else oftentimes of himself he fell into such deep
thoughts of this enterprise, casting in his mind all the dangers that
might happen, that his wife lying by him, found that there was some
marvellous great matter that troubled his mind, not being wont to be
in that taking, and that he could not well determine with himself.

His wife Porcia[100] (as we have told you before) was the daughter of
Cato, whom Brutus married being his cousin, not a maiden, but a young
widow after the death of her first husband Bibulus, by whom she had
also a young son called Bibulus, who afterwards wrote a book of the
acts and gests of Brutus, extant at this present day. This young lady
being excellently well seen in philosophy, loving her husband well,
and being of a noble courage, as she was also wise; because she would
not ask her husband what he ailed before she had made some proof by
herself, she took a little razor such as barbers occupy to pare men's
nails, and causing her maids and women to go out of her chamber, gave
herself a great gash withal in her thigh, that she was straight all of
a gore-blood, and incontinently after, a vehement fever took her, by
reason of the pain of her wound.

Then perceiving her husband was marvellously out of quiet, and that he
could take no rest, even in her greatest pain of all, she spake in
this sort unto him, "I being, O Brutus," (said she) "the daughter of
Cato, was married unto thee, not to be thy bedfellow and companion in
bed and at board only, like a harlot, but to be partaker also with
thee, of thy good and evil fortune. Now for thyself, I can find no
cause of fault in thee touching our match, but for my part, how may I
show my duty towards thee, and how much I would do for thy sake, if I
cannot constantly bear a secret mischance or grief with thee, that
requireth secrecy and fidelity? I confess, that a woman's wit commonly
is too weak to keep a secret safely: but yet, Brutus, good education,
and the company of virtuous men, have some power to reform the defect
of nature. And for myself, I have this benefit, moreover, that I am
the daughter of Cato, and wife of Brutus. This notwithstanding, I did
not trust to any of these things before, until that now I have found
by experience, that no pain nor grief whatsoever can overcome me."
With those words she showed him her wound on her thigh, and told him
what she had done to prove herself. Brutus was amazed to hear what she
said unto him, and lifting u