cato the younger-第6部分

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passing　this　decree；　and　Metellus　beforehand　occupied　the　forum　with

armed　men；　strangers；　gladiators；　and　slaves；　those　that　in　hopes　of

change　followed　Pompey　were　known　to　be　no　small　part　of　the　people；

and　besides；　they　had　great　assistance　from　Caesar；　who　was　then

praetor；　and　though　the　best　and　chiefest　men　of　the　city　were　no　less

offended　at　these　proceedings　than　Cato；　they　seemed　rather　likely

to　suffer　with　him　than　able　to　assist　him。　In　the　meantime　Cato's

whole　family　were　in　extreme　fear　and　apprehension　for　him；　some　of

his　friends　neither　ate　nor　slept　all　the　night；　passing　the　whole

time　in　debating　and　perplexity；　his　wife　and　sisters　also　bewailed

and　lamented　him。　But　he　himself；　void　of　all　fear；　and　full　of

assurance；　comforted　and　encouraged　them　by　his　own　words　and

conversation　with　them。　After　supper　he　went　to　rest　at　his　usual

hour；　and　was　the　next　day　waked　out　of　a　profound　sleep　by　Minucius

Thermus；　one　of　his　colleagues。　So　soon　as　he　was　up；　they　two　went

together　into　the　forum；　accompanied　by　very　few；　but　met　by　a　great

many；　who　bade　them　have　a　care　of　themselves。　Cato；　therefore；　when

he　saw　the　temple　of　Castor　and　Pollux　encompassed　with　armed　men；　and

the　steps　guarded　by　gladiators；　and　at　the　top　Metellus　and　Caesar

seated　together；　turning　to　his　friends；　〃Behold；〃　said　he；　〃this

audacious　coward；　who　has　levied　a　regiment　of　soldiers　against　one

unarmed　naked　man；　and　so　he　went　on　with　Thermus。　Those　who　kept

the　passages　gave　way　to　these　two　only；　and　would　not　let　anybody

else　pass。　Yet　Cato　taking　Munatius　by　the　hand；　with　much

difficulty　pulled　him　through　along　with　him。　Then　going　directly　to

Metellus　and　Caesar；　he　sat　himself　down　between　them；　to　prevent

their　talking　to　one　another；　at　which　they　were　both　amazed　and

confounded。　And　those　of　the　honest　party；　observing　the

countenance；　and　admiring　the　high　spirit　and　boldness　of　Cato；　went

nearer；　and　cried　out　to　him　to　have　courage；　exhorting　also　one

another　to　stand　together；　and　not　betray　their　liberty　nor　the

defender　of　it。

　　Then　the　clerk　took　out　the　bill；　but　Cato　forbade　him　to　read　it；

whereupon　Metellus　took　it；　and　would　have　read　it　himself；　but　Cato

snatched　the　book　away。　Yet　Metellus；　having　the　decree　by　heart；

began　to　recite　it　without　book；　but　Thermus　put　his　hand　to　his

mouth；　and　stopped　his　speech。　Metellus　seeing　them　fully　bent　to

withstand　him；　and　the　people　cowed；　and　inclining　to　the　better　side；

sent　to　his　house　for　armed　men。　And　on　their　rushing　in　with　great

noise　and　terror；　all　the　rest　dispersed　and　ran　away；　except　Cato；

who　alone　stood　still；　while　the　other　party　threw　sticks　and　stones

at　him　from　above；　until　Murena；　whom　he　had　formerly　accused；　came　up

to　protect　him；　and　holding　his　gown　before　him；　cried　out　to　them

to　leave　off　throwing；　and；　in　fine；　persuading　and　pulling　him　along；

he　forced　him　into　the　temple　of　Castor　and　Pollux。　Metellus；　now

seeing　the　place　clear；　and　all　the　adverse　party　fled　out　of　the

forum；　thought　he　might　easily　carry　his　point；　so　he　commanded　the

soldiers　to　retire；　and　recommencing　in　an　orderly　manner；　began　to

proceed　to　passing　the　decree。　But　the　other　side　having　recovered

