cato the younger-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CATO　THE　YOUNGER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　95…46　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　THE　family　of　Cato　derived　its　first　lustre　from　his

great…grandfather　Cato；　whose　virtue　gained　him　such　great

reputation　and　authority　among　the　Romans；　as　we　have　written　in　his

life。

　　This　Cato　was；　by　the　loss　of　both　his　parents；　left　an　orphan；

together　with　his　brother　Caepio；　and　his　sister　Porcia。　He　had　also　a

half…sister；　Servilia；　by　the　mother's　side。　All　these　lived　together；

and　were　bred　up　in　the　house　of　Livius　Drusus；　their　uncle　by　the

mother；　who；　at　that　time；　had　a　great　share　in　the　government；

being　a　very　eloquent　speaker；　a　man　of　the　greatest　temperance；　and

yielding　in　dignity　to　none　of　the　Romans。

　　It　is　said　of　Cato　that　even　from　his　infancy；　in　his　speech；　his

countenance；　and　all　his　childish　pastimes；　he　discovered　an

inflexible　temper；　unmoved　by　any　passion；　and　firm　in　everything。

He　was　resolute　in　his　purposes；　much　beyond　the　strength　of　his

age；　to　go　through　with　whatever　he　undertook。　He　was　rough　and

ungentle　toward　those　that　flattered　him；　and　still　more　unyielding　to

those　who　threatened　him。　It　was　difficult　to　excite　him　to

laughter；　his　countenance　seldom　relaxed　even　into　a　smile；　he　was　not

quickly　or　easily　provoked　to　anger；　but　if　once　incensed；　he　was　no

less　difficult　to　pacify。

　　When　he　began　to　learn；　he　proved　dull；　and　slow　to　apprehend；　but

of　what　he　once　received；　his　memory　was　remarkably　tenacious。　And

such　in　fact；　we　find　generally　to　be　the　course　of　nature；　men　of

fine　genius　are　readily　reminded　of　things；　but　those　who　receive　with

most　pains　and　difficulty；　remember　best；　every　new　thing　they

learn；　being；　as　it　were；　burnt　and　branded　in　on　their　minds。

Cato's　natural　stubbornness　and　slowness　to　be　persuaded　may　also　have

made　it　more　difficult　for　him　to　be　taught。　For　to　learn　is　to　submit

to　have　something　done　to　one；　and　persuasion　comes　soonest　to　those

who　have　least　strength　to　resist　it。　Hence　young　men　are　sooner

persuaded　than　those　that　are　more　in　years；　and　sick　men；　than

those　that　are　well　in　health。　In　fine；　where　there　is　least

previous　doubt　and　difficulty；　the　new　impression　is　most　easily

accepted。　Yet　Cato；　they　say；　was　very　obedient　to　his　preceptor；

and　would　do　whatever　he　was　commanded；　but　he　would　also　ask　the

reason；　and　inquire　the　cause　of　everything。　And；　indeed；　his

teacher　was　a　very　well…bred　man；　more　ready　to　instruct　than　to

beat　his　scholars。　His　name　was　Sarpedon。

　　When　Cato　was　a　child；　the　allies　of　the　Romans　sued　to　be　made　free

citizens　of　Rome。　Pompaedius　Silo；　one　of　their　deputies；　a　brave

soldier　and　a　man　of　great　repute；　who　had　contracted　a　friendship

with　Drusus；　lodged　at　his　house　for　several　days；　in　which　time　being

grown　familiar　with　the　children；　〃Well；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃will　you

