A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

2. The mother of M. Junius Brutus, the murderer of Caesar. She was the daughter of Livia, the sister of the celebrated M. Livius Drusus, tribune of the plebs, B. C. 91. Her mother Livia was married twice; first to M. Cato, by whom she had M. Cato Uticensis, and next to Q. Servilius Caepio, by whom she became the mother of this Servilia, and of her sister spoken of below. Servilia. herself was married twice; first to M. Junius Brutus [BRUTUS, No. 20], by whom she became the mother of the murderer of Caesar, and secondly to D. Junius Silanus, consul B. C. 62. This

Servilia was the favourite mistress of the dictator Caesar, and seems to have fascinated him more by her genius than her personal charms. Caesar's love for her is mentioned as early as B. C. 63 (Plut. Cat. 24, Brut. 5), and continued, apparently unabated, to the time of his death, nearly twenty years afterwards. The scandal-mongers at Rome related various tales about her, which we may safely disbelieve. Thus she is said to have introduced her own daughter, Junia Tertia, to Caesar's embraces, when her own charms were growing faded; and it was further currently reported that Brutus was Servilia's son by Caesar. The latter tale, at least, we can prove to be false, as Caesar was only fifteen years older than Brutus, the former having been born in B. C. 100, and the latter in B. C. 85. Caesar made Servilia a present of several confiscated estates after the civil wars. She survived both her lover and her son. After the battle of Philippi Antony sent her the ashes of her son. The triumvirs left her unmolested, and Atticus assisted and consoled her in her troubles. (Suet. Cues. 50 ; Plut. Cat. 24, Brut. 2, 5, 53 ; Appian, App. BC 2.112, 4.135; Cic. Fam. 12.7, ad Att. 14.21, 15.11, 12; Corn. Nep. Att. 11 ; Drumann, Geschichtc Roms, vol. iv. p. 15, &c.)