cato the younger-第14部分

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

would　be　preserved　by　Caesar's　favour；　I　should　myself　go　to　him；

but　I　would　not　be　beholden　to　a　tyrant　for　his　acts　of　tyranny。　For

it　is　but　usurpation　in　him　to　save；　as　their　rightful　lord；　the　lives

of　men　over　whom　he　has　no　title　to　reign。　But　if　you　please；　let　us

consider　what　you　had　best　say　for　the　three　hundred。〃　And　when　they

had　continued　some　time　together；　as　Lucius　was　going　away；　Cato

recommended　to　him　his　son　and　the　rest　of　his　friends；　and　taking　him

by　the　hand　bade　him　farewell。

　　Then　he　retired　to　his　house　again；　and　called　together　his　son

and　his　friends；　to　whom　he　conversed　on　various　subjects；　among　the

rest　he　forbade　his　son　to　engage　himself　in　the　affairs　of　state。　For

to　act　therein　as　became　him　was　now　impossible；　and　to　do

otherwise；　would　be　dishonourable。　Toward　evening　he　went　into　his

bath。　As　he　was　bathing；　he　remembered　Statyllius　and　called　out　loud；

〃Apollonides；　have　you　tamed　the　high　spirit　of　Statyllius；　and　is

he　gone　without　bidding　us　farewell？〃　〃No；〃　said　Apollonides；　〃I

have　said　much　to　him；　but　to　little　purpose；　he　is　still　resolute　and

unalterable；　and　declares　he　is　determined　to　follow　your　example。〃　At

this；　it　is　said；　Cato　smiled；　and　answered；　〃That　will　soon　be

tried。〃

　　After　he　had　bathed；　he　went　to　supper；　with　a　great　deal　of

company；　at　which　he　sat　up；　as　he　had　always　used　to　do　ever　since

the　battle　of　Pharsalia；　for　since　that　time　he　never　lay　down　but

when　he　went　to　sleep。　There　supped　with　him　all　his　own　friends　and

the　magistrates　of　Utica。

　　After　supper；　the　wine　produced　a　great　deal　of　lively　and　agreeable

discourse；　and　a　whole　series　of　philosophical　questions　was

discussed。　At　length　they　came　to　the　strange　dogmas　of　the　stoics；

called　their　Paradoxes；　and　to　this　in　particular。　That　the　good　man

only　is　free；　and　that　all　wicked　men　are　slaves。　The　peripatetic；

as　was　to　be　expected；　opposing　this；　Cato　fell　upon　him　very

warmly；　and　somewhat　raising　his　voice；　he　argued　the　matter　at

great　length；　and　urged　the　point　with　such　vehemence；　that　it　was

apparent　to　everybody　he　was　resolved　to　put　an　end　to　his　life；　and

set　himself　at　liberty。　And　so；　when　he　had　done　speaking；　there　was　a

great　silence　and　evident　dejection。　Cato；　therefore；　to　divert　them

from　any　suspicion　of　his　design；　turned　the　conversation；　and　began

again　to　talk　of　matters　of　present　interest　and　expectation；

showing　great　concern　for　those　that　were　at　sea；　as　also　for　the

others；　who；　travelling　by　land；　were　to　pass　through　a　dry　and

barbarous　desert。

　　When　the　company　was　broke　up；　he　walked　with　his　friends；　as　he

used　to　do　after　supper；　gave　the　necessary　orders　to　the　officers

of　the　watch；　and　going　into　his　chamber；　he　embraced　his　son　and

every　one　of　his　friends　with　more　than　usual　warmth；　which　again

