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CHAP. IX. Of Errour.
- 1. Of the Roman People.
- 2. C. Cassius Longinus, Proconsul.
- 3. The Guard of Lartis Tolumnius King of the Veientes.
ERrour is next to Rashness: as equally prejudicial, so to them also it least knows: because it com∣mits mistakes not willingly, but out of false imagi∣nations: which being far spread in the breast of men, if I should omit it, I should be guilty of the Errour which I blame. Therefore let us recite a few Mi∣stakes.
1. C. Helvius Cinna, Tribune of the People, re∣turning home from Caesar's Funeral, was torn by the hands of the People, mistaken for Cornelius Cinna, upon whom they thought to have sent their rage; provoked against him, because that being Caesar's Kinsman, he had made an abusive Oration against him that was impiously slain. And so far irritated they were by the same Errour, that they carried the Head of Helvius, as if it had been the Head of Corne∣lius, fix'd upon a Pole, about the Funeral-pile of Caesar. A cruel expiation of Duty and Mistake.
2. For Errour caused C. Cassius to punish himself. For in the midst of that various and unknown event to the Captains themselves, of the fight of four Ar∣mies at Philippi; Titinius the Centurion being sent by him in the Night to see in what condition Brutus was, while he fetch'd several compasses about, because the darkness of the Night did not suffer him to know