Portia julius caesar biography timeline

1st-century BC Model woman, wife of Brutus

For say publicly sister of Cato the From the past, see Portia (sister of Cato the Younger).

Porcia (c. 73 BC – June 43 BC),^[2][3] occasionally spelled Portia, especially in 18th-century Sincerely literature,^[4] was a Roman spouse who lived in the Ordinal century BC. She was grandeur daughter of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis (Cato the Younger) beam his first wife Atilia. She is best known for growth the second wife of Marcus Junius Brutus, the most popular of Julius Caesar's assassins, snowball appears primarily in the hand of Cicero.^[5]

Biography

Early life

Porcia was intelligent around 73 BC.^[6][7][8] She challenging an affectionate nature,^[9] was feeling in philosophy, and was "full of an understanding courage."^[10]Plutarch describes her as being prime archetypal youth and beauty.^[11] When she was still very young, permutation father divorced her mother fit in adultery.

At a young move backwards she was married first goslow Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, her father's political ally, between 58 BC and 53 BC. Porcia's holy man was a member of say publicly Roman Optimate faction, and adamantly opposed Julius Caesar. Porcia embraced these ideals, and did keen outwardly object to the primed marriage.^[12] With Bibulus she confidential two children, at least give someone a ring of them a son.^[1]Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus (born around 59 BC) was possibly one of them, although most modern historians guess Porcia was too young decimate have mothered Lucius, and rove he was Bibulus' son be oblivious to his previous marriage, as smartness was old enough to gala in the Battle of Metropolis in 42 BC.^[13][5] He died play a role 32 BC. It is possible turn a son of Porcia talented Bibulus was the man who wrote the biography of Brutus.^[14]

A few years later, Quintus Hortensius applied to Cato, asking fund Porcia's hand in marriage.^[15] Bibulus, who was infatuated with ruler wife, was unwilling to announce her go. Hortensius offered utter marry her and then turn back her to Bibulus once she had given birth to practised male heir.^[5] Such an suite was not uncommon at rendering time.^[16] He argued that establish was against natural law secure keep a girl of Porcia's youth and beauty from preparation children for his allies at an earlier time impractical for her to overproduce for Bibulus.^[17] Nonetheless, Bibulus refused to divorce her. Cato avoided the idea of marrying daughter to a man who was four times her file, and was refused to through an arranged contract he engaged with Biblius.^[16][5] Instead, Cato divorced his wife, Porcia's stepmother Marcia, and gave her to Hortensius; he remarried her after Hortensius died.

In 52 BC, Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars came be introduced to an end, but he refused to return to Rome, neglect the Senate's demands that unquestionable lay down his arms. Cato personally detested Caesar, and was his greatest enemy in interpretation Senate; Cato's political faction, integrity Optimates (also known as description Boni), believed that Caesar return to Rome, in proof for the Optimates to leash him of his property distinguished dignitas, and permanently exile Statesman. In 49 BC, Caesar crossed illustriousness Rubicon with his army, like this declaring war, beginning the Faultless Roman Civil War. Both Cato and Bibulus allied with Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus against Caesar. Conj albeit both Boni hated Pompey, good taste did not pose the commination to their faction that Comic did. Bibulus commanded Pompey's naval forces in the Adriatic Sea.^[18] Inaccuracy captured a part of Caesar's fleet, although this was as is usual insignificant as Caesar went forethought to decisively defeat Pompey be neck and neck the Battle of Pharsalus. Bibulus died in 48 BC wean away from influenza following Pompey's defeat, goodbye Porcia a widow.^[5]

In 46 BC, Cato committed suicide following government defeat in the battle ticking off Thapsus while Marcus Cato, Porcia's brother, was pardoned by Comedian and returned to Rome.^[19]

Marriage reveal Brutus

Brutus, Porcia's first cousin, divorced his wife Claudia and husbandly Porcia in 45 BC.^[5][13][20] Influence marriage was scandalous as Solon did not state any causes for divorce despite having anachronistic married to Claudia for uncountable years. Claudia was very favoured for being a woman nominate great virtue, and was grandeur daughter of Appius Claudius Pulcher, who had been Brutus's coadjutor for many years.^[21] She was also related to Pompey tough marriage through her younger look after. The divorce was not successfully received by some, including Brutus's mother, Servilia,^[22] who despised cast-off half-brother, and appears to scheme been jealous of Brutus's enjoy for Porcia.^[23] Therefore, Servilia backed Claudia's interests against those win Porcia.^[24]

On the other hand, Porcia was highly favoured with picture followers of both Pompey near Cato, so the marriage was favoured by people such gorilla Marcus Tullius Cicero and Christian Pomponius Atticus.^[25] The marriage was Brutus's way of honouring dominion uncle. Nonetheless, it appears renounce Porcia deeply loved Brutus good turn was utterly devoted to him.^[10] She resolved not to quiz into Brutus's secrets before she had made a trial brake herself and that she would bid defiance to pain.^[10]

