cato the younger-第3部分

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

commanders…in…chief。　Having　left　the　army；　he　resolved；　before　he

would　return　home　and　apply　himself　to　state　affairs；　to　travel　in

Asia；　and　observe　the　manners；　the　customs；　and　the　strength　of

every　province。　He　was　also　unwilling　to　refuse　the　kindness　of

Deiotarus；　King　of　Galatia；　who　having　had　great　familiarity　and

friendship　with　his　father；　was　very　desirous　to　receive　a　visit

from　him。　Cato's　arrangements　in　his　journey　were　as　follows。　Early　in

the　morning　he　sent　out　his　baker　and　his　cook　towards　the　place　where

he　designed　to　stay　the　next　night；　these　went　soberly　and　quietly

into　the　town；　in　which；　if　there　happened　to　be　no　friend　or

acquaintance　of　Cato　or　his　family；　they　provided　for　him　in　an　inn；

and　gave　no　disturbance　to　anybody；　but　if　there　were　no　inn；　then　and

in　this　case　only；　they　went　to　the　magistrates；　and　desiring　them

to　help　them　to　lodgings；　took　without　complaint　whatever　was　allotted

to　them。　His　servants　thus　behaving　themselves　towards　the

magistrates；　without　noise　and　threatening；　were　often　discredited；　or

neglected　by　them；　so　that　Cato　many　times　arrived　and　found　nothing

provided　for　him。　And　it　was　all　the　worse　when　he　appeared　himself；

still　less　account　was　taken　of　him。　When　they　saw　him　sitting；

without　saying　anything；　on　his　baggage；　they　set　him　down　at　once

as　a　person　of　no　consequence；　who　did　not　venture　to　make　any　demand。

Sometimes；　on　such　occasions；　he　would　call　them　to　him　and　tell　them；

〃Foolish　people；　lay　aside　this　inhospitality。　All　your　visitors

will　not　be　Catos。　Use　your　courtesy；　to　take　off　the　sharp　edge　of

power。　There　are　men　enough　who　desire　but　a　pretence；　to　take　from

you　by　force；　what　you　give　with　such　reluctance。〃

　　While　he　travelled　in　this　manner；　a　diverting　accident　befell　him

in　Syria。　As　he　was　going　into　Antioch；　he　saw　a　great　multitude　of

people　outside　the　gates；　ranged　in　order　on　either　side　the　way；　here

the　young　men　with　long　cloaks；　there　the　children　decently　dressed；

others　wore　garlands　and　white　garments　who　were　the　priests　and

magistrates。　Cato　imagining　all　this　could　mean　nothing　but　a

display　in　honour　of　his　reception；　began　to　be　angry　with　his

servants；　who　had　been　sent　before；　for　suffering　it　to　be　done；

then　making　his　friends　alight；　he　walked　along　with　them　on　foot。

As　soon　as　he　came　near　the　gate；　an　elderly　man；　who　seemed　to　be

master　of　these　ceremonies；　with　a　wand　and　a　garland　in　his　hand；

came　up　to　Cato；　and　without　saluting　him；　asked　him　where　he　had　left

Demetrius；　and　how　soon　he　thought　he　would　he　there。　This　Demetrius

was　Pompey's　servant；　and　as　at　this　time　the　whole　world；　so　to

say；　had　its　eyes　fixed　upon　Pompey；　this　man　also　was　highly

honoured；　on　account　of　his　influence　with　his　master。　Upon　this

Cato's　friends　fell　into　such　violent　laughter；　that　they　could　not

restrain　themselves　while　they　passed　through　the　crowd；　and　he

himself；　ashamed　and　distressed；　uttered　the　words；　〃Unfortunate

city！〃　and　said　no　more。　Afterwards　however；　it　always　made　him　laugh；

when　he　either　told　the　story　or　was　otherwise　reminded　of　it。

　　Pompey　himself　shortly　after　made　the　people　ashamed　of　their

