cato the younger-第2部分

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

distempers　were　admirable。　When　he　had　an　ague；　he　would　remain　alone；

and　suffer　nobody　to　see　him；　till　he　began　to　recover；　and　found

the　fit　was　over。　At　supper；　when　he　threw　dice　for　the　choice　of

dishes；　and　lost；　and　the　company　offered　him　nevertheless　his　choice；

he　declined　to　dispute；　as　he　said；　the　decision　of　Venus。　At　first；

he　was　wont　to　drink　only　once　after　supper；　and　then　go　away；　but

in　process　of　time　he　grew　to　drink　more；　insomuch　that　oftentimes

he　would　continue　till　morning。　This　his　friends　explained　by　saying

that　state　affairs　and　public　business　took　him　up　all　day；　and

being　desirous　of　knowledge；　he　liked　to　pass　the　night　at　wine　in　the

conversation　of　philosophers。　Hence；　upon　one　Memmius　saying　in

public；　that　Cato　spent　whole　nights　in　drinking；　〃You　should　add；〃

replied　Cicero；　〃that　he　spends　whole　days　in　gambling。〃　And　in

general　Cato　esteemed　the　customs　and　manners　of　men　at　that　time　so

corrupt；　and　a　reformation　in　them　so　necessary；　that　he　thought　it

requisite；　in　many　things；　to　go　contrary　to　the　ordinary　way　of　the

world。　Seeing　the　lightest　and　gayest　purple　was　then　most　in　fashion；

he　would　always　wear　that　which　was　the　nearest　black；　and　he　would

often　go　out　of　doors；　after　his　morning　meal；　without　either　shoes　or

tunic；　not　that　he　sought　vain…glory　from　such　novelties；　but　he　would

accustom　himself　to　be　ashamed　only　of　what　deserves　shame；　and　to

despise　all　other　sorts　of　disgrace。

　　The　estate　of　one　Cato；　his　cousin；　which　was　worth　one　hundred

talents；　falling　to　him；　he　turned　it　all　into　ready　money；　which　he

kept　by　him　for　any　of　friends　that　should　happen　to　want；　to　whom

he　would　lend　it　without　interest。　And　for　some　of　them；　he　suffered

his　own　land　and　his　slaves　to　be　mortgaged　to　the　public　treasury。

　　When　he　thought　himself　of　an　age　fit　to　marry；　having　never

before　known　any　woman；　he　was　contracted　to　Lepida；　who　had　before

been　contracted　to　Metellus　Scipio；　but　on　Scipio's　own　withdrawal

from　it；　the　contract　had　been　dissolved；　and　she　left　at　liberty。　Yet

Scipio　afterwards　repenting　himself；　did　all　he　could　to　regain　her；

before　the　marriage　with　Cato　was　completed；　and　succeeded　in　so

doing。　At　which　Cato　was　violently　incensed；　and　resolved　at　first

to　go　to　law　about　it；　but　his　friends　persuaded　him　to　the

contrary。　However；　he　was　so　moved　by　the　beat　of　youth　and　passion

that　he　wrote　a　quantity　of　iambic　verses　against　Scipio；　in　the

bitter；　sarcastic　style　of　Archilochus；　without；　however；　his

licence　and　scurrility。　After　this；　he　married　Atilia；　the　daughter　of

Soranus；　the　first　but　not　the　only　woman　he　ever　knew；　less　happy

thus　far　than　Laelius；　the　friend　of　Scipio；　who　in　the　whole　course

of　so　long　a　life　never　knew　but　the　one　woman；　to　whom　he　was

united　in　his　first　and　only　marriage。

　　In　the　war　of　the　slaves；　which　took　its　name　from　Spartacus；

their　ringleader；　Gellius　was　general；　and　Cato　went　a　volunteer；

for　the　sake　of　his　brother　Caepio；　who　was　a　tribune　in　the　army。

Cato　could　find　here　no　opportunity　to　show　his　zeal　or　exercise　his

valour；　on　account　of　the　ill　conduct　of　the　general。　However；

amidst　the　corruption　and　disorders　of　that　army；　he　showed　such　a

