cato the younger-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



and　open　methods　of　proceeding。　And　he　so　admired　Cato's　great　spirit；

and　so　entirely　trusted　to　his　integrity；　that　meeting　him　in　the

forum；　or　going　to　his　house；　he　would　ask　him　if　he　designed　to　do

anything　that　day　in　order　to　the　accusation；　and　if　Cato　said　no；

he　went　away；　relying　on　his　word。　When　the　cause　was　pleaded

Cicero；　who　was　then　consul　and　defended　Murena；　took　occasion　to　be

extremely　witty　and　jocose；　in　reference　to　Cato；　upon　the　Stoic

philosophers；　and　their　paradoxes；　as　they　call　them；　and　so　excited

great　laughter　among　the　judges；　upon　which　Cato；　smiling；　said　to　the

standers…by；　〃What　a　pleasant　consul　we　have；　my　friends。〃　Murena

was　acquitted；　and　afterwards　showed　himself　a　man　of　no　ill…feeling

or　want　of　sense；　for　when　he　was　consul；　he　always　took　Cato's　advice

in　the　most　weighty　affairs　and；　during　all　the　time　of　his　office；

paid　him　much　honour　and　respect。　Of　which　not　only　Murena's　prudence；

but　also　Cato's　own　behaviour；　was　the　cause；　for　though　he　were

terrible　and　severe　as　to　matters　of　justice；　in　the　senate；　and　at

the　bar；　yet　after　the　thing　was　over　his　manner　to　all　men　was

perfectly　friendly　and　humane。

　　Before　he　entered　on　the　office　of　tribune；　he　assisted　Cicero；　at

that　time　consul；　in　many　contests　that　concerned　his　office；　but　most

especially　in　his　great　and　noble　acts　at　the　time　of　Catiline's

conspiracy；　which　owed　their　last　successful　issue　to　Cato。　Catiline

had　plotted　a　dreadful　and　entire　subversion　of　the　Roman　state　by

sedition　and　open　war；　but　being　convicted　by　Cicero；　was　forced　to

fly　the　city。　Yet　Lentulus　and　Cethegus　remained；　with　several　others；

to　carry　on　the　same　plot；　and　blaming　Catiline；　as　one　that　wanted

courage；　and　had　been　timid　and　petty　in　his　designs；　they

themselves　resolved　to　set　the　whole　town　on　fire；　and　utterly　to

overthrow　the　empire；　rousing　whole　nations　to　revolt　and　exciting

foreign　wars。　But　the　design　was　discovered　by　Cicero　（as　we　have

written　in　his　life）；　and　the　matter　brought　before　the　senate。

Silanus；　who　spoke　first；　delivered　his　opinion；　that　the　conspirators

ought　to　suffer　the　last　of　punishments；　and　was　therein　followed　by

all　who　spoke　after　him；　till　it　came　to　Caesar；　who　being　an

excellent　speaker；　and　looking　upon　all　changes　and　commotions　in

the　state　as　materials　useful　for　his　own　purposes；　desired　rather

to　increase　than　extinguish　them；　and　standing　up；　he　made　a　very

merciful　and　persuasive　speech；　that　they　ought　not　to　suffer　death

without　fair　trial　according　to　law；　and　moved　that　they　might　be　kept

in　prison。　Thus　was　the　house　almost　wholly　turned　by　Caesar；

apprehending　also　the　anger　of　the　people；　insomuch　that　even

Silanus　retracted；　and　said　he　did　not　mean　to　propose　death；　but

imprisonment；　for　that　was　the　utmost　a　Roman　could　suffer。

　　Upon　this　they　were　all　inclined　to　the　milder　and　more　merciful

opinion；　when　Cato；　standing　up；　began　at　once　with　great　passion

and　vehemence　to　reproach　Silanus　for　his　change　of　opinion；　and　to

attack　Caesar；　who　would；　he　said；　ruin　the　commonwealth　by　soft　words