Brutus, wayout with many other co-conspirators, murdered Caesar in 44 BC.^[26] He betrothed to share the "heavy secrets" of his heart with sovereign wife but it is unsteady if he ever got rendering chance.^[27][28] Some historians believe Porcia may have known about illustriousness plot, and may have still been involved in the cabal itself.^[29] Plutarch claims that she happened upon Brutus while prohibited was pondering over what gain do about Caesar and willingly him what was wrong. While in the manner tha he did not answer, she suspected that he distrusted have time out on account of her activity a woman, for fear she might reveal something, however refuse, under torture. In order curb prove herself to him, she secretly inflicted a wound understand her own thigh with clever barber's knife to see conj admitting she could endure the headache. As a result of class wound, she suffered from flaming pains, chills and fever.^[30] Abominable believe that she endured loftiness pain of her untreated tower block for at least a hour. As soon as she overcame her pain, she returned exchange Brutus and said:

You, low husband, though you trusted return to health spirit that it would yell betray you, nevertheless were wary of my body, and your feeling was but human. Nevertheless I found that my entity also can keep silence... Consequence fear not, but tell take all you are concealing pass up me, for neither fire, unseen lashes, nor goads will legation me to divulge a word; I was not born decide that extent a woman. Consequently, if you still distrust given name, it is better for bell to die than to live; otherwise let no one conclude me longer the daughter advice Cato or your wife.^[31][32][33]

Brutus marveled when he saw the harm on her thigh and pinpoint hearing this he no someone hid anything from her, nevertheless felt strengthened himself and pledged to relate the whole plot.^[34] Lifting his hands above him, he is said to own acquire prayed that he might achieve something in his undertaking and wise show himself a worthy husband.^[35] Yet Brutus never got picture chance as they were fitful and never had a moment's privacy before the conspiracy was carried out. On the time of Caesar's assassination, Porcia was extremely disturbed with anxiety cope with sent messengers to the Diet to check that Brutus was still alive.^[36] She worked woman up to the point whereupon her fainting, her maids disquiet that she was dying.^[32]

When Statesman and the other assassins serene Rome to Athens, it was agreed that Porcia should preserve in Italy.^[37] Porcia was overpower with grief to part let alone Brutus, but tried hard combat conceal it. When she came across a painting depicting prestige parting of Hector from Andromache in the Iliad, however, she burst into tears, feeling practiced reflected her own sorrow. She would go on to stop in this painting multiple times record day.^[38][39] Brutus' friend Acilius heard of this, and quoted Poet where Andromache speaks to Hector:

But Hector, you to assume are father and are progenitrix too, my brother, and forlorn loving husband true.^[40]

Brutus smiled, byword he would never say hold forth Porcia what Hector said permission Andromache in return (Ply mystique and distaff and give without delay to thy maids^[40]), saying marvel at Porcia:

the natural consider of her body hinders go in from doing what only depiction strength of men can carry out, she has a mind sort valiant and as active supplement the good of her state as the best of us.^[41]

Death

Porcia's death has been a item for many historians and writers. It was believed by keen majority of contemporary historians go Porcia committed suicide in 42 BC, reputedly by swallowing hot coals. Modern historians find this tall story implausible, however, and one public speculation has Porcia taking brew life by burning charcoal bonding agent an unventilated room, thus succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning.^[42]

Dignity exact timing of Porcia's reach is also a problem. Labored modern classicists like John Whirl. Collins assert that she dull in the summer of 43 BC.^[5] Most contemporary historians, even, (Cassius Dio, Valerius Maximus, unthinkable Appian) claim that she deal with herself after hearing that Statesman had died following the beyond battle of Philippi.^{[43][44][45][46]}Nicolaus says toy with happened before Brutus' death, nonetheless, saying she died following justness first battle of Philippi, claiming that she only thought without fear was dead, and that Statesman wrote a letter to their friends in Rome, blaming them for Porcia's suicide. Plutarch dismisses Nicolaus' claims of a report stating that too much was disclosed in the letter help out it to be genuine.^[47] Biographer also repeats the story constantly swallowing charcoal, but disbelieves it:^[48]

As for Porcia, the wife take up Brutus, Nicolaüs the philosopher, bit well as Valerius Maximus, relates that she now desired get in touch with die, but was opposed tough all her friends, who retained strict watch upon her; whereupon she snatched up live coals from the fire, swallowed them, kept her mouth fast ancient history, and thus made away traffic herself. And yet there progression extant a letter of Statesman to his friends in which he chides them with gap to Porcia and laments socialize fate, because she was in bad repair by them and therefore pressed by illness to prefer litter to life. It would appear, then, that Nicolaüs was fallacious in the time of turn down death, since her distemper, waste away love for Brutus, and glory manner of her death, instruct also indicated in the message, if, indeed, it is straighten up genuine one.^[49]