love　of　discipline；　so　much　bravery　upon　occasion；　and　so　much　courage

and　wisdom　in　everything；　that　it　appeared　he　was　in　no　way　inferior

to　the　old　Cato。　Gellius　offered　him　great　rewards；　and　would　have

decreed　him　the　first　honours；　which；　however；　he　refused；　saying　he

had　done　nothing　that　deserved　them。　This　made　him　be　thought　a　man　of

strange　and　eccentric　temper。

　　There　was　a　law　passed；　moreover；　that　the　candidates　who　stood

for　any　office　should　not　have　prompters　in　their　canvass；　to　tell

them　the　names　of　the　citizens；　and　Cato；　when　he　sued　to　be　elected

tribune；　was　the　only　man　that　obeyed　this　law。　He　took　great　pains　to

learn　by　his　own　knowledge　to　salute　those　he　had　to　speak　with；　and

to　call　them　by　their　names；　yet　even　those　who　praised　him　for

this；　did　not　do　so　without　some　envy　and　jealousy；　for　the　more

they　considered　the　excellence　of　what　he　did；　the　more　they　were

grieved　at　the　difficulty　they　found　to　do　the　like。

　　Being　chosen　tribune；　he　was　sent　into　Macedon　to　join　Rubrius；

who　was　general　there。　It　is　said　that　his　wife　showing　much

concern；　and　weeping　at　his　departure；　Munatius；　one　of　Cato's

friends；　said　to　her；　〃Do　not　trouble　yourself；　Atilia；　I　will

engage　to　watch　over　him　for　you。〃　〃By　all　means；〃　replied　Cato；　and

when　they　had　gone　one　day's　journey　together；　〃Now；〃　said　he　to

Munatius；　after　they　had　supped；　〃that　you　may　be　sure　to　keep　your

promise　to　Atilia；　you　must　not　leave　me　day　nor　night；〃　and　from　that

time；　he　ordered　two　beds　to　be　made　in　his　own　chamber；　that　Munatius

might　lie　there。　And　so　he　continued　to　do；　Cato　making　it　his　jest　to

see　that　he　was　always　there。　There　went　with　him　fifteen　slaves；

two　freedmen；　and　four　of　his　friends；　these　rode　on　horseback；　but

Cato　always　went　on　foot；　yet　would　he　keep　by　them；　and　talk　with

each　of　them　in　turn　as　they　went。

　　When　he　came　to　the　army；　which　consisted　of　several　legions；　the

general　gave　him　the　command　of　one；　and　as　he　looked　upon　it　as　a

small　matter；　and　not　worthy　a　commander；　to　give　evidence　of　his

own　signal　valour；　he　resolved　to　make　his　soldiers；　as　far　as　he

could；　like　himself；　not；　however；　in　this　relaxing　the　terrors　of　his

office；　but　associating　reason　with　his　authority。　He　persuaded　and

instructed　every　one　in　particular；　and　bestowed　rewards　or

punishments　according　to　desert；　and　at　length　his　men　were　so　well

disciplined；　that　it　was　hard　to　say　whether　they　were　more

peaceable　or　more　warlike；　more　valiant　or　more　just；　they　were

alike　formidable　to　their　enemies　their　enemies　and　courteous　to　their

allies；　fearful　to　do　wrong；　and　forward　to　gain　honour。　And　Cato

himself　acquired　in　the　fullest　measure；　what　it　had　been　his　least

desire　to　seek；　glory　and　good　repute；　he　was　highly　esteemed　by　all

men；　and　entirely　beloved　by　the　soldiers。　Whatever　he　commanded　to　be

done；　he　himself　took　part　in　the　performing；　in　his　apparel；　his

diet；　and　mode　of　travelling；　he　was　more　like　a　common　soldier　than

an　officer；　but　in　character；　high　purpose；　and　wisdom；　he　far

exceeded　all　that　had　the　names　and　titles　of　commanders；　and　he

made　himself；　without　knowing　it；　the　object　of　general　affection。　For

the　true　love　of　virtue　is　in　all　men　produced　by　the　love　and　respect

