cato the younger-第13部分

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same　account。　But　Cato　thought　fit　to　retain　the　messengers　till　the

three　hundred　should　come　to　some　resolution。

　　As　for　the　senators　that　were　there；　they　showed　great

forwardness；　and　at　once　set　free　their　slaves；　and　furnished　them

with　arms。　But　the　three　hundred　being　men　occupied　in　merchandise　and

money…lending；　much　of　their　substance　also　consisting　in　slaves；

the　enthusiasm　that　Cato's　speech　had　raised　in　them　did　not　long

continue。　As　there　are　substances　that　easily　admit　heat；　and　as

suddenly　lose　it；　when　the　fire　is　removed；　so　these　men　were　heated

and　inflamed　while　Cato　was　present；　but　when　they　began　to　reason

among　themselves；　the　fear　they　had　of　Caesar　soon　overcame　their

reverence　for　Cato　and　for　virtue。　〃For　who　are　we；〃　said　they；　〃and

who　is　it　we　refuse　to　obey？　Is　it　not　that　Caesar　who　is　now　invested

with　all　the　power　of　Rome？　and　which　of　us　is　a　Scipio；　a　Pompey；

or　a　Cato？　But　now　that　all　men　make　their　honour　give　way　to　their

fear；　shall　we　alone　engage　for　the　liberty　of　Rome；　and　in　Utica

declare　war　against　him；　before　whom　Cato　and　Pompey　the　Great　fled

out　of　Italy？　Shall　we　set　free　our　slaves　against　Caesar；　who　have

ourselves　no　more　liberty　than　he　is　pleased　to　allow？　No；　let　us；

poor　creatures；　know　ourselves；　submit　to　the　victor；　and　send

deputies　to　implore　his　mercy。〃　Thus　said　the　most　moderate　of　them；

but　the　greatest　part　were　for　seizing　the　senators；　that　by

securing　them　they　might　appease　Caesar's　anger。　Cato；　though　he

perceived　the　change；　took　no　notice　of　it；　but　wrote　to　Juba　and

Scipio　to　keep　away　from　Utica；　because　he　mistrusted　the　three

hundred。

　　A　considerable　body　of　horse；　which　had　escaped　from　the　late　fight；

riding　up　towards　Utica；　sent　three　men　before　to　Cato；　who　yet　did

not　all　bring　the　same　message；　for　one　party　was　for　going　to　Juba；

another　for　joining　with　Cato；　and　some　again　were　afraid　to　go　into

Utica。　When　Cato　heard　this；　he　ordered　Marcus　Rubrius　to　attend

upon　the　three　hundred；　and　quietly　take　the　names　of　those　who；　of

their　own　accord；　set　their　slaves　at　liberty；　but　by　no　means　to

force　anybody。　Then　taking　with　him　the　senators；　he　went　out　of　the

town；　and　met　the　principal　officers　of　these　horsemen；　whom　he

entreated　not　to　abandon　so　many　Roman　senators；　not　to　prefer　Juba

for　their　commander　before　Cato；　but　consult　the　common　safety；　and　to

come　into　the　city；　which　was　impregnable；　and　well　furnished　with

corn　and　other　provision；　sufficient　for　many　years。　The　senators

likewise　with　tears　besought　them　to　stay。　Hereupon　the　officers

went　to　consult　their　soldiers；　and　Cato　with　the　senators　sat　down

upon　an　embankment；　expecting　their　resolution。　In　the　meantime

comes　Rubrius　in　great　disorder；　crying　out；　the　three　hundred　were

all　in　commotion；　and　exciting　revolt　and　tumult　in　the　city。　At

this　all　the　rest　fell　into　despair；　lamenting　and　bewailing　their

condition。　Cato　endeavoured　to　comfort　them；　and　sent　to　the　three

hundred；　desiring　them　to　have　patience。　Then　the　officers　of　the

horse　returned　with　no　very　reasonable　demands。　They　said；　they　did

not　desire　to　serve　Juba　for　his　pay；　nor　should　they　fear　Caesar；

while　they　followed　Cato；　but　they　dreaded　to　be　shut　up　with　the