and　popular　speeches；　and　was　endeavouring　to　frighten　the　senate；

when　he　himself　ought　to　fear；　and　be　thankful；　if　he　escaped

unpunished　or　unsuspected；　who　thus　openly　and　boldly　dared　to　protect

the　enemies　of　the　state；　and　while　finding　no　compassion　for　his

own　native　country；　brought；　with　all　its　glories；　so　near　to　utter

ruin；　could　yet　be　full　of　pity　for　those　men　who　had　better　never

have　been　born；　and　whose　death　must　deliver　the　commonwealth　from

bloodshed　and　destruction。　This　only　of　all　Cato's　speeches；　it　is

said；　was　preserved；　for　Cicero；　the　consul；　had　disposed　in　various

parts　of　the　senate…house；　several　of　the　most　expert　and　rapid

writers；　whom　he　had　taught　to　make　figures　comprising　numerous

words　in　a　few　short　strokes；　as　up　to　that　time　they　had　not　used

those　we　call　shorthand　writers；　who　then；　as　it　is　said；

established　the　first　example　of　the　art。　Thus　Cato　carried　it；　and　so

turned　the　house　again；　that　it　was　decreed　the　conspirators　should　be

put　to　death。

　　Not　to　omit　any　small　matters　that　may　serve　to　show　Cato's

temper；　and　add　something　to　the　portraiture　of　his　mind；　it　is

reported；　that　while　Caesar　and　he　were　in　the　very　heat；　and　the

whole　senate　regarding　them　two；　a　little　note　was　brought　in　to

Caesar　which　Cato　declared　to　be　suspicious；　and　urging　that　some

seditious　act　was　going　on；　bade　the　letter　be　read。　Upon　which　Caesar

handed　the　paper　to　Cato；　who；　discovering　it　to　be　a　love…letter　from

his　sister　Servilia　to　Caesar；　by　whom　she　had　been　corrupted；　threw

it　to　him　again；　saying；　〃Take　it；　drunkard；〃　and　so　went　on　with

his　discourse。　And；　indeed；　it　seems　Cato　had　but　ill…fortune　in

women；　for　this　lady　was　ill…spoken　of　for　her　familiarity　with

Caesar；　and　the　other　Servilia；　Cato's　sister　also；　was　yet　more

ill…conducted；　for　being　married　to　Lucullus；　one　of　the　greatest

men　in　Rome；　and　having　brought　him　a　son；　she　was　afterwards　divorced

for　incontinency。　But　what　was　worst　of　all；　Cato's　own　wife　Atilia

was　not　free　from　the　same　fault；　and　after　she　had　borne　him　two

children；　he　was　forced　to　put　her　away　for　her　misconduct。　After

that；　he　married　Marcia；　the　daughter　of　Philippus；　a　woman　of　good

reputation；　who　yet　has　occasioned　much　discourse；　and　the　life　of

Cato；　like　a　dramatic　piece；　has　this　one　scene　or　passage　full　of

perplexity　and　doubtful　meaning。

　　It　is　thus　related　by　Thrasea；　who　refers　to　the　authority　of

Munatius；　Cato's　friend　and　constant　companion。　Among　many　that

loved　and　admired　Cato；　some　were　more　remarkable　and　conspicuous　than

others。　Of　these　was　Quintus　Hortensius；　a　man　of　high　repute　and

approved　virtue；　who　desired　not　only　to　live　in　friendship　and

familiarity　with　Cato；　but　also　to　unite　his　whole　house　and　family

with　him　by　some　sort　or　other　of　alliance　in　marriage。　Therefore　he

set　himself　to　persuade　Cato　that　his　daughter　Porcia；　who　was　already

married　to；　Bibulus；　and　had　borne　him　two　children；　might

nevertheless　be　given　to　him；　as　a　fair　plot　of　land；　to　bear　fruit

also　for　him。　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃though　this　in　the　opinion　of　men　may