entreat　your　uncle　to　befriend　us　in　our　business？〃　Caepio；　smiling；

assented；　but　Cato　made　no　answer；　only　he　looked　steadfastly　and

fiercely　on　the　strangers。　Then　said　Pompaedius；　〃And　you；　young

sir；　what　say　you　to　us？　will　not　you；　as　well　as　your　brother；

intercede　with　your　uncle　in　our　behalf？〃　And　when　Cato　continued　to

give　no　answer；　by　his　silence　and　his　countenance　seeming　to　deny

their　petition；　Pompaedius　snatched　him　up　to　the　window　as　if　he

would　throw　him　out；　and　told　him　to　consent；　or　he　would　fling　him

down；　and；　speaking　in　a　harsher　tone；　held　his　body　out　of　the

window；　and　shook　him　several　times。　When　Cato　had　suffered　this　a

good　while；　unmoved　and　unalarmed；　Pompaedius；　setting　him　down；

said　in　an　undervoice　to　his　friend；　〃What　a　blessing　for　Italy　that

he　is　but　a　child！　If　he　were　a　man；　I　believe　we　should　not　gain

one　voice　among　the　people。〃　Another　time；　one　of　his　relations；　on

his　birthday；　invited　Cato　and　some　other　children　to　supper；　and　some

of　the　company　diverted　themselves　in　a　separate　part　of　the　house；

and　were　at　play；　the　elder　and　the　younger　together；　their　sport

being　to　act　the　pleadings　before　the　judges；　accusing　one　another；

and　carrying　away　the　condemned　to　prison。　Among　these　a　very

beautiful　young　child；　being　bound　and　carried　by　a　bigger　into

prison；　cried　out　to　Cato；　who　seeing　what　was　going　on；　presently　ran

to　the　door；　and　thrusting　away　those　who　stood　there　as　a　guard；　took

out　the　child；　and　went　home　in　anger；　followed　by　some　of　his

companions。

　　Cato　at　length　grew　so　famous　among　them；　that　when　Sylla　designed

to　exhibit　the　sacred　game　of　young　men　riding　courses　on　horseback；

which　they　called　Troy；　having　gotten　together　the　youth　of　good

birth；　he　appointed　two　for　their　leaders。　One　of　them　they　accepted

for　his　mother's　sake；　being　the　son　of　Metella；　the　wife　of　Sylla；

but　as　for　the　other；　Sextus；　the　nephew　of　Pompey；　they　would　not

be　led　by　him；　nor　exercise　under　him。　Then　Sylla　asking　whom　they

would　have；　they　all　cried　out；　Cato；　and　Sextus　willingly　yielded　the

honour　to　him；　as　the　more　worthy。

　　Sylla；　who　was　a　friend　of　their　family；　sent　at　times　for　Cato

and　his　brother　to　see　them　and　talk　with　them；　a　favour　which　he

showed　to　very　few；　after　gaining　his　great　power　and　authority。

Sarpedon；　full　of　the　advantage　it　would　be；　as　well　for　the　honour　as

the　safety　of　his　scholars；　would　often　bring　Cato　to　wait　upon

Sylla　at　his　house；　which；　for　the　multitude　of　those　that　were

being　carried　off　in　custody；　and　tormented　there；　looked　like　a　place

of　execution。　Cato　was　then　in　his　fourteenth　year；　and　seeing　the

heads　of　men　said　to　be　of　great　distinction　brought　thither；　and

observing　the　secret　sighs　of　those　that　were　present；　he　asked　his

preceptor；　〃Why　does　nobody　kill　this　man？〃　〃Because；〃　said　he；

〃they　fear　him；　child；　more　than　they　hate　him。〃　〃Why；　then；〃

replied　Cato；　〃did　you　not　give　me　a　sword；　that　I　might　stab　him；　and

free　my　country　from　this　slavery？〃　Sarpedon　hearing　this；　and　at

the　same　time　seeing　his　countenance　swelling　with　anger　and

determination；　took　care　thenceforward　to　watch　him　strictly；　lest

he　should　hazard　any　desperate　attempt。

　　While　he　was　yet　very　young；　to　some　that　asked　him　whom　he　loved

best；　he　answered；　his　brother。　And　being　asked；　whom　next；　he

replied；　his　brother；　again。　So　likewise　the　third　time；　and　still　the

same；　till　they　left　off　to　ask　any　further。　As　he　grew　in　age；　this

