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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　HAVING　mentioned　the　most　memorable　actions　of　these　great　men；　if
we　now　compare　the　whole　life　of　the　one　with　that　of　the　other；　it
will　not　be　easy　to　discern　the　difference　between　them；　lost　as　it　is
amongst　such　a　number　of　circumstances　in　which　they　resemble　each
other。　If；　however；　we　examine　them　in　detail；　as　we　might　some
piece　of　poetry；　or　some　picture；　we　shall　find　this　common　to　them
both；　that　they　advanced　themselves　to　great　honour　and　dignity　in　the
commonwealth　by　no　other　means　than　their　own　virtue　and　industry。　But
it　seems　when　Aristides　appeared；　Athens　was　not　at　its　height　of
grandeur　and　plenty；　the　chief　magistrates　and　officers　of　his　time
being　men　only　of　moderate　and　equal　fortunes　among　themselves。　The
estimate　of　the　greatest　estates　then　was　five　hundred　medimns；　that
of　the　second；　or　knights；　three　hundred；　of　the　third　and　last　call
Zeugitae；　two　hundred。　But　Cato；　out　of　a　petty　village　from　a　country
life；　leaped　into　the　commonwealth；　as　it　were　into　a　vast　ocean；　at　a
time　when　there　were　no　such　governors　as　the　Curii；　Fabricii；　and
Hostilii。　Poor　labouring　men　were　not　then　advanced　from　the　plough
and　spade　to　be　governors　and　magistrates；　but　greatness　of　family；
riches；　profuse　gifts；　distributions；　and　personal　application　were
what　the　city　looked　to；　keeping　a　high　hand；　and；　in　a　manner；
insulting　over　those　that　courted　preferment。　It　was　not　as　great　a
matter　to　have　Themistocles　for　an　adversary；　a　person　of　mean
extraction　and　small　fortune　（for　he　was　not　worth；　it　is　said；　more
than　four　or　five　talents　when　he　first　applied　himself　to　public
affairs）；　as　to　contest　with　a　Scipio　Africanus；　a　Servius　Galba；
and　a　Quintius　Flamininus；　having　no　other　aid　but　a　tongue　free　to
assert　right。
　　Besides；　Aristides　at　Marathon；　and　again　at　Plataea；　was　but　one
commander　out　of　ten；　whereas　Cato　was　chosen　consul　with　a　single
colleague；　having　many　competitors；　and　with　a　single　colleague；　also；
was　preferred　before　seven　most　noble　and　eminent　pretenders　to　be
censor。　But　Aristides　was　never　principal　in　any　action；　for　Miltiades
carried　the　day　at　Marathon；　at　Salamis；　Themistocles；　and　at　Plataea；
Herodotus　tells　us；　Pausanias　got　the　glory　of　that　noble　victory：　and
men　like　Sophanes；　and　Aminias；　Callimachus；　and　Cynaegyrus；　behaved
themselves　so　well　in　all　those　engagements　as　to　contest　it　with
Aristides　even　for　the　second　place。　But　Cato　not　only　in　his
consulship　was　esteemed　the　chief　in　courage　and　conduct　in　the
Spanish　war；　but　even　whilst　he　was　only　serving　as　tribune　at
Thermopylae；　under　another's　command；　he　gained　the　glory　of　the
victory；　for　having；　as　it　were；　opened　a　wide　gate　for　the　Romans
to　rush　in　upon　Antiochus；　and　for　having　brought　the　war　on　his　back；
whilst　he　only　minded　what　was　before　his　face。　For　that　victory；
which　was　beyond　dispute　all　Cato's　own　work；　cleared　Asia　out　of
Greece；　and　by　that　means　made　way　afterwards　for　Scipio　into　Asia。
Both　of　them；　indeed；　were　always　victorious　in　war；　but　at　home
Aristides　stumbled；　being　banished　and　oppressed　by　the　faction　of
Themistocles；　yet　Cato；　notwithstanding　he　had　almost　all　the　chief
and　most　powerful　of　Rome　for　his　adversaries；　and　wrestled　with
