's index mentions Cornelius Nepos, I would have supposed this to be the source of both in this little story; for indeed Livy, who is named in the same index, did not narrate these things, as follows from Plutarch's own words.