Publius Volumnius

Publius Volumnius was a 1st Century BC Roman philosopher [Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford University Press) 1964 - pg 954] and a friend and companion of Marcus Junius Brutus who led the conspiracy to assassinate Julius Caesar. Volumnius and Brutus had been students of philosophy together.

Volumnius accompanied Brutus on his fateful campaign to the east which culminated in Brutus' suicide after his defeat by the Triumvirs in the Second Battle of Philippi (October 23, 42 BC).

The historian Plutarch, in his "Life of Brutus", uses Volumnius' recollections as a source for an account of the prodigies which supposedly preceded the death of Brutus. Volumnius' writings were also drawn upon by Plutarch for first hand information on the last hours of Brutus in the aftermath of the Battle of Philippi. [Plutarch - Life of Brutus - Chapter 48]

The well-known quote by Brutus calling down a curse upon Mark Antony was also taken from the memoirs of Volumnius:
"“Forget not, Zeus, the author of these crimes.”"

Volumnius was asked by Brutus to assist him in his suicide after the defeat of the Republican armies at Philippi but Volumnius refused the request.

Volumnius appears as a character in Shakespeare’s famous play "Julius Caesar".

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