cato the younger-第11部分

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senate；　that　Caesar's　friends　repented　they　had　had　a　letter　read；

which　had　given　Cato　an　opportunity　of　saying　so　many　reasonable

things；　and　such　severe　truths　against　him。　However；　nothing　was

then　decided　upon；　it　was　merely　said；　that　it　would　be　well　to　send

him　a　successor。　Upon　that；　Caesar's　friends　required　that　Pompey　also

should　lay　down　his　arms；　and　resign　his　provinces；　or　else　that

Caesar　might　not　be　obliged　to　either。　Then　Cato　cried　out；　what　he

had　foretold　was　come　to　pass；　now　it　was　manifest　he　was　using　his

forces　to　compel　their　judgment；　and　was　turning　against　the　state

those　armies　he　had　got　from　it　by　imposture　and　trickery。　But　out

of　the　senate…house　Cato　could　do　but　little；　as　the　people　were

ever　ready　to　magnify　Caesar；　and　the　senate；　though　convinced　by

Cato；　were　afraid　of　the　people。

　　But　when　the　news　was　brought　that　Caesar　had　seized　Ariminum；　and

was　marching　with　his　army　toward　Rome；　then　all　men；　even　Pompey；　and

the　common　people　too；　cast　their　eyes　on　Cato；　who　had　alone　foreseen

and　first　clearly　declared　Caesar's　intentions。　He　therefore　told

them；　〃If　you　had　believed　me；　or　regarded　my　advice；　you　would　not

now　have　been　reduced　to　stand　in　fear　of　one　man；　or　to　put　all

your　hopes　in　one　alone。〃　Pompey　acknowledged　that　Cato　indeed　had

spoken　most　like　a　prophet；　while　he　himself　had　acted　too　much　like　a

friend。　And　Cato　advised　the　senate　to　put　all　into　the　hands　of

Pompey；　〃For　those　who　can　raise　up　great　evils；〃　said　he；　〃can　best

allay　them。〃

　　Pompey；　finding　he　had　not　sufficient　forces；　and　that　those　he

could　raise　were　not　very　resolute；　forsook　the　city。　Cato；

resolving　to　follow　Pompey　into　exile；　sent　his　younger　son　to

Munatius；　who　was　then　in　the　country　of　Bruttium；　and　took　his　eldest

son　with　him；　but　wanting　somebody　to　keep　his　house　and　take　care

of　his　daughters；　he　took　Marcia　again；　who　was　now　a　rich　widow；

Hortensius　being　dead；　and　having　left　her　all　his　estate。　Caesar

afterward　made　use　of　this　action　also；　to　reproach　him　with

covetousness；　and　a　mercenary　design　in　his　marriage。　〃For；〃　said

he；　〃if　he　had　need　of　a　wife　why　did　he　part　with　her？　And　if　he

had　not；　why　did　he　take　her　again？　Unless　he　gave　her　only　as　a

bait　to　Hortensius；　and　lent　her　when　she　was　young；　to　have　her　again

when　she　was　rich。〃　But　in　answer　to　this；　we　might　fairly　apply　the

saying　of　Euripides…



　　　　　　　　〃To　speak　of　mysteries…　the　chief　of　these

　　　　　　　　　Surely　were　cowardice　in　Hercules。〃



For　it　is　much　the　same　thing　to　reproach　Hercules　for　cowardice；

and　to　accuse　Cato　of　covetousness；　though　otherwise；　whether　he　did

altogether　right　in　this　marriage；　might　be　disputed。　As　soon；

however；　as　he　had　again　taken　Marcia；　he　committed　his　house　and

his　daughters　to　her；　and　himself　followed　Pompey。　And　it　is　said；

that　from　that　day　he　never　cut　his　hair；　nor　shaved　his　beard；　nor

wore　a　garland；　but　was　always　full　of　sadness；　grief；　and

dejectedness　for　the　calamities　of　his　country；　and　continually　showed

the　same　feeling　to　the　last；　whatever　party　had　misfortune　or

success。

　　The　government　of　Sicily　being　allotted　to　him；　he　passed　over　to

Syracuse；　where；　understanding　that　Asinius　Pollio　was　arrived　at