renewed　their　suspicion　of　his　design。　Then　laying　himself　down；　he

took　into　his　hand　Plato's　dialogue　concerning　the　soul。　Having　read

more　than　half　the　book；　he　looked　up；　and　missing　his　sword；　which

his　son　had　taken　away　while　he　was　at　supper；　he　called　his

servant；　and　asked　who　had　taken　away　his　sword。　The　servant　making　no

answer；　he　fell　to　reading　again；　and　a　little　after；　not　seeming

importunate；　or　hasty　for　it；　but　as　if　he　would　only　know　what　had

become　of　it；　he　bade　it　be　brought。　But　having　waited　some　time；　when

he　had　read　through　the　book；　and　still　nobody　brought　the　sword；　he

called　up　all　his　servants；　and　in　a　louder　tone　demanded　his　sword。

To　one　of　them　he　gave　such　a　blow　in　the　mouth；　that　he　hurt　his

own　hand；　and　now　grew　more　angry；　exclaiming　that　he　was　betrayed　and

delivered　naked　to　the　enemy　by　his　son　and　his　servants。　Then　his

son；　with　the　rest　of　his　friends；　came　running　into　the　room；　and

falling　at　his　feet；　began　to　lament　and　beseech　him。　But　Cato　raising

himself；　and　looking　fiercely；　〃When；〃　said　he；　〃and　how　did　I

become　deranged；　and　out　of　my　senses；　that　thus　no　one　tries　to

persuade　me　by　reason；　or　show　me　what　is　better；　if　I　am　supposed

to　be　ill…advised？　Must　I　be　disarmed；　and　hindered　from　using　my

own　reason？　And　you；　young　man；　why　do　you　not　bind　your　father's

hands　behind　him　that；　when　Caesar　comes；　he　may　find　me　unable　to

defend　myself？　To　despatch　myself　I　want　no　sword；　I　need　but　hold

my　breath　awhile；　or　strike　my　head　against　the　wall。〃

　　When　he　had　thus　spoken；　his　son　went　weeping　out　of　the　chamber；

and　with　him　all　the　rest；　except　Demetrius　and　Apollonides；　to

whom；　being　left　alone　with　him；　he　began　to　speak　more　calmly。　〃And

you；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　also　think　to　keep　a　man　of　my　age　alive　by

force；　and　to　sit　here　and　silently　watch　me？　Or　do　you　bring　me

some　reasons　to　prove；　that　it　will　not　be　base　and　unworthy　for　Cato；

when　he　can　find　his　safety　no　other　way；　to　seek　it　from　his　enemy？

If　so；　adduce　your　arguments；　and　show　cause　why　we　should　now　unlearn

what　we　formerly　were　taught；　in　order　that　rejecting　all　the

convictions　in　which　we　lived；　we　may　now　by　Caesar's　help　grow　wiser；

and　be　yet　more　obliged　to　him　for　life　only。　Not　that　I　have

determined　aught　concerning　myself；　but　I　would　have　it　in　my　power　to

perform　what　I　shall　think　fit　to　resolve；　and　I　shall　not　fail　to

take　you　as　my　advisers；　in　holding　counsel；　as　I　shall　do；　with　the

doctrines　which　your　philosophy　teaches　in　the　meantime；　do　not

trouble　yourselves；　but　go　tell　my　son　that　he　should　not　compel　his

father　to　what　he　cannot　persuade　him　to。〃　They　made　him　no　answer；

but　went　weeping　out　of　the　chamber。　Then　the　sword　being　brought　in

by　a　little　boy；　Cato　took　it；　drew　it　out；　and　looked　at　it；　and　when

he　saw　the　point　was　good；　〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　master　of　myself；〃

