this might have been as a slander "planted by supporters of Marc Anthony", but both ancient and contemporary students of Roman sexuality have observed that a man's sexual use of his own slaves, male or female, was not a target for social condemnation at the time. Sarmentus was the subject of Quintus Dellius' complaint to Cleopatra that while he and other dignitaries were served sour wine by Antony in Greece, Augustus' catamite was drinking Falernian in Rome. Legacy Shakespeare's Julius Caesar Favonius is the character known as the Poet who appears in Act IV Scene III of William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. Shakespeare took the details of this scene from Plutarch's Parallel Lives, in which, on Brutus' journey to Sardis, Plutarch writes that Brutus and Cassius fell into a dispute in an apartment (Shakespeare assigns this scene to Brutus' tent), which ultimately led to their sharing angry words and both of them bursting in tears. Their friends attempted to break into the room to see what the dispute was about and forestall any mischief, but were prevented from doing so by a number of attendants. Favonius, however, was not to be stopped. According to Plutarch, In Shakespeare's version of this encounter in Julius Caesar, Favonius' opening lines in his role as Poet are: POET. [Within] Let me go in to see the generals; There is some grudge between 'em, 'tis not meet they be alone.Forcing his way into Brutus' tent, he addresses Brutus and Cassius: POET. For shame, you generals! what do you mean? Love, and be friends, as two such men should be; For I have seen more years, I'm sure, than ye.To which, Cassius replies: CASSIUS. Ha, ha! how vilely doth this cynic rhyme!'' and Brutus drives him from his tent. Here Shakespeare departs from Plutarch's account of the scene, as Favonius does not feature in Brutus and Cassius' subsequent drinking bout. References Bibliography 90s BC births 42 BC deaths People from Terracina 1st-century BC Romans Ancient Roman politicians Senators of the Roman Republic People executed by the Roman Republic Roman aediles 1st-century BC executions Roman-era Cynic philosophers Roman governors of Macedonia