them　even　to　his　old　age；　kept　still　his　footing。　Engaging　also　in
many　public　suits；　sometimes　plaintiff；　sometimes　defendant；　he　cast
the　most；　and　came　off　clear　with　all；　thanks　to　his　eloquence；　that
bulwark　and　powerful　instrument　to　which　more　truly；　than　to　chance　or
his　fortune；　he　owed　it；　that　he　sustained　himself　unhurt　to　the　last。
Antipater　justly　gives　it　as　a　high　commendation　to　Aristotle；　the
philosopher；　writing　of　him　after　his　death；　that　among　his　other
virtues；　he　was　endowed　with　a　faculty　of　persuading　people　which
way　he　pleased。
　　Questionless；　there　is　no　perfecter　endowment　in　man　than
political　virtue；　and　of　this　Economics　is　commonly　esteemed　not　the
least　part；　for　a　city；　which　is　a　collection　of　private　households；
grows　into　a　stable　commonwealth　by　the　private　means　of　prosperous
citizens　that　compose　it。　Lycurgus　by　prohibiting　gold　and　silver　in
Sparta；　and　making　iron；　spoiled　by　the　fire；　the　only　currency；　did
not　by　these　measures　discharge　them　from　minding　their　household
affairs；　but　cutting　off　luxury；　the　corruption　and　tumour　of
riches；　he　provided　there　should　be　an　abundant　supply　of　all
necessary　and　useful　things　for　all　persons；　as　much　as　any　other
law…maker　ever　did；　being　more　apprehensive　of　a　poor；　needy；　and
indigent　member　of　a　community；　than　of　the　rich　and　haughty。　And　in
this　management　of　domestic　concerns；　Cato　was　as　great　as　in　the
government　of　public　affairs；　for　he　increased　his　estate；　and
became　a　master　to　others　in　economy　and　husbandry；　upon　which
subjects　he　collected　in　his　writings　many　useful　observations。　On　the
contrary　Aristides；　by　his　poverty；　made　justice　odious；　as　if　it　were
the　pest　and　impoverisher　of　a　family；　and　beneficial　to　all；　rather
than　to　those　that　were　endowed　with　it。　Yet　Hesiod　urges　us　alike
to　just　dealing　and　care　of　our　households；　and　inveighs　against
idleness　as　the　origin　of　injustice；　and　Homer　admirably　says：…

　　　　　　　　〃Work　was　not　dear；　nor　household　cares　to　me；
　　　　　　　　　Whose　increase　rears　the　thriving　family；
　　　　　　　　　But　well…rigged　ships　were　always　my　delight；
　　　　　　　　　And　wars；　and　darts；　and　arrows　of　the　fight：

as　if　the　same　characters　carelessly　neglected　their　own　estates；
and　lived　by　injustice　and　rapine　from　others。　For　it　is　not　as　the
physicians　say　of　oil；　that；　outwardly　applied；　it　is　very
wholesome；　but　taken　inwardly　detrimental；　that　thus　a　just　man
provides　carefully　for　others；　and　is　heedless　of　himself　and　his
own　affairs；　but　in　this　Aristides's　political　virtues　seem　to　be
defective；　since；　according　to　most　authors；　he　took　no　care　to
leave　his　daughters　a　portion；　or　himself　enough　to　defray　his　funeral
charges：　whereas　Cato's　family　produced　senators　and　generals　to　the
fourth　generation；　his　grandchildren；　and　their　children；　came　to
the　highest　preferments。　But　Aristides；　who　was　the　principal　man　of
Greece；　through　extreme　poverty　reduced　some　of　his　to　get　their
living　by　jugglers'　tricks；　others；　for　want；　to　hold　out　their
hands　for　public　alms；　leaving　none　means　to　perform　any　noble　action；
or　worthy　his　dignity。
　　Yet　why　should　this　needs　follow？　since　poverty　is　dishonourable　not
in　itself；　but　when　it　is　a　proof　of　laziness；　intemperance；　luxury；
and　carelessness　whereas　in　a　person　that　is　temperate；　industrious；
just；　and　valiant；　and　who　uses　all　his　virtues　for　the　public　good；