Uticans；　men　of　traitorous　temper；　and　Carthaginian　blood；　for

though　they　were　quiet　at　present；　yet　as　soon　as　Caesar　should

appear；　without　doubt　they　would　conspire　together；　and　betray　the

Romans。　Therefore；　if　he　expected　they　should　join　with　him；　he　must

drive　out　of　the　town　or　destroy　all　the　Uticans；　that　he　might

receive　them　into　a　place　clear　both　of　enemies　and　barbarians。　This

Cato　thought　utterly　cruel　and　barbarous；　but　he　mildly　answered；　he

would　consult　the　three　hundred。

　　Then　he　returned　to　the　city；　where　he　found　the　men；　not　framing

excuses；　or　dissembling　out　of　reverence　to　him；　but　openly

declaring　that　no　one　should　compel　them　to　make　war　against　Caesar；

which；　they　said；　they　were　neither　able　nor　willing　to　do。　And　some

there　were　who　muttered　words　about　retaining　the　senators　till

Caesar's　coming；　but　Cato　seemed　not　to　hear　this；　as　indeed　he　had

the　excuse　of　being　a　little　deaf。　At　the　same　time　came　one　to　him

and　told　him　the　horse　were　going　away。　And　now；　fearing　lest　the

three　hundred　should　take　some　desperate　resolution　concerning　the

senators；　he　presently　went　out　with　some　of　his　friends；　and　seeing

they　were　gone　some　way；　he　took　horse；　and　rode　after　them。　They；

when　they　saw　him　coming；　were　very　glad；　and　received　him　very

kindly；　entreating　him　to　save　himself　with　them。　At　this　time；　it

is　said；　Cato　shed　tears；　while　entreating　them　on　behalf　of　the

senators；　and　stretching　out　his　hands　in　supplication。　He　turned　some

of　their　horses'　heads；　and　laid　hold　of　the　men　by　their　armour；　till

in　fine　he　prevailed　with　them　out　of　compassion；　to　stay　only　that

one　day；　to　procure　a　safe　retreat　for　the　senators。　Having　thus

persuaded　them　to　go　along　with　him；　some　he　placed　at　the　gates　of

the　town；　and　to　others　gave　the　charge　of　the　citadel。　The　three

hundred　began　to　fear　they　should　suffer　for　their　inconstancy；　and

sent　to　Cato；　entreating　him　by　all　means　to　come　to　them；　but　the

senators　flocking　about　him；　would　not　suffer　him　to　go；　and　said　they

would　not　trust　their　guardian　and　saviour　to　the　hands　of

perfidious　traitors。

　　For　there　had　never；　perhaps；　been　a　time　when　Cato's　virtue

appeared　more　manifestly；　and　every　class　of　men　in　Utica　could

clearly　see；　with　sorrow　and　admiration；　how　entirely　free　was

everything　that　he　was　doing　from　any　secret　motives　or　any　mixture　of

self…regard；　he；　namely；　who　had　long　before　resolved　on　his　own

death；　was　taking　such　extreme　pains；　toil；　and　care；　only　for　the

sake　of　others；　that　when　he　had　secured　their　lives；　he　might　put

an　end　to　his　own。　For　it　was　easily　perceived　that　he　had

determined　to　die；　though　he　did　not　let　it　appear。

　　Therefore；　having　pacified　the　senators；　he　complied　with　the

request　of　the　three　hundred；　and　went　to　them　alone　without　any

attendance。　They　gave　him　many　thanks；　and　entreated　him　to　employ　and

trust　them　for　the　future；　and　if　they　were　not　Catos；　and　could　not

aspire　to　his　greatness　of　mind；　they　begged　he　would　pity　their

weakness；　and　told　him　they　had　determined　to　send　to　Caesar　and

entreat　him；　chiefly　and　in　the　first　place；　for　Cato；　and　if　they

could　not　prevail　for　him；　they　would　not　accept　of　pardon　for

themselves；　but　as　long　as　they　had　breath；　would　fight　in　his

