in Marriage not having being engaged or promised to any one by her Father Now this young Tiberius serving in Africa under the Younger Scipio who had married his Sister and conversing under the same Tent with his General soon observ'd and learn'd his noble Genius which excited a great emulation of his Virtues and stirr'd him up to the imitation of his Actions and in a short time excell'd all the young Men of the Army in his Regular Behaviour and Courage and he at one Siege was the first that mounted the Enemies Wall as Fannius says who writes that he himself climb'd up with him and was partaker in that Action His presence created amongst the Souldiers an extraordinary Affection and his departure left a passionate desire of his Return After that Expedition being chosen Pay-master of the Army it was his fortune to serve in the War against the Numantines under the Command of C. Mancinus the Consul a Person no ways blameable but the most unfortunate of all the Roman Generals Notwithstanding amidst the greatest Misfortunes and in the most unsuccessful Enterprizes not only the Discretion and Valour of Tiberius but also which was still more to be admired the great Respect and Veneration which he had from his General was most eminently remarkable insomuch that even in the extremity of Danger he never regarded himself as a principal Officer for when he was overcome in several desperate Battels he would leave the main Body of the Army and in the Night-time sally out with the Forces under his particular Command When the Numantines perceived this they immediately possess'd themselves of his Camp pursuing that part of the Forces which was put to flight slew all those that were in the Rear hedg'd the whole Army in on every side and forcing them into such intricate Places as that there could be no possibility of an Escape Mancinus desparing to make his way through by force sent a Messenger to desire a Truce and cessation of Arms but they refused to conclude a Treaty with any one except Tiberius and required that he should be sent to treat with them This they earnestly insisted upon not only in regard to the young Man's Courage for he had a great Reputation amongst the Souldiers but likewise in remembrance of his Father Tiberius who in his Expedition against the Spaniards had utterly destroyed several other Places but granted a Peace to the Numantines which he commanded to be always kept punctually and inviolable Upon this Consideration Tiberius was dispatch'd to the Enemy whom he perswaded to accept of several Conditions and he himself complyed with others and by this means it's evident that he saved 20000 of the Roman Citizens besides Slaves and those that followed the Army However the Numantines seized upon and destroyed all things that were left behind in the Camp amongst these were Tiberius's Books of Accompts containing the whole Transactions of his Questor-ship upon which he set an extraordinary value And therefore when the Army was already upon their March he return'd to Numantia accompanied with only three or four of his intimate Friends and making his Application to the principal Officers of the Numantines he earnestly entreated that they would return him his Books lest his Enemies should thereby take an occasion to upbraid him for not being able to give an Account of the Moneys received and disbursed by him The Numantines joyfully embraced this opportunity of obliging him and kindly invited him into the City as he stood arguing the Case wish them they approach'd towards him took him by the Hâ—nds and earnestly begg'd that he would never again look upon them as Enemies but relying upon their Friendship be confident for the future of this their present Sincerity Tiberius thought it convenient to believe 'em because he was desirous to have his Books return'd and was afraid least he should disoblige them by shewing any manner of Distrust As soon as he enter'd into the City they in the first place invited him to a publick Entertainment and were very earnest that he would accept of it Afterwards they return'd his Books and gave him the liberty to take what-ever he saw most acceptable of the remaining Spoyls He on the other hand would accept of nothing but some Frankincense which he used in his publick Sacrifices and after he had kindly embraced them and made his Complements departed When he return'd to Rome he found the whole Transaction censured and reproach'd as a Business that was base and scandalous to the Romans but the Relations and Friends of the Souldiers which were the greatest part of the Populace came flocking to Tiberius whom they acknowledg'd the Preserver of so many Citizens and imputed all the Miscarriages which had happen'd to the General They who were dissatisfied with the Proceedings proposed the example of their Ancestors to be followed for after the hasty Peace which had been concluded with the Samnites upon conditions that the Romans should march home without molestation they stripp'd all such as had been any way concern'd in making that Peace as well the Treasurers and Tribunes as the leading Officers and in that manner delivered 'em up into the Enemies hands laying the Crimes of Perjury and breach of that Peace at their Doors But in this Affair the Populace shewing an extraordinary Kindness and Affection for Tiberius they indeed voted that the Consul should be stripp'd and put in Irons and so deliver'd to the Numantines but they granted a general Pardon to all the others out of Respect only to Tiberius It may be probable also that Scipio who at that time was a leading Man among the