themselves；　returned　very　boldly；　and　with　loud　shouting；　insomuch

that　Metellus's　adherents　were　seized　with　a　panic；　supposing　them

to　be　coming　with　a　reinforcement　of　armed　men；　fled　every　one　out

of　the　place。　They　being　thus　dispersed；　Cato　came　in　again；　and

confirmed　the　courage；　and　commended　the　resolution　of　the　people；

so　that　now　the　majority　were；　by　all　means；　for　deposing　Metellus

from　his　office。　The　senate　also　being　assembled；　gave　orders　once

more　for　supporting　Cato；　and　resisting　the　motion；　as　of　a　nature

to　excite　sedition　and　perhaps　civil　war　in　the　city。

　　But　Metellus　continued　still　very　bold　and　resolute；　and　seeing

his　party　stood　greatly　in　fear　of　Cato；　whom　they　looked　upon　as

invincible；　he　hurried　out　of　the　senate　into　the　forum；　and　assembled

the　people；　to　whom　he　made　a　bitter　and　invidious　speech　against

Cato；　crying　out；　he　was　forced　to　fly　from　his　tyranny；　and　this

conspiracy　against　Pompey；　that　the　city　would　soon　repent　their

having　dishonoured　so　great　a　man。　And　from　hence　he　started　to　go

to　Asia；　with　the　intention；　as　would　he　supposed；　of　laying　before

Pompey　all　the　injuries　that　were　done　him。　Cato　was　highly　extolled

for　having　delivered　the　state　from　this　dangerous　tribuneship；　and

having　in　some　measure　defeated；　in　the　person　of　Metellus；　the

power　of　Pompey；　but　he　was　yet　more　commended　when；　upon　the　senate

proceeding　to　disgrace　Metellus　and　depose　him　from　his　office；　he

altogether　opposed　and　at　length　diverted　the　design。　The　common

people　admired　his　moderation　and　humanity；　in　not　trampling

wantonly　on　an　enemy　whom　he　had　overthrown；　and　wiser　men

acknowledged　his　prudence　and　policy　in　not　exasperating　Pompey。

　　Lucullus　soon　after　returned　from　the　war　in　Asia；　the　finishing

of　which；　and　thereby　the　glory　of　the　whole；　was　thus；　in　all

appearance；　taken　out　of　his　hands　by　Pompey。　And　he　was　also　not

far　from　losing　his　triumph；　for　Caius　Memmius　traduced　him　to　the

people；　and　threatened　to　accuse　him；　rather；　however；　out　of　love

to　Pompey；　than　for　any　particular　enmity　to　him。　But　Cato；　being

allied　to　Lucullus；　who　had　married　his　sister　Servilia；　and　also

thinking　it　a　great　injustice；　opposed　Memmius；　thereby　exposing

himself　to　much　slander　and　misrepresentation；　insomuch　that　they

would　have　turned　him　out　of　his　office；　pretending　that　he　used　his

power　tyrannically。　Yet　at　length　Cato　so　far　prevailed　against

Memmius　that　he　was　forced　to　let　fall　the　accusations；　and　abandon

the　contest。　And　Lucullus　having　thus　obtained　his　triumph；　yet　more

sedulously　cultivated　Cato's　friendship；　which　he　looked　upon　as　a

great　guard　and　defence　for　him　against　Pompey's　power。

　　And　now　Pompey　also　returning　with　glory　from　the　war；　and　confiding

in　the　good…will　of　the　people；　shown　in　their　splendid　reception　of

him；　thought　he　should　be　denied　nothing；　and　sent　therefore　to　the

senate　to　put　off　the　assembly　for　the　election　of　consuls；　till　he

could　be　present　to　assist　Piso；　who　stood　for　that　office。　To　this

most　of　the　senators　were　disposed　to　yield；　Cato　only　not　so　much

thinking　that　this　delay　would　be　of　great　importance；　but；　desiring

to　cut　down　at　once　Pompey's　high　expectations　and　designs；

withstood　his　request；　and　so　overruled　the　senate　that　it　was　carried