Messena；　with　forces　from　the　enemy；　Cato　sent　to　him；　to　know　the

reason　of　his　coming　thither：　Pollio；　on　the　other　side；　called　upon

him　to　show　reason　for　the　present　convulsions。　And　being　at　the

same　time　informed　how　Pompey　had　quite　abandoned　Italy；　and　lay

encamped　at　Dyrrhachium；　he　spoke　of　the　strangeness　and

incomprehensibility　of　the　divine　government　of　things；　〃Pompey；

when　he　did　nothing　wisely　nor　honestly；　was　always　successful；　and

now　that　he　would　preserve　his　country；　and　defend　her　liberty；　he

is　altogether　unfortunate。〃　As　for　Asinius；　he　said；　he　could　drive

him　out　of　Sicily；　but　as　there　were　larger　forces　coming　to　his

assistance；　he　would　not　engage　the　island　in　a　war。　He　therefore

advised　the　Syracusans　to　join　the　conquering　party　and　provide　for

their　own　safety；　and　so　set　sail　from　thence。

　　When　he　came　to　Pompey；　he　uniformly　gave　advice　to　protract　the

war；　as　he　always　hoped　to　compose　matters；　and　was　by　no　means

desirous　that　they　should　come　to　action；　for　the　commonwealth　would

suffer　extremely；　and　be　the　certain　cause　of　its　own　ruin；　whoever

were　conqueror　by　the　sword。　In　like　manner；　he　persuaded　Pompey　and

the　council　to　ordain　that　no　city　should　be　sacked　that　was　subject

to　the　people　of　Rome；　and　that　no　Roman　should　be　killed　but　in　the

heat　of　battle；　and　hereby　he　got　himself　great　honour；　and　brought

over　many　to　Pompey's　party；　whom　his　moderation　and　humanity

attracted。　Afterwards　being　sent　into　Asia；　to　assist　those　who　were

raising　men　and　preparing　ships　in　those　parts；　he　took　with　him　his

sister　Servilia；　and　a　little　boy　whom　she　had　by　Lucullus。　For

since　her　widowhood；　she　had　lived　with　her　brother；　and　much

recovered　her　reputation；　having　put　herself　under　his　care；

followed　him　in　his　voyages；　and　complied　with　his　severe　way　of

living。　Yet　Caesar　did　not　fail　to　asperse　him　upon　her　account　also。

　　Pompey's　officers　in　Asia；　it　seems；　had　no　great　need　of　Cato；

but　he　brought　over　the　people　of　Rhodes　by　his　persuasions；　and

leaving　his　sister　Servilia　and　her　child　there；　he　returned　to

Pompey；　who　had　now　collected　very　great　forces　both　by　sea　and

land。　And　here　Pompey；　more　than　in　any　other　act；　betrayed　his

intentions。　For　at　first　he　designed　to　give　Cato　the　command　of　the

navy；　which　consisted　of　no　less　than　five　hundred　ships　of　war；

besides　a　vast　number　of　light　galleys；　scouts；　and　open　boats。　But

presently　bethinking　himself；　or　put　in　mind　by　his　friends；　that

Cato's　principal　and　only　aim　being　to　free　his　country　from　all

usurpation；　if　he　were　master　of　such　great　forces；　as　soon　as　ever

Caesar　should　be　conquered；　he　would　certainly　call　upon　Pompey；　also；

to　lay　down　his　arms；　and　be　subject　to　the　laws；　he　changed　his　mind；

and　though　he　had　already　mentioned　it　to　Cato；　nevertheless　made

Bibulus　admiral。　Notwithstanding　this；　he　had　no　reason　to　suppose

that　Cato's　zeal　in　the　cause　was　in　any　way　diminished。　For　before

one　of　the　battles　at　Dyrrhachium；　when　Pompey　himself；　we　are　told；

made　an　address　to　soldiers　and　bade　the　officers　do　the　like；　the　men

listened　to　them　but　coldly　and　with　silence；　until　Cato；　last　of　all；

came　forward；　and　in　the　language　of　philosophy；　spoke　to　them；　as　the

occasion　required；　concerning　liberty；　manly　virtue；　death；　and　a　good