and　laying　down　the　sword；　he　took　his　book　again；　which；　it　is

related；　he　read　twice　over。　After　this　he　slept　so　soundly　that　he

was　heard　to　snore　by　those　that　were　without。

　　About　midnight；　he　called　up　two　of　his　freedmen；　Cleanthes；　his

physician；　and　Butas；　whom　he　chiefly　employed　in　public　business。　Him

he　sent　to　the　port；　to　see　if　all　his　friends　had　sailed；　to　the

physician　he　gave　his　hand　to　be　dressed；　as　it　was　swollen　with　the

blow　he　had　struck　one　of　his　servants。　At　this　they　all　rejoiced；

hoping　that　now　he　designed　to　live。

　　Butas；　after　a　while；　returned；　and　brought　word　they　were　all

gone　except　Crassus；　who　had　stayed　about　some　business；　but　was

just　ready　to　depart；　he　said；　also；　that　the　wind　was　high；　and　the

sea　very　rough。　Cato；　on　hearing　this；　sighed；　out　of　compassion　to

those　who　were　at　sea；　and　sent　Butas　again　to　see　if　any　of　them

should　happen　to　return　for　anything　they　wanted；　and　to　acquaint

him　therewith。

　　Now　the　birds　began　to　sing；　and　he　again　fell　into　a　little

slumber。　At　length　Butas　came　back；　and　told　him　all　was　quiet　in

the　port。　Then　Cato；　laying　himself　down；　as　if　he　would　sleep　out　the

rest　of　the　night；　bade　him　shut　the　door　after　him。　But　as　soon　as

Butas　was　gone　out；　he　took　his　sword；　and　stabbed　it　into　his　breast；

yet　not　being　able　to　use　his　band　so　well；　on　account　of　the

swelling；　he　did　not　immediately　die　of　the　wound；　but　struggling；

fell　off　the　bed；　and　throwing　down　a　little　mathematical　table　that

stood　by；　made　such　a　noise　that　the　servants；　hearing　it；　cried

out。　And　immediately　his　son　and　all　his　friends　came　into　the

chamber；　where；　seeing　him　lie　weltering　in　his　blood；　great　part　of

his　bowels　out　of　his　body；　but　himself　still　alive　and　able　to　look

at　them；　they　all　stood　in　horror。　The　physician　went　to　him；　and

would　have　put　in　his　bowels；　which　were　not　pierced；　and　sewed　up　the

wound；　but　Cato；　recovering　himself；　and　understanding　the

intention；　thrust　away　the　physician；　plucked　out　his　own　bowels；

and　tearing　open　the　wound；　immediately　expired。

　　In　less　time　than　one　would　think　his　own　family　could　have　known

this　accident；　all　the　three　hundred　were　at　the　door。　And　a　little

after；　the　people　of　Utica　flocked　thither；　crying　out　with　one　voice；

he　was　their　benefactor　and　their　saviour；　the　only　free　and　only

undefeated　man。　At　the　very　same　time；　they　had　news　that　Caesar　was

coming；　yet　neither　fear　of　the　present　danger；　nor　desire　to

flatter　the　conqueror；　nor　the　commotions　and　discord　among

themselves；　could　divert　them　from　doing　honour　to　Cato。　For　they

sumptuously　set　out　his　body；　made　him　a　magnificent　funeral；　and

buried　him　by　the　seaside；　where　now　stands　his　statue；　holding　a

sword。　And　only　when　this　had　been　done；　they　returned　to　consider

of　preserving　themselves　and　their　city。

　　Caesar　had　been　informed　that　Cato　stayed　at　Utica；　and　did　not　seek

to　fly；　that　he　had　sent　away　the　rest　of　the　Romans；　but　himself；

with　his　son　and　a　few　of　his　friends；　continued　there　very

unconcernedly；　so　that　he　could　not　imagine　what　might　be　his

design。　But　having　a　great　consideration　for　the　man；　he　hastened

thither　with　his　army。　When　he　heard　of　his　death；　it　is　related　he

said　these　words；　〃Cato；　I　grudge　you　your　death；　as　you　have

grudged　me　the　preservation　of　your　life。〃　And；　indeed；　if　Cato

would　have　suffered　himself　to　owe　his　life　to　Caesar；　he　would　not　so

much　have　impaired　his　own　honour；　as　augmented　the　other's　glory。

What　would　have　been　done；　of　course；　we　cannot　know；　but　from

Caesar's　usual　clemency；　we　may　guess　what　was　most　likely。

　　Cato　was　forty…eight　years　old　when　he　died。　His　son　suffered　no

injury　from　Caesar；　but；　it　is　said；　he　grew　idle；　and　was　thought

to　be　dissipated　among　women。　In　Cappadocia；　he　stayed　at　the　house　of

Marphadates；　one　of　the　royal　family　there；　who　had　a　very　handsome

wife；　and　continuing　his　visit　longer　than　was　suitable；　he　made

himself　the　subject　of　various　epigrams；　such　as；　for　example…



　　　　　　　　〃To…morrow　（being　the　thirtieth　day）