against　him。　And　this　not　a　little　disturbed　Pompey；　who　found　he

should　very　often　fail　in　his　projects　unless　he　could　bring　over　Cato

to　his　interest。　He　sent；　therefore；　for　Munatius；　his　friend；　and

Cato　having　two　nieces　that　were　marriageable；　he　offered　to　marry　the

eldest　himself；　and　take　the　youngest　for　his　son。　Some　say　they

were　not　his　nieces；　but　his　daughters。　Munatius　proposed　the　matter

to　Cato；　in　presence　of　his　wife　and　sisters；　the　women　were　full　of

joy　at　the　prospect　of　an　alliance　with　so　great　and　important　a

person。　But　Cato；　without　delay　or　balancing；　forming　his　decision

at　once；　answered；　〃Go；　Munatius；　go　and　tell　Pompey　that　Cato　is

not　assailable　on　the　side　of　the　women's　chamber；　I　am　grateful

indeed　for　the　intended　kindness；　and　so　long　as　his　actions　are

upright；　I　promise　him　a　friendship　more　sure　than　any　marriage

alliance；　but　I　will　not　give　hostages　to　Pompey's　glory　against　my

country's　safety。〃　This　answer　was　very　much　against　the　wishes　of　the

women；　and　to　all　his　friends　it　seemed　somewhat　harsh　and　haughty。

But　afterwards；　when　Pompey；　endeavouring　to　get　the　consulship　for

one　of　his　friends；　gave　pay　to　the　people　for　their　votes；　and　the

bribery　was　notorious；　the　money　being　counted　out　in　Pompey's　own

gardens；　Cato　then　said　to　the　women；　they　must　necessarily　have

been　concerned　in　the　contamination　of　these　misdeeds　of　Pompey；　if

they　had　been　allied　to　his　family；　and　they　acknowledged　that　he

did　best　in　refusing　it。　Yet　if　we　may　judge　by　the　event；　Cato　was

much　to　blame　in　rejecting　that　alliance；　which　thereby　fell　to

Caesar。　And　then　that　match　was　made；　which；　uniting　his　and

Pompey's　power；　had　well…nigh　ruined　the　Roman　empire；　and　did　destroy

the　commonwealth。　Nothing　of　which；　perhaps；　had　come　to　pass；　but

that　Cato　was　too　apprehensive　of　Pompey's　least　faults；　and　did　not

consider　how　he　forced　him　into　conferring　on　another　man　the

opportunity　of　committing　the　greatest。

　　These　things；　however；　were　yet　to　come。　Lucullus　and　Pompey；

meantime；　had　a　great　dispute　concerning　their　orders　and　arrangements

in　Pontus；　each　endeavouring　that　his　own　ordinances　might　stand。　Cato

took　part　with　Lucullus；　who　was　manifestly　suffering　wrong；　and

Pompey；　finding　himself　the　weaker　in　the　senate；　had　recourse　to

the　people；　and　to　gain　votes　he　proposed　a　law　for　dividing　the　lands

among　the　soldiers。　Cato　opposing　him　in　this　also　made　the　bill　he

rejected。　Upon　this　he　joined　himself　with　Clodius；　at　that　time　the

most　violent　of　all　the　demagogues；　and　entered　also　into　friendship

with　Caesar；　upon　an　occasion　of　which　also　Cato　was　the　cause。　For

Caesar；　returning　from　his　government　in　Spain；　at　the　same　time

sued　to　be　chosen　consul；　and　yet　desired　not　to　lose　his　triumph。　Now

the　law　requiring　that　those　who　stood　for　any　office　should　be

present；　and　yet　that　whoever　expected　a　triumph　should　continue

without　the　walls；　Caesar　requested　the　senate　that　his　friends

might　be　permitted　to　canvass　for　him　in　his　absence。　Many　of　the

senators　were　willing　to　consent　to　it；　but　Cato　opposed　it；　and

perceiving　them　inclined　to　favour　Caesar；　spent　the　whole　day　in

speaking；　and　so　prevented　the　senate　from　coming　to　any　conclusion。

Caesar；　therefore；　resolving　to　let　fall　his　pretensions　to　the

triumph；　came　into　the　t