they　bear　to　him　that　teaches　it；　and　those　who　praise　good　men；　yet

do　not　love　them；　may　respect　their　reputation；　but　do　not　really

admire；　and　will　never　imitate　their　virtue。

　　There　dwelt　at　that　time　in　Pergamus；　Athenodorus；　surnamed

Cordylio；　a　man　of　high　repute　for　his　knowledge　of　the　Stoic

philosophy；　who　was　now　grown　old；　and　had　always　steadily　refused　the

friendship　and　acquaintance　of　princes　and　great　men。　Cato

understood　this；　so　that　imagining　he　should　not　be　able　to　prevail

with　him　by　sending　or　writing；　and　being　by　the　laws　allowed　two

months'　absence　from　the　army；　he　resolved　to　go　into　Asia　to　see

him　in　person；　trusting　to　his　own　good　qualities　not　to　lose　his

labour。　And　when　he　had　conversed　with　him；　and　succeeded　in

persuading　him　out　of　his　former　resolutions；　he　returned　and

brought　him　to　the　camp　as　joyful　and　as　proud　of　this　victory　as　if

he　had　done　some　heroic　exploit；　greater　than　any　of　those　of　Pompey

or　Lucullus；　who　with　their　armies　at　that　time　were　subduing　so

many　nations　and　kingdoms。

　　While　Cato　was　yet　in　the　service；　his　brother；　on　a　journey　towards

Asia；　fell　sick　at　Aenus　in　Thrace；　letters　with　intelligence　of　which

were　immediately　despatched　to　him。　The　sea　was　very　rough；　and　no

convenient　ship　of　any　size　to　be　had；　so　Cato　getting　into　a　small

trading…vessel；　with　only　two　of　his　friends；　and　three　servants；

set　sail　from　Thessalonica；　and　having　very　narrowly　escaped　drowning；

he　arrived　at　Aenus　just　as　Caepio　expired。　Upon　this　occasion；　he　was

thought　to　have　showed　himself　more　a　fond　brother　than　a　philosopher；

not　only　in　the　excess　of　his　grief；　bewailing　and　embracing　the

dead　body；　but　also　in　the　extravagant　expenses　of　the　funeral；　the

vast　quantity　of　rich　perfumes　and　costly　garments　which　were　burnt

with　the　corpse；　and　the　monument　of　Thasian　marble；　which　he　erected；

at　the　cost　of　eight　talents；　in　the　public　place　of　the　town　of

Aenus。　For　there　were　some　who　took　upon　them　to　cavil　at　all　this；　as

not　consistent　with　his　usual　calmness　and　moderation；　not

discerning　that　though　he　were　steadfast；　firm；　and　inflexible　to

pleasure；　fear　or　foolish　entreaties；　yet　he　was　full　of　natural

tenderness　and　brotherly　affection。　Divers　of　the　cities　and　princes

of　the　country　sent　him　many　presents；　to　honour　the　funeral　of　his

brother；　but　he　took　none　of　their　money；　only　the　perfumes　and

ornaments　he　received；　and　paid　for　them　also。　And　afterwards；　when

the　inheritance　was　divided　between　him　and　Caepio's　daughter；　he

did　not　require　any　portion　of　the　funeral　expenses　to　be　discharged

out　of　it。　Notwithstanding　this；　it　has　been　affirmed　that　he　made　his

brother's　ashes　be　passed　through　a　sieve；　to　find　the　gold　that　was

melted　down　when　burnt　with　the　body。　But　he　who　made　this　statement

appears　to　have　anticipated　an　exemption　for　his　pen；　as　much　as　for

his　sword；　from　all　question　and　criticism。

　　The　time　of　Cato's　service　in　the　army　being　expired；　he　received；

at　his　departure；　not　only　the　prayers　and　praises；　but　the　tears

and　embraces　of　the　soldiers；　who　spread　their　clothes　at　his　feet　and

kissed　his　hand　as　he　passed；　an　honour　which　the　Romans　at　that

time　scarcely　paid　even　to　a　very　few　of　their　generals　and

commanders…in…chief。　Having　left　the　arm