Brutus now suspected the truth, which was, that Cassius had been defeated, and his camp had fallen into the hands of the enemy.

He immediately collected together as large a force as he could command, and marched to the relief of his colleague.

He found him, at last, posted with a small body of guards and attendants upon the top of a small elevation to which he had fled for safety.

Cassius saw the troop of horsemen which Brutus sent forward coming toward him, and supposed that it was a detachment from Antony's army advancing to capture him.

He, however, sent a messenger forward to meet them, and ascertain whether they were friends or foes.