Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
himself to be praetor that year, which he thought would be some
help to him in his design of opposing them; that he might not act
as a private man, when he was to contend with public magistrates.
Pompey and Crassus apprehended this; and fearing that the office
of praetor in the person of Cato might be equal in authority to
that of consul, they assembled the senate unexpectedly, without
giving any notice to a great many of the senators, and made an
order, that those who were chosen praetors, should immediately
enter upon their office, without attending the usual time, in
which, according to law, they might be accused, if they had
corrupted the people with gifts. When by this order they had got
leave to bribe freely, without being called to account, they set
up their own friends and dependents to stand for the praetorship,
giving money, and watching the people as they voted. Yet the
virtue and reputation of Cato was like to triumph over all these
stratagems; for the people generally felt it to be shameful that
a price should be paid for the rejection of Cato, who ought
rather to be paid himself to take upon him the office. So he
carried it by the voices of the first tribe. Hereupon Pompey
immediately framed a lie, crying out, it thundered; and straight
broke up the assembly; for the Romans religiously observed this
as a bad omen, and never concluded any matter after it had
thundered. Before the next time, they had distributed larger
bribes, and driving also the best men out of the Field, by these
foul means they procured Vatinius to be chosen praetor, instead
of Cato. It is said, that those who had thus corruptly and
dishonestly given their voices, at once, when it was done,
hurried, as if it were in flight, out of the Field. The others
staying together, and exclaiming at the event, one of the
tribunes continued the assembly, and Cato standing up, as it were
by inspiration, foretold all the miseries that afterward befell
the state, exhorted them to beware of Pompey and Crassus, who
were guilty of such things, and had laid such designs, that they
might well fear to have Cato praetor. When he had ended this
speech, he was followed to his house by a greater number of
people than were all the new praetors elect put together.
Caius Trebonius now proposed the law for allotting provinces to
the consuls, one of whom was to have Spain and Africa, the other
Egypt and Syria, with full power of making war, and carrying it
on both by sea and land, as they should think fit. When this was
proposed, all others despaired of putting any stop to it, and
neither did nor said anything against it. But Cato, before the
voting began, went up into the place of speaking, and desiring to
be heard, was with much difficulty allowed two hours to speak.
Having spent that time in informing them and reasoning with them,
and in foretelling to them much that was to come, he was not
suffered to speak any longer; but as he was going on, a sergeant
came and pulled him down; yet when he was down, he still
continued speaking in a loud voice, and finding many to listen
to him, and join in his indignation. Then the sergeant took him,
and forced him out of the forum; but as soon as he got loose, he
returned again to the place of speaking, crying out to the people
to stand by him. When he had done thus several times, Trebonius
grew very angry, and commanded him to be carried to prison; but
the multitude followed him, and listened to the speech which he
made to them, as he went along, so that Trebonius began to be
afraid again, and ordered him to be released. Thus that day was
expended, and the business staved off by Cato. But in the days
succeeding, many of the citizens being overawed by fears and
threats, and others won by gifts and favors, Aquillius, one of
the tribunes, they kept by an armed force within the
senate-house; Cato, who cried, it thundered, they drove out of
the forum; many were wounded, and some slain; and at length by
open force they passed the law. At this many were so incensed,
that they got together, and were going to throw down the statues
of Pompey; but Cato went, and diverted them from that design.
Again, another law was proposed, concerning the provinces and
legions for Caesar. Upon this occasion Cato did not apply
himself to the people, but appealed to Pompey himself; and told
him, he did not consider now, that he was setting Caesar upon his
own shoulders, who would shortly grow too weighty for him, and at
length, not able to lay down the burden, nor yet to bear it any
longer, he would precipitate both it and himself with it upon the
commonwealth; and then he would remember Cato's advice, which was
no less advantageous to him, than just and honest in itself.
Thus was Pompey often warned, but still disregarded and slighted
it, never mistrusting Caesar's change, and always confiding in
his own power and good fortune.
Cato was made praetor the following year; but, it seems, he did
not do more honor and credit to the office by his signal
integrity, than he disgraced and diminished it by his strange
behavior. For he would often come to the court without his
shoes, and sit upon the bench without any under garment, and in
this attire would give judgment in capital causes, and upon
persons of the highest rank. It is said, also, he used to drink
wine after his morning meal, and then transact the business of
his office; but this was wrongfully reported of him. The people
were at that time extremely corrupted by the gifts of those who
sought offices, and most made a constant trade of selling their
voices. Cato was eager utterly to root this corruption out of
the commonwealth; he therefore persuaded the senate to make an
order, that those who were chosen into any office, though nobody
should accuse them, should be obliged to come into the court, and
give account upon oath of their proceedings in their election.