love　to　his　brother　grew　yet　the　stronger。　When　he　was　about　twenty

years　old；　he　never　supped；　never　went　out　of　town；　nor　into　the

forum；　without　Caepio。　But　when　his　brother　made　use　of　precious

ointments　and　perfumes；　Cato　declined　them；　and　he　was；　in　all　his

habits；　very　strict　and　austere；　so　that　when　Caepio　was　admired　for

his　moderation　and　temperance；　he　would　acknowledge　that　indeed　he

might　be　accounted　such；　in　comparison　with　some　other　men；　〃but；〃

said　he；　〃when　I　compare　myself　with　Cato；　I　find　myself　scarcely

different　from　Sippius；〃　one　at　that　time　notorious　for　his

luxurious　and　effeminate　living。

　　Cato　being　made　priest　of　Apollo；　went　to　another　house；　took　his

portion　of　their　paternal　inheritance；　amounting　to　a　hundred　and

twenty　talents；　and　began　to　live　yet　more　strictly　than　before。

Having　gained　the　intimate　acquaintance　of　Antipater　the　Tyrian；　the

Stoic　philosopher；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　study；　above

everything；　of　moral　and　political　doctrine。　And　though　possessed；

as　it　were；　by　a　kind　of　inspiration　for　the　pursuit　of　every

virtue；　yet　what　most　of　all　virtue　and　excellence　fixed　his　affection

was　that　steady　and　inflexible　justice　which　is　not　to　be　wrought　upon

by　favour　or　compassion。　He　learned　also　the　art　of　speaking　and

debating　in　public；　thinking　that　political　philosophy；　like　a　great

city；　should　maintain　for　its　security　the　military　and　warlike

element。　But　he　would　never　recite　his　exercises　before　company；　nor

was　he　ever　heard　to　declaim。　And　to　one　that　told　him　men　blamed

his　silence；　〃But　I　hope　not　my　life。〃　he　replied；　〃I　will　begin　to

speak；　when　I　have　that　to　say　which　had　not　better　be　unsaid。〃

　　The　great　Porcian　Hall；　as　it　was　called；　had　been　built　and

dedicated　to　the　public　use　by　the　old　Cato；　when　aedile。　Here　the

tribunes　of　the　people　used　to　transact　their　business；　and　because

one　of　the　pillars　was　thought　to　interfere　with　the　convenience　of

their　seats；　they　deliberated　whether　it　were　best　to　remove　it　to

another　place；　or　to　take　it　away。　This　occasion　first　drew　Cato；　much

against　his　will；　into　the　forum；　for　he　opposed　the　demand　of　the

tribunes；　and　in　so　doing　gave　a　specimen　both　of　his　courage　and

his　powers　of　speaking；　which　gained　him　great　admiration。　His

speech　had　nothing　youthful　or　refined　in　it；　but　was　straightforward；

full　of　matter；　and　rough；　at　the　same　time　that　there　was　a　certain

grace　about　his　rough　statements　which　won　the　attention；　and　the

speaker's　character；　showing　itself　in　all　he　said；　added　to　his

severe　language　something　that　excited　feelings　of　natural　pleasure

and　interest。　His　voice　was　full　and　sounding；　and　sufficient　to　be

heard　by　so　great　a　multitude；　and　its　vigour　and　capacity　of

endurance　quite　indefatigable；　for　he　often　would　speak　a　whole　day

and　never　stop。

　　When　he　had　carried　this　cause；　he　betook　himself　again　to　study　and

retirement。　He　employed　himself　in　inuring　his　body　to　labour　and

violent　exercise；　and　habituated　himself　to　go　bareheaded　in　the

hottest　and　the　coldest　weather；　and　to　walk　on　foot　at　all　seasons。

When　he　went　on　a　journey　with　any　of　his　friends；　though　they　were　on

horseback　and　he　on　foot；　yet　he　would　often　join　now　one；　then

another；　and　converse　with　them　on　the　way。　In　sickness　the　patience

he　showed　in　supporting；　and　the　abstinence　he　used　for　curing；　his

distempers　were　admir