ignorance　and　folly　in　thus　neglecting　him；　for　Cato；　coming　in　his

journey　to　Ephesus；　went　to　pay　his　respects　to　him；　who　was　the　elder

man；　had　gained　much　honour；　and　was　then　general　of　a　great　army。　Yet

Pompey　would　not　receive　him　sitting；　but　as　soon　as　he　saw　him；

rose　up；　and　going　to　meet　him；　as　the　more　honourable　person；　gave

him　his　hand；　and　embraced　him　with　great　show　of　kindness。　He　said

much　in　commendation　of　his　virtue　both　at　that　time　when　receiving

him；　and　also　yet　more　after　he　had　withdrawn。　So　that　now　all　men

began　at　once　to　display　their　respect　for　Cato；　and　discovered　in　him

the　very　same　things　for　which　they　despised　him　before；　an

admirable　mildness　of　temper　and　greatness　of　spirit。　And　indeed　the

civility　that　Pompey　himself　showed　him　appeared　to　come　from　one　that

rather　respected　than　loved　him；　and　the　general　opinion　was；　that

while　Cato　was　there　he　paid　him　admiration；　but　was　not　sorry　when　he

was　gone。　For　when　other　young　men　came　to　see　him　he　usually　urged

and　entreated　them　to　continue　with　him。　Now　he　did　not　at　all

invite　Cato　to　stay；　but　as　if　his　own　power　were　lessened　by　the

other's　presence；　he　very　willingly　allowed　him　to　take　his　leave。　Yet

to　Cato　alone；　of　all　those　who　went　for　Rome；　he　recommended　his

children　and　his　wife；　who　was　indeed　connected　by　relationship　with

Cato。

　　After　this；　all　the　cities　through　which　he　passed　strove　and

emulated　each　other　in　showing　him　respect　and　honour。　Feasts　and

entertainments　were　made　for　his　reception；　so　that　he　bade　his

friends　keep　strict　watch　and　take　care　of　him；　lest　he　should　end

by　making　good　what　was　said　by　Curio；　who　though　he　were　his　familiar

friend；　yet　disliking　the　austerity　of　his　temper；　asked　him　one　day

if；　when　he　left　the　army；　he　designed　to　see　Asia；　and　Cato

answering；　〃Yes；　by　all　means。〃　〃You　do　well；〃　replied　Curio；　〃you

will　bring　back　with　you　a　better　temper　and　pleasanter　manners；〃

pretty　nearly　the　very　words　he　used。

　　Deiotarus；　being　now　an　old　man；　had　sent　for　Cato；　to　recommend　his

children　and　family　to　his　protection；　and　as　soon　as　he　came；　brought

him　presents　of　all　sorts　of　things；　which　he　begged　and　entreated　him

to　accept。　And　his　importunities　displeased　Cato　so　much；　that

though　he　came　but　in　the　evening；　he　stayed　only　that　night；　and　went

away　early　the　next　morning。　After　he　was　gone　one　day's　journey；　he

found　at　Pessinus　a　yet　greater　quantity　of　presents　provided　for

him　there；　and　also　letters　from　Deiotarus　entreating　him　to　receive

them；　or　at　least　to　permit　his　friends　to　take　them；　who　for　his　sake

deserved　some　gratification；　and　could　not　have　much　done　for　them　out

of　Cato's　own　means。　Yet　he　would　not　suffer　it；　though　he　saw　some　of

them　very　willing　to　receive　such　gifts；　and　ready　to　complain　of

his　severity；　but　he　answered；　that　corruption　would　never　want

pretence；　and　his　friends　should　share　with　him　in　whatever　he

should　justly　and　honestly　obtain；　and　so　returned　the　presents　to

Deiotarus。

　　When　he　took　ship　for　Brundusium；　his　friends　would　have　persuaded

him　to　put　his　brother's　ashes　into　another　vessel；　but　he　said　he

would　sooner　part　with　his　life　than　leave　them；　and　so　set　sail。

And　as　it　chanced；　he；　we　are　told；　had　a　very　dangerous　passage；

though　others　at　the　same　time　went　over　safely　enough。

