85
Julius Cesar divorced his Wife Pompeia because her Reputation was not altogether without blemish, and that she was suspected of having an Amour with Clodius: Clodius was accused upon that account; and Cesar being summon’d to depose against him, said, he never could find that he had done any ill thing with his Wife: Why then did you part from her? ask’d somebody; Because, answered he, Cesars Wife ought to live with so much reserve as to be even beyond the reach of Calumny.
85
Jules Cesar repudia Pompeia sa Femme, à cause que sa reputation n’ètoit pas fort honnête, & qu’on la soupçonnoit d’avoir commerce avéc Clodius; comme on accusoit celui-ci de Crime, Cesar appellé pour deposer contre lui, dit, qu’il n’avoit pas reconnu qu’il eût fait aucun mal avec sa Femme; pourquoy donc l’avez vous repudiée, lui dit on, parce que, répondit-il, il faut que l’Epouse de Cesar, vive avec tant de Modestie, qu’elle soit même hors des atteintes de la Calomnie.
86
Attalus upon a false report that his Brother Eumenes was dead, made himself Master of the Kingdom, and married his Widow: Some time after, hearing that Eumenes was return’d into his Dominions, he left the Crown, and without any other Attendance than that of a private Man, went to meet him. Eumenes was contented to wisper him by way of Expostulation: Brother, I hope another time you won’t be so hasty to marry my Wife before you have seen me buried.
86
Attalus sur un faux bruit que son Frere Eumenes étoit decedé, s’empara de l’Empire, & même épousa sa veuve: quelque tems aprés, comme il apprit qu’Eumenes revenoit en son Royaume, il quitta la couronne, & sans autre équipage que celui d’un homme privé, s’en vint au devant de lui. Eumenes pour tout reproche, se contenta de lui dire à voix basse: Une autre fois, mon Frere, vous ne vous hâterez pas d’épouser ma Femme, avant que vous ne m’ayez veu enterrer.
87
Pompey having found several important Letters from Rome among Sertorius’s Papers, he burnt them all unperus’d; I ought, said he, to give an opportunity of Repenting, to those who have failed by disobliging me.