it　shows　a　great　and　lofty　mind。　For　he　has　no　time　for　great
matters　who　concerns　himself　with　petty　ones；　nor　can　he　relieve
many　needs　of　others；　who　himself　has　many　needs　of　his　own。　What　most
of　all　enables　a　man　to　serve　the　public　is　not　wealth；　but　content
and　independence；　which；　requiring　no　superfluity　at　home；　distracts
not　the　mind　from　the　common　good。　God　alone　is　entirely　exempt　from
all　want：　of　human　virtues；　that　which　needs　least　is　the　most
absolute　and　most　divine。　For　as　a　body　bred　to　a　good　habit
requires　nothing　exquisite　either　in　clothes　or　food；　so　a　sound　man
and　a　sound　household　keep　themselves　up　with　a　small　matter。　Riches
ought　to　be　proportioned　to　the　use　we　have　of　them；　for　he　that
scrapes　together　a　great　deal；　making　use　of　but　little；　is　not
independent；　for　if　he　wants　them　not；　it　is　folly　in　him　to　make
provision　for　things　which　he　does　not　desire；　or　if　he　does　desire
them；　and　restrains　his　enjoyment　out　of　sordidness；　he　is
miserable。　I　would　fain　know　of　Cato　himself；　if　we　seek　riches　that
we　may　enjoy　them；　why　is　he　proud　of　having　a　great　deal；　and　being
contented　with　little？　But　if　it　be　noble；　as　it　is；　to　feed　on　coarse
bread；　and　drink　the　same　wine　with　our　hinds；　and　not　to　covet
purple；　and　plastered　houses；　neither　Aristides；　nor　Epaminondas；
nor　Manius　Curius；　nor　Caius　Fabricius　wanted　necessaries；　who　took　no
pains　to　get　those　things　whose　use　they　approved　not。　For　it　was
not　worth　the　while　of　a　man　who　esteemed　turnips　a　most　delicate
food；　and　who　boiled　them　himself；　whilst　his　wife　made　bread；　to　brag
so　often　of　a　halfpenny；　and　write　a　book　to　show　how　a　man　may
soonest　grow　rich；　the　very　good　of　being　contented　with　little　is
because　it　cuts　off　at　once　the　desire　and　the　anxiety　for
superfluities。　Hence　Aristides；　it　is　told；　said；　on　the　trial　of
Callias；　that　it　was　for　them　to　blush　at　poverty　who　were　poor
against　their　wills；　they　who　like　him　were　willingly　so　might　glory
in　it。　For　it　is　ridiculous　to　think　Aristides's　neediness　imputable
to　his　sloth；　who　might　fairly　enough　by　the　spoil　of　one　barbarian；
or　seizing　one　tent；　have　become　wealthy。　But　enough　of　this。
　　Cato's　expeditions　added　no　great　matter　to　the　Roman　empire；
which　already　was　so　great；　as　that　in　a　manner　it　could　receive　no
addition；　but　those　of　Aristides　are　the　noblest；　most　splendid；　and
distinguished　actions　the　Grecians　ever　did；　the　battles　at
Marathon；　Salamis；　and　Plataea。　Nor　indeed　is　Antiochus；　nor　the
destruction　of　the　walls　of　the　Spanish　towns；　to　be　compared　with
Xerxes；　and　the　destruction　by　sea　and　land　of　so　many　myriads　of
enemies；　in　all　of　which　noble　exploits　Aristides　yielded　to　none；
though　he　left　the　glory　and　the　laurels；　like　the　wealth　and　money；
to　those　who　needed　and　thirsted　more　greedily　after　them：　because
he　was　superior　to　those　also。　I　do　not　blame　Cato　for　perpetually
boasting　and　preferring　himself　before　all　others；　though　in　one　of
his　orations　he　says　that　it　is　equally　absurd　to　praise　and　dispraise
one's　self：　yet　he　who　does　not　so　much　as　desire　others'　praises；
seems　to　me　more　perfectly　virtuous；　than　he　who　is　always　extolling
himself。　A　mind　free　from　ambition　is　a　main　help　to　political
gentleness；　ambition；　on　the　contrary；　is　hard…hearted；　and　the
greatest　fomenter　of　envy；　from　which　Aristides　was　wholly　exempt；
Cato　very　subject　to　it。