　　After　he　was　returned　to　Rome；　he　spent　his　time　for　the　most　part

either　at　home；　in　conversation　with　Athenodorus；　or　at　the　forum；

in　the　service　of　his　friends。　Though　it　was　now　the　time　that　he

should　become　quaestor；　he　would　not　stand　for　the　place　till　he　had

studied　the　laws　relating　to　it；　and　by　inquiry　from　persons　of

experience；　had　attained　a　distinct　understanding　of　the　duty　and

authority　belonging　to　it。　With　this　knowledge；　as　soon　as　he　came

into　the　office；　he　made　a　great　reformation　among　the　clerks　and

under…officers　of　the　treasury；　people　who　had　long　practice　and

familiarity　in　all　the　public　records　and　the　laws；　and；　when　new

magistrates　came　in　year　by　year　so　ignorant　and　unskillful　as　to　be

in　absolute　need　of　others　to　teach　them　what　to　do；　did　not　submit

and　give　way；　but　kept　the　power　in　their　own　hands；　and　were　in

effect　the　treasurers　themselves。　Till　Cato；　applying　himself

roundly　to　the　work；　showed　that　he　possessed　not　only　the　title　and

honour　of　a　quaestor；　but　the　knowledge　and　understanding　and　full

authority　of　his　office。　So　that　he　used　the　clerks　and　under…officers

like　servants　as　they　were；　exposing　their　corrupt　practices；　and

instructing　their　ignorance。　Being　bold；　impudent　fellows；　they

flattered　the　other　quaestors　his　colleagues；　and　by　their　means

endeavoured　to　maintain　an　opposition　against　him。　But　he　convicted

the　chiefest　of　them　of　a　breach　of　trust　in　the　charge　of　an

inheritance；　and　turned　him　out　of　his　place。　A　second　he　brought　to

trial　for　dishonesty；　who　was　defended　by　Lutatius　Catulus；　at　that

time　censor；　a　man　very　considerable　for　his　office；　but　yet　more

for　his　character；　as　he　was　eminent　above　all　the　Romans　of　that

age　for　his　reputed　wisdom　integrity。　He　was　also　intimate　with

Cato；　and　much　commended　his　way　of　living。　So　perceiving　he　could　not

bring　off　his　client；　if　he　stood　a　fair　trial；　he　openly　began　to　beg

him　off。　Cato　objected　to　his　doing　this。　And　when　he　continued

still　to　be　importunate；　〃It　would　be　shameful；　Catulus；〃　he　said；

〃that　the　censor；　the　judge　of　all　our　lives；　should　incur　the

dishonour　of　removal　by　our　officers。〃　At　this　expression；　Catulus

looked　as　if　he　would　have　made　some　answer；　but　he　said　nothing　and

either　through　anger　or　shame　went　away　silent；　and　out　of

countenance。　Nevertheless；　the　man　was　not　found　guilty；　for　the

voices　that　acquitted　him　were　but　one　in　number　less　than　those

that　condemned　him；　and　Marcus　Lollius；　one　of　Cato's　colleagues；

who　was　absent　by　reason　of　sickness；　was　sent　for　by　Catulus；　and

entreated　to　come　and　save　the　man。　So　Lollius　was　brought　into

court　in　a　chair；　and　gave　his　voice　also　for　acquitting　him。　Yet　Cato

never　after　made　use　of　that　clerk；　and　never　paid　him　his　salary；　nor

would　he　make　any　account　of　the　vote　given　by　Lollius。　Having　thus

humbled　the　clerks；　and　brought　them　to　be　at　command；　he　made　use

of　the　books　and　registers　as　he　thought　fit；　and　in　a　little　while

gained　the　treasury　a　higher　name　than　the　senate…house　itself；　and

all　men　said；　Cato　had　made　the　office　of　a　quaestor　equal　to　the

dignity　of　a　consul。　When　he　found　many　indebted　to　the　state　upon　old

accounts；　and　the　state　also　in　debt　to　many　private　persons；　he

took　care　th