The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [299]
32. After the fight Cato was sent to Rome, to be the messenger of it;
33. And his news of the victory filled the whole city with joy and celebrations,
34. And the people with the belief that they were invincible on every sea and land.
Chapter 59
1. Such are all the eminent actions of Cato in military affairs. In civil affairs his chief interest was law and order.
2. He prosecuted many, and he would assist in other prosecutions, and even tried to prosecute Scipio;
3. But unsuccessfully, by reason of the nobleness of Scipio’s family and the real greatness of Scipio’s mind, which enabled him to resist all calumnies.
4. But joining with the accusers against Scipio’s brother Lucius, he succeeded in obtaining a sentence against him,
5. Which condemned him to the payment of a large fine; though Lucius was saved by the interposition of the tribunes of the people.
6. Cato himself did not escape with impunity, for if he gave his enemies the least chance he was often in danger of being prosecuted himself.
7. He is reported to have escaped at least fifty indictments; one when he was eighty-six years old drew from him the saying that it was hard for him,
8. Who had served one generation of men, to plead before another.
9. Neither did he make this the last of his lawsuits;
10. For, four years after, when he was ninety, he accused Servilius Galba:
11. So that his life and actions extended, we may say, as Nestor’s did, over three ordinary ages of man.
12. For, having had many contests about affairs of state with Scipio the Great,
13. He continued them down even to Scipio the Younger, who was the adopted grandson of the former.
Chapter 60
1. Ten years after his consulship Cato stood for the office of Censor, which was the summit of all honour, and the highest step in civil affairs;
2. For besides all other power, it had also that of an inquisition into everyone’s life and manners.
3. For the Romans thought that no marriage or rearing of children, no feast or drinking bout, ought to be permitted according to individual fancy,
4. Without being examined into; their view was that a man’s character is much sooner revealed by such things than by what he does publicly.
5. They therefore chose two persons, one from the patricians, the other from the commons, who were to watch, correct and punish,
6. If anyone too far transgressed the morals or mores of the country; and these they called Censors.
7. The Censors had power to distrain goods, or expel from the senate anyone who lived intemperately.
8. It was also their business to take an estimate of what everyone was worth,
9. And to put down in registers everybody’s birth and quality, besides many other prerogatives.
10. The chief nobility opposed Cato’s ambition for the office.
11. Jealousy prompted them, who thought that it would be a stain to everybody’s nobility,
12. If a man of common birth should rise to the highest office;
13. While others, conscious of their questionable practices and violations of Rome’s laws and customs,
14. Were afraid of Cato’s austerity, which, in an office of such great power, was likely to prove uncompromising and severe.
15. And so they brought forward seven candidates in opposition to him,
16. Who sedulously set themselves to court the people’s favour by fair promises,
17. As though what they wished was indulgent and easy government.
18. Cato, on the contrary, promised no such mildness, but plainly threatening evil livers,
19. Openly declared himself on the hustings, arguing that the city needed a thorough purgation.
20. He called upon the people, if they were wise, not to choose the gentlest, but the roughest of physicians;
21. Such a one, he said, he was, and Valerius Flaccus, one of the patricians, another;
22. Together with him, he had no doubt they would achieve something worthwhile.
23. He added that his opponents sought the office with ill intent,
24. Because they were rightly afraid of those who would exercise it justly.