defence。　Cato　commended　their　good　intentions；　and　advised　them　to

send　speedily；　for　their　own　safety；　but　by　no　means　to　ask　anything

in　his　behalf；　for　those　who　are　conquered；　entreat；　and　those　who

have　done　wrong；　beg　pardon；　for　himself；　he　did　not　confess　to　any

defeat　in　all　his　life；　but　rather；　so　far　as　he　had　thought　fit；　he

had　got　the　victory；　and　had　conquered　Caesar　in　all　points　of　justice

and　honesty。　It　was　Caesar　that　ought　to　be　looked　upon　as　one

surprised　and　vanquished；　for　he　was　now　convicted　and　found　guilty　of

those　designs　against　his　country；　which　he　had　so　long　practised

and　so　constantly　denied。　When　he　had　thus　spoken；　he　went　out　of

the　assembly；　and　being　informed　that　Caesar　was　coming　with　his　whole

army；　〃Ah；〃　said　he；　〃he　expects　to　find　us　brave　men。〃　Then　he　went

to　the　senators；　and　urged　them　to　make　no　delay；　but　hasten　to　be

gone；　while　the　horsemen　were　yet　in　the　city。　So　ordering　all　the

gates　to　be　shut；　except　one　towards　the　sea；　he　assigned　their

several　ships　to　those　that　were　to　depart；　and　gave　money　and

provision　to　those　that　wanted；　all　which　he　did　with　great　order

and　exactness；　taking　care　to　suppress　all　tumults；　and　that　no

wrong　should　be　done　to　the　people。

　　Marcus　Octavius；　coming　with　two　legions；　now　encamped　near　Utica；

sent　to　Cato　to　arrange　about　the　chief　command。　Cato　returned　him

no　answer；　but　said　to　his　friends；　〃Can　we　wonder　all　has　gone　ill

with　us；　when　our　love　of　office　survives　even　in　our　very　ruin？〃　In

the　meantime；　word　was　brought　him；　that　the　horse　were　going　away；

and　were　beginning　to　spoil　and　plunder　the　citizens。　Cato　ran　to

them；　and　from　the　first　he　met；　snatched　what　they　had　taken；　the

rest　threw　down　all　they　had　gotten；　and　went　away　silent　and

ashamed　of　what　they　had　done。　Then　he　called　all　the　people　of　Utica；

and　requested　them；　upon　the　behalf　of　the　three　hundred；　not　to

exasperate　Caesar　against　them；　but　all　to　seek　their　common　safety

together　with　them。　After　that；　he　went　again　to　the　port　to　see　those

who　were　about　to　embark；　and　there　he　embraced　and　dismissed　those　of

his　friends　and　acquaintance　whom　he　had　persuaded　to　go。　As　for　his

son；　he　did　not　counsel　him　to　be　gone；　nor　did　he　think　fit　to

persuade　him　to　forsake　his　father。　But　there　was　one　Statyllius；　a

young　man；　in　the　flower　of　his　age；　of　a　brave　spirit；　and　very

desirous　to　imitate　the　constancy　of　Cato。　Cato　entreated　him　to　go

away；　as　he　was　a　noted　enemy　to　Caesar；　but　without　success。　Then

Cato　looked　at　Apollonides；　the　stoic　philosopher；　and　Demetrius；

the　peripatetic；　〃It　belongs　to　you　to　cool　the　fever　of　this　young

man's　spirit；　and　to　make　him　know　what　is　good　for　him。〃　And　thus；　in

setting　his　friends　upon　their　way；　and　in　despatching　the　business　of

any　that　applied　to　him；　he　spent　that　night　and　the　greatest　part

of　the　next　day。

　　Lucius　Caesar；　a　kinsman　of　Caesar's；　being　appointed　to　go　deputy

for　the　three　hundred；　came　to　Cato；　and　desired　he　would　assist　him

to　prepare　a　persuasive　speech　for　them；　〃And　as　to　you　yourself；〃

said　he；　〃it　will　be　an　honour　for　me　to　kiss　the　hands　and　fall　at

the　knees　of　Caesar；　in　your　behalf。〃　But　Cato　would　by　no　means

permit　him　to　do　any　such　thing；　〃For　as　to　myself；〃　said　he；　〃if　I

would　be　preserved　by　Caesar's　favour；　I　sh