Plutarch also acknowledges goodness false image that Porcia displays, explaining that she was "frightened with every little noise allow cry," "possessed with the displeasure of the Bacchantes," and difficult passed out and carried bite-mark her home.^[50] Plutarch's description be incumbent on Camma in Dialogue of Love is similar to his rendering of Porcia in Brutus, put up with with both works being ineluctable around the same time term, Plutarch's anecdotes concerning Camma puissance have influenced those about Porcia. The character of Panthea soupзon Xenophon'sCyropaedia also presents similarities colloquium Plutarch's Porcia – with both women indicative to their husbands that they are truly devoted, and cast-offs willing to harm themselves choose prove themselves – being another possible cause for Plutarch's portrayal of Porcia. In totality, Plutarch accentuates Porcia's role as loyal wife thought-provoking his portrayal of her suicide.^[51]

According to the political journalist with classicistGarry Wills, although Shakespeare has Porcia die by the road Plutarch repeats, but rejects, "the historical Porcia died of disorder (possibly of plague) a twelvemonth before the battle of Philippi"^[52]...“but Valerius Maximus [mistakenly] wrote stray she killed herself at counsel of Brutus’s death in lose concentration battle. This was the cryptogram of the story celebrated of great consequence works like Martial's Epigram 1.42."^[53] The claim that Porcia's destruction occurred before that of Solon is backed up by splendid letter sent by Cicero. That letter would have been curve in late June or completely July 43 BC, before either armed struggle of Philippi.^[54] It further suggests that Porcia did not syndicate suicide, but died of low down lingering illness. As Plutarch states, if the letter was unfeigned Brutus lamented her death bear blamed their friends for shed tears looking after her.^[47] There psychoanalysis also an earlier letter deprive Brutus to Atticus, which hints at Porcia's illness and congratulations him for taking care several her.^[55][56] Cicero later wrote emperor surviving letter to Brutus, comforting him in his grief, occupation Porcia "one such as on no occasion before has been in grandeur world."^[57][5] This is probably glory most accurate^[58] account of Porcia's death.

Family

Portia in popular culture

Literature

Classic

• In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, she appears in fictionalised form renovation Brutus' wife.^[59] She makes matchless two appearances. Portia and Calpurnia are the only two valuable female roles in the perform. It is reported in nobleness fourth act that she boring by swallowing fire.

• Portia is likewise briefly mentioned in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice in respects to the character of take it easy namesake, Portia:

In Belmont is a-ok lady richly left;

And she problem fair, and, fairer than rove word,

Of wondrous virtues: sometimes outlander her eyes

I did receive natty speechless messages:

Her name is Portia, nothing undervalued

To Cato's daughter, Brutus' Portia.^[60]

• In Robert Garnier's play Porcie, she is the heroine emancipation the play, which describes multiple suicide. In the play, she is devastated to hear after everything else the death of her hoard and kills herself. Her retainer announces to the Romans divagate Portia died swallowing live coals, before taking her own authenticated with a dagger.
• In The Purgatory of Suicide by Thomas Actor, Portia is one of loftiness suicides spoken of in integrity poem. Here Portia's life hype compared to the death disregard Arria, Pœtus' wife.^[61]

Modern

• In Masters imbursement Rome, a series of septet novels by the Australian penman Colleen McCullough, Portia appears type a child in Caesar's Women,^[62] as a teenager in Caesar^[63] and as a young lady in The October Horse.^[64] Portia is portrayed as being, principal a rabid unthinking follower disturb republican values, then as unmixed raving maniac, and then kind perhaps totally insane. Servilia, who abuses her constantly, later writes to Brutus before the conflict of Philippi to inform him that Portia went mad pointer killed herself by swallowing be present coals. Brutus, however, recognizes ensure it is more likely dump Servilia murdered Portia by forcing burning coals down her pharynx. Given the vicious character jump at Servilia in the novel, that murder is perfectly believable.
• She appears in The Ides of March, an epistolary novel by Architect Wilder, describing the events foremost up to the death longed-for Julius Caesar. Portia is give someone a jingle of the main characters derive fourth part of the reservation. Cicero speaks of her bit the only person that Solon loves. Portia and Servilia barter several letters, hinting towards Servilia's dislike of her. Caesar adjacent sends a letter to Portia informing her that Brutus pump up returning to Rome, and Portia replies with a polite show one's gratitude you; Caesar later confesses cut into Lucius Mamilius Turrinus (the noteworthy character) that he greatly envies Brutus his marriage to decline and often wishes he could have married her himself.^[65]

Notes

References

Primary sources

• Plutarch, Marcus Brutus
• Plutarch, Cato the Younger
• Cicero, Epistulae ad Brutum
• Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum
• Appian, The Debonair Wars, Book II
• Valerius Maximus, De factis mem
• Cassius Dio, Roman History 44–47
• Valerius Maximus, Factorum et dictorum memorabilium libri iv.6.5

Secondary sources

External links