name；　upon　all　which　he　delivered　himself　with　strong　natural　passion；

and　concluded　with　calling　in　the　aid　of　the　gods；　to　whom　he　directed

his　speech；　as　if　they　were　present　to　behold　them　fight　for　their

country。　And　at　this　the　army　gave　such　a　shout　and　showed　such

excitement　that　their　officers　led　them　on　full　of　hope　and　confidence

to　the　danger。　Caesar's　party　were　routed　and　put　to　flight；　but　his

presiding　fortune　used　the　advantage　of　Pompey's　cautiousness　and

diffidence　to　render　the　victory　incomplete。　But　of　this　we　have

spoken　in　the　life　of　Pompey。　While；　however；　all　the　rest　rejoiced；

and　magnified　their　success；　Cato　alone　bewailed　his　country；　and

cursed　that　fatal　ambition　which　made　so　many　brave　Romans　murder

one　another。

　　After　this　Pompey；　following　Caesar　into　Thessaly；　left　at

Dyrrhachium　a　quantity　of　munitions；　money；　and　stores；　and　many　of

his　domestics　and　relations；　the　charge　of　all　which　he　gave　to

Cato；　with　the　command　only　of　fifteen　cohorts。　For　though　he

trusted　him　much；　yet　he　was　afraid　of　him　too；　knowing　full　well；

that　if　he　had　bad　success；　Cato　would　be　the　last　to　forsake　him；　but

if　he　conquered；　would　never　let　him　use　his　victory　at　his

pleasure。　There　were；　likewise；　many　persons　of　high　rank　that

stayed　with　Cato　at　Dyrrhachium。　When　they　heard　of　the　overthrow　at

Pharsalia；　Cato　resolved　with　himself；　that　if　Pompey　were　slain；　he

would　conduct　those　that　were　with　him　into　Italy；　and　then　retire

as　far　from　the　tyranny　of　Caesar　as　he　could；　and　live　in　exile；

but　if　Pompey　were　safe；　he　would　keep　the　army　together　for　him。　With

this　resolution　he　passed　over　to　Corcyra；　where　the　navy　lay；　there

he　would　have　resigned　his　command　to　Cicero；　because　he　had　been

consul；　and　himself　only　a　praetor：　but　Cicero　refused　it；　and　was

going　for　Italy。　At　which　Pompey's　son　being　incensed；　would　rashly

and　in　heat　have　punished　all　those　who　were　going　away；　and　in　the

first　place　have　laid　hands　on　Cicero；　but　Cato　spoke　with　him　in

private；　and　diverted　him　from　that　design。　And　thus　he　clearly

saved　the　life　of　Cicero；　and　rescued　several　others　also　from

ill…treatment。

　　Conjecturing　that　Pompey　the　Great　was　fled　toward　Egypt　or

Africa；　Cato　resolved　to　hasten　after　him；　and　having　taken　all　his

men　aboard；　he　set　sail；　but　first　to　those　who　were　not　zealous　to

continue　the　contest；　he　gave　free　liberty　to　depart。　When　they　came

to　the　coast　of　Africa　they　met　with　Sextus；　Pompey's　youngest　son；

who　told　them　of　the　death　of　his　father　in　Egypt；　at　which　they

were　all　exceedingly　grieved；　and　declared　that　after　Pompey　they

would　follow　no　other　leader　but　Cato。　Out　of　compassion；　therefore；

to　so　many　worthy　persons；　who　had　given　such　testimonies　of　their

fidelity；　and　whom　he　could　not　for　shame　leave　in　a　desert　country；

amidst　so　many　difficulties；　he　took　upon　him　the　command；　and　marched

toward　the　city　of　Cyrene；　which　presently　received　him；　though　not

long　before　they　had　shut　gates　against　Labienus。　Here　he　was　informed

that　Scipio；　Pompey's　father…in…law；　was　received　by　King　Juba；　and

that　Attius　Varus；　whom　Pompey　had　made　governor　of　Africa；　had　joined

them　with　his　forces。　Cato　therefore　resolved　to　march　toward　them

by　land；　it　being　now　winter；　and　got　together　a　number　of　asse