Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
everyone to account, as wrongfully possessed of the public
money, and exacted it of them, and at the same time sharply
reproved them for their unlawful and impious actions. After
these proceedings, they were presently accused of murder, and
being already in a manner prejudged as guilty, they were easily
found so, and accordingly suffered; at which the whole people
rejoiced, and thought themselves now to see the old tyranny
finally abolished, and Sylla himself, so to say, brought to
punishment.
Cato's assiduity also, and indefatigable diligence, won very much
upon the people. He always came first of any of his colleagues
to the treasury, and went away the last. He never missed any
assembly of the people, or sitting of the senate; being always
anxious and on the watch for those who lightly, or as a matter of
interest, passed votes in favor of this or that person, for
remitting debts or granting away customs that were owing to the
state. And at length, having kept the exchequer pure and clear
from base informers, and yet having filled it with treasure, he
made it appear the state might be rich, without oppressing the
people. At first he excited feelings of dislike and irritation
in some of his colleagues, but after a while they were well
contented with him, since he was perfectly willing that they
should cast all the odium on him, when they declined to gratify
their friends with the public money, or to give dishonest judgments
in passing their accounts; and when hard pressed by suitors, they
could readily answer it was impossible to do anything, unless
Cato would consent. On the last day of his office, he was
honorably attended to his house by almost all the people;
but on the way he was informed that several powerful friends were
in the treasury with Marcellus, using all their interest with him
to pass a certain debt to the public revenue, as if it had been a
gift. Marcellus had been one of Cato's friends from his
childhood, and so long as Cato was with him, was one of the best
of his colleagues in this office, but when alone, was unable to
resist the importunity of suitors, and prone to do anybody a
kindness. So Cato immediately turned back, and finding that
Marcellus had yielded to pass the thing, he took the book, and
while Marcellus silently stood by and looked on, struck it out.
This done, he brought Marcellus out of the treasury, and took him
home with him; who for all this, neither then, nor ever after,
complained of him, but always continued his friendship and
familiarity with him.
Cato after he had laid down his office, yet did not cease to keep
a watch upon the treasury. He had his servants who continually
wrote out the details of the expenditure, and he himself kept
always by him certain books, which contained the accounts of the
revenue from Sylla's time to his own quaestorship, which he had
bought for five talents.
He was always first at the senate, and went out last; and often,
while the others were slowly collecting, he would sit and read by
himself, holding his gown before his book. He was never once out
of town when the senate was to meet. And when afterwards Pompey
and his party, finding that he could never be either persuaded or
compelled to favor their unjust designs, endeavored to keep him
from the senate, by engaging him in business for his friends, to
plead their causes, or arbitrate in their differences, or the
like, he quickly discovered the trick, and to defeat it, fairly
told all his acquaintance that he would never meddle in any
private business when the senate was assembled. Since it was not
in the hope of gaining honor or riches, nor out of mere impulse,
or by chance that he engaged himself in politics, but he
undertook the service of the state, as the proper business of an
honest man, and therefore he thought himself obliged to be as
constant to his public duty, as the bee to the honeycomb. To
this end, he took care to have his friends and correspondents
everywhere, to send him reports of the edicts, decrees,
judgments, and all the important proceedings that passed in any
of the provinces. Once when Clodius, the seditious orator, to
promote his violent and revolutionary projects, traduced to the
people some of the priests and priestesses, (among whom Fabia,
sister to Cicero's wife, Terentia, ran great danger,) Cato,
having boldly interfered, and having made Clodius appear so
infamous that he was forced to leave the town, was addressed,
when it was over, by Cicero, who came to thank him for what he
had done. "You must thank the commonwealth," said he, for whose
sake alone he professed to do everything. Thus he gained a
great and wonderful reputation; so that an advocate in a cause,
where there was only one witness against him, told the judges
they ought not to rely upon a single witness, though it were Cato
himself. And it was a sort of proverb with many people, if any
very unlikely and incredible thing were asserted, to say, they
would not believe it, though Cato himself should affirm it. One
day a debauched and sumptuous liver talking in the senate about
frugality and temperance, Amnaeus standing up, cried, "Who can
endure this, Sir, to have you feast like Crassus, build like
Lucullus and talk like Cato." So likewise those who were vicious
and dissolute in their manners, yet affected to be grave and
severe in their language, were in derision called Catos.
At first, when his friends would have persuaded him to stand to
be tribune of the people, he thought it undesirable; for that the
power of so great an office ought to be reserved, as the
strongest medicines, for occasions of the last necessity. But
afterwards in a vacation time, as he was going, accompanied with
his books and philosophers, to Lucania, where he had lands with a
pleasant residence, they met by the way a great many horses,
carriages, and attendants, of whom they understood, that Metellus
Nepos was going to Rome, to stand to be tribune of the people.
Hereupon Cato stopped, and after a little pause, gave orders to
return back immediately; at which the company seeming to wonder,
"Don't you know," said he, "how dangerous of itself the madness
of Metellus is? and now that he comes armed with the support of
Pompey, he will fall like lightning on the state, and bring it to
utter disorder; therefore this is no time for idleness and
diversion, but we must go and prevent this man in his designs, or
bravely die in defense of our liberty." Nevertheless, by the
persuasion of his friends, he went first to his country-house,
where he stayed but a very little time, and then returned to
town.
He arrived in the evening, and went straight the next morning to
the forum, where he began to solicit for the tribuneship, in
opposition to Metellus. The power of this office consists rather
in controlling, than performing any business; for though all the
rest except any one tribune should be agreed, yet his denial or
intercession could put a stop to the whole matter. Cato, at
first, had not many that appeared for him; but as soon as his
design was known, all the good and distinguished persons of the
city quickly came forward to encourage and support him, looking
upon him, not as one that desired a favor of them, but one that
proposed to do a great favor to his country and all honest men;
who had many times refused the same office, when he might have
had it without trouble, but now sought it with danger, that he
might defend their liberty and their government. It is reported
that so great a number flocked about him, that he was like to be
stifled amidst the press, and could scarce get through the crowd.
He was declared tribune, with several others, among whom was
Metellus.
When Cato was chosen into this office, observing that the
election of consuls was become a matter of purchase, he sharply
rebuked the people for this corruption, and in the conclusion of
his speech protested, he would bring to trial whomever he should
find giving money, making an exception only in the case of
Silanus, on account of their near connection, he having married
Servilia, Cato's sister. He therefore did not prosecute him, but
accused Lucius Murena, who had been chosen consul by corrupt
means with Silanus. There was a law that the party accused might
appoint a person to keep watch upon his accuser, that he might
know fairly what means he took in preparing the accusation. He
that was set upon Cato by Murena, at first followed and observed
him strictly, yet never found him dealing any way unfairly or
insidiously, but always generously and candidly going on in the
just 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 honor and respect. Of which not only
Murena's prudence, but also Cato's own behavior, 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