This was extremely obnoxious to those who stood for the offices,
and yet more to those vast numbers who took the bribes. Insomuch
that one morning, as Cato was going to the tribunal, a great
multitude of people flocked together, and with loud cries and
maledictions reviled him, and threw stones at him. Those that
were about the tribunal presently fled, and Cato himself being
forced thence, and jostled about in the throng, very narrowly
escaped the stones that were thrown at him, and with much
difficulty got hold of the Rostra, where, standing up with a bold
and undaunted countenance, he at once mastered the tumult, and
silenced the clamor; and addressing them in fit terms for the
occasion, was heard with great attention, and perfectly quelled
the sedition. Afterwards, on the senate commending him for this,
"But I," said he, "do not commend you for abandoning your praetor
in danger, and bringing him no assistance."
In the meantime, the candidates were in great perplexity; for
every one dreaded to give money himself, and yet feared lest his
competitors should. At length they agreed to lay down one
hundred and twenty-five thousand drachmas apiece, and then all of
them to canvass fairly and honestly, on condition, that if any
one was found to make use of bribery, he should forfeit the
money. Being thus agreed, they chose Cato to keep the stakes,
and arbitrate the matter; to him they brought the sum concluded
on, and before him subscribed the agreement. The money he did
not choose to have paid for them, but took their securities who
stood bound for them. Upon the day of election, he placed
himself by the tribune who took the votes, and very watchfully
observing all that passed, he discovered one who had broken the
agreement, and immediately ordered him to pay his money to the
rest. They, however, commending his justice highly, remitted the
penalty, as thinking the discovery a sufficient punishment. It
raised, however, as much envy against Cato as it gained him
reputation, and many were offended at his thus taking upon
himself the whole authority of the senate, the courts of
judicature, and the magistracies. For there is no virtue, the
honor and credit for which procures a man more odium than that of
justice; and this, because more than any other, it acquires a man
power and authority among the common people. For they only honor
the valiant and admire the wise, while in addition they also love
just men, and put entire trust and confidence in them. They fear
the bold man, and mistrust the clever man, and moreover think
them rather beholding; to their natural complexion, than to any
goodness of their will, for these excellences; they look upon
valor as a certain natural strength of the mind, and wisdom as a
constitutional acuteness; whereas a man has it in his power to be
just, if he have but the will to be so, and therefore injustice
is thought the most dishonorable, because it is least excusable.
Cato upon this account was opposed by all the great men, who
thought themselves reproved by his virtue. Pompey especially
looked upon the increase of Cato's credit, as the ruin of his own
power, and therefore continually set up men to rail against him.
Among these was the seditious Clodius, now again united to
Pompey; who declared openly, that Cato had conveyed away a great
deal of the treasure that was found in Cyprus; and that he hated
Pompey, only because he refused to marry his daughter. Cato
answered, that although they had allowed him neither horse nor
man, he had brought more treasure from Cyprus alone, than Pompey
had, after so many wars and triumphs, from the ransacked world;
that he never sought the alliance of Pompey; not that he thought
him unworthy of being related to him, but because he differed so
much from him, in things that concerned the commonwealth. "For,"
said he, "I laid down the province that was given me, when I went
out of my praetorship; Pompey, on the contrary, retains many
provinces for himself; and he bestows many on others; and but now
he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men into Gaul, which
Caesar never asked the people for, nor had Pompey obtained their
consent to give. Men, and horse, and arms in any number, are
become the mutual gifts of private men to one another; and Pompey
keeping the titles of commander and general, hands over the
armies and provinces to others to govern, while he himself stays
at home to preside at the contests of the canvass, and to stir up
tumults at elections; out of the anarchy he thus creates amongst
us, seeking, we see well enough, a monarchy for himself." Thus
he retorted on Pompey.
He had an intimate friend and admirer of the name of Marcus
Favonius, much the same to Cato as we are told Apollodorus, the
Phalerian, was in old time to Socrates, whose words used to throw
him into perfect transports and ecstasies, getting into his head,
like strong wine, and intoxicating him to a sort of frenzy. This
Favonius stood to be chosen aedile, and was like to lose it; but
Cato, who was there to assist him, observed that all the votes
were written in one hand, and discovering the cheat, appealed to
the tribunes, who stopped the election. Favonius was afterward
chosen aedile, and Cato, who assisted him in all things that
belonged to his office, also undertook the care of the spectacles
that were exhibited in the theater; giving the actors crowns, not
of gold, but of wild olive, such as used to be given at the
Olympic games; and instead of the magnificent presents that were
usually made, he offered to the Greeks beet root, lettuces,
radishes, and pears; and to the Romans, earthen pots of wine,
pork, figs, cucumbers, and little fagots of wood. Some ridiculed
Cato for his economy, others looked with respect on this gentle
relaxation of his usual rigor and austerity. In fine, Favonius