seem　strange；　yet　in　nature　it　is　honest；　and　profitable　for　the

public　that　a　woman　in　the　prime　of　her　youth　should　not　lie

useless；　and　lose　the　fruit　of　her　womb；　nor；　on　the　other　side；

should　burden　and　impoverish　one　man；　by　bringing　him　too　many

children。　Also　by　this　communication　of　families　among　worthy　men；

virtue　would　increase；　and　be　diffused　through　their　posterity；　and

the　commonwealth　would　be　united　and　cemented　by　their　alliances。〃　Yet

if　Bibulus　would　not　part　with　his　wife　altogether；　he　would　restore

her　as　soon　as　she　had　brought　him　a　child；　whereby　he　might　be　united

to　both　their　families。　Cato　answered；　that　he　loved　Hortensius　very

well；　and　much　approved　of　uniting　their　houses；　but　he　thought　it

strange　to　speak　of　marrying　his　daughter；　when　she　was　already

given　to　another。　Then　Hortensius；　turning　the　discourse；　did　not

hesitate　to　speak　openly　and　ask　for　Cato's　own　wife；　for　she　was

young　and　fruitful；　and　he　had　already　children　enough。　Neither　can　it

be　thought　that　Hortensius　did　this；　as　imagining　Cato　did　not　care

for　Marcia；　for；　it　is　said；　she　was　then　with　child。　Cato；　perceiving

his　earnest　desire；　did　not　deny　his　request；　but　said　that　Philippus；

the　father　of　Marcia；　ought　also　to　be　consulted。　Philippus；

therefore；　being　sent　for；　came；　and　finding　they　were　well　agreed；

gave　his　daughter　Marcia　to　Hortensius　in　the　presence　of　Cato；　who

himself　also　assisted　at　the　marriage。　This　was　done　at　a　later

time；　but　since　I　was　speaking　of　women；　I　thought　it　well　to

mention　it　now。

　　Lentulus　and　the　rest　of　the　conspirators　were　put　to　death；　but

Caesar；　finding　so　much　insinuated　and　charged　against　him　in　the

senate；　betook　himself　to　the　people；　and　proceeded　to　stir　up　the

most　corrupt　and　dissolute　elements　of　the　state　to　form　a　party　in

his　support。　Cato；　apprehensive　of　what　might　ensue；　persuaded　the

senate　to　win　over　the　poor　and　unprovided…for　multitude　by　a

distribution　of　corn；　the　annual　charge　of　which　amounted　to　twelve

hundred　and　fifty　talents。　This　act　of　humanity　and　kindness

unquestionably　dissipated　the　present　danger。　But　Metellus；　coming

into　his　office　of　tribune；　began　to　hold　tumultuous　assemblies；　and

had　prepared　a　decree；　that　Pompey　the　Great　should　presently　be

called　into　Italy；　with　all　his　forces；　to　preserve　the　city　from

the　danger　of　Catiline's　conspiracy。　This　was　the　fair　pretence；　but

the　true　design　was　to　deliver　all　into　the　hands　of　Pompey；　and　to

give　him　an　absolute　power。　Upon　this　the　senate　was　assembled；　and

Cato　did　not　fall　sharply　upon　Metellus；　as　he　often　did；　but　urged

his　advice　in　the　most　reasonable　and　moderate　tone。　At　last　he

descended　even　to　entreaty；　and　extolled　the　house　of　Metellus　as

having　always　taken　part　with　the　nobility。　At　this　Metellus　grew

the　more　insolent；　and　despising　Cato；　as　if　he　yielded　and　were

afraid；　let　himself　proceed　to　the　most　audacious　menaces；　openly

threatening　to　do　whatever　he　pleased　in　spite　of　the　senate。　Upon

this　Cato　changed　his　countenance；　his　voice；　and　his　language；　and

after　many　sharp　expressions；　boldly　concluded　that；　while　he　lived；

Pompey　should　never　come　armed　into　the　city。　The　senate　thought

them　both　extravagant；　and　not　well　in　their　safe　senses；　for　the

design　of　Metellus　seemed　to　be　mere　rage　and　frenzy；　out　of　excess　of

mischief　bringing　all　things　to　ruin　and　confusion；　and　Cato's

virtue　looked　like　a　kind　of　ecstasy　of　contention　in　the　cause　of

what　was　good　and　just。

　　But　when　the　day　came　for　the　people　to　give　their　voices　for　the

passing　this　decree；　and　Metellus　beforehand　occupied　the　forum　with

armed　men；　strange