Romans lent him his Assistance tho' he was nevertheless censured for not protecting Mancinus too and that he did not ratifie the Articles of Peace which had been agreed upon by his Kinsman and Friend Tiberius But it 's evident that the greatest part of these Differences did arise from the Ambition of some designing Politicians who had a Kindness for Tiberius However this Disorder never came to a malignant and incurable Disease and truly I cannot be perswaded that Tiberius would ever have taken those Courses which he did if Scipio Africanus had had any hand in the management of his Affairs for at the time when he was engaged in the War against Numantia Tiberius then ventured to make Proposals of new Laws for the better regulation of the Government upon the following occasion The Romans had by Conquest gain'd some Lands adjoyning to the Suburbs part whereof they sold publickly and turn'd the remainder into Common this Common they assign'd to such of the Citizens as were poor and indigent for which they were to pay only a small acknowledgment into the publick Treasury but when the wealthy Men began to raise the Rents and turn the poor People out of their Possessions it was enacted by Law that no Person what-ever should enjoy more than 500 Acres of Ground This Act did for some time
popular he changed a real and solid good for what was short and uncertain But in truth he purchased what was of the greatest value at an inconsiderable rate When he was made Surveyor of the Appian Way he disburst besides the publick Moneys a great Sum out of his private Purse and when he was Aedile he provided such a number of Gladiators that he entertain'd the People with 320 several Duels and by his great liberality and magnificence in Shews in Pomps and publick Feastings obscured the glory of all who went before him and gain'd so much upon the People that every one was ready to invent new Offices and new Honors for him in return to his Munificence There being two Factions in the City one for Sylla which was very powerful the other for Marius which was then broken and in a very low condition he was desirous to raise it again and to bring it over to his Interest To this end whilst he was in the heighth of his Repute with the People for the magnificent Shews he gave as Aedile he ordered Images and Statues with Ensigns of Victory to be carried privately in the night and placed in the Capitol Next morning when some saw them glittering with Gold and curiously wrought with Inscriptions of Marius's Exploits over the Cimbrians they were surprized at the boldness of him who had set them up nor was it difficult to guess who it was The fame of this soon spread and brought together a great Concourse of People Some presently cried out that Caesar had designs upon the Government because he had revived those Honors which were buried by the Laws and Decrees of the Senate that this was done to sound the temper of the People whom he had prepared before and to try whether they were tame enough to bear his Humor and would quietly give way to his Innovations However Marius's Party took courage and 't is incredible what a multitude of them appeared on a sudden and came shouting into the Capitol Many of them when they saw Marius's Picture cried for Joy and Caesar was highly extoll'd as the only Person who was a Relation worthy of Marius Upon this the Senate met and Catulus Luctatius one of the most eminent Romans of that time stood up and accused Caesar closing his Speech with this remarkable saying Caesar no longer undermines the Government but openly plants his Batteries against it But when Caesar had made an Apology for himself and satisfied the Senate his Admirers were very much animated and advised him not to depart from his own thoughts for any one since he was likely to get the better of them all in a little time and to be the first Man in the State with the Peoples Consent At the same time Metellus the High-Priest died and Catulus and Isauricus Persons of known Reputation and who bore a great weight in the Senate were Competitors for the Office yet Caesar would not give way to them but presented himself to the People as a Candidate against them The several Interests seeming very equal Catulus who because he had the most Honor to lose was the most apprehensive of the event sent to Caesar to buy him off with Offers of a great Sum of Money But he said He would provide a larger Sum then that to carry on the Competition Upon the day of Election as his Mother conducted him out of doors with tears he saluted her and said Well Mother to day you 'l see me either High-Priest or Banished When the Votes were taken after a great struggle he carried it and by that gave the Senate and Nobility reason to fear he might now draw on the People to the greatest height of Arrogance Whereupon Piso and Catulus found fault with Cicero for letting Caesar escape when in the Conspiracy of Catiline he had given the Government such advantage against him For Catiline who had designed not only to change the present State of Affairs but to subvert the whole Constitution and confound all had himself escaped by reason the Evidence was not full against him they having not yet gone to the bottom of his Design But he had left Lentulus and Cethegus in the City to supply his place in the Conspiracy Whether they had any secret Encouragement and Assistance from Caesar is uncertain This is certain that they were fully convicted in the Senate and when Cicero the Consul askâ— the several Opinions of the Senators how they would have them punish'd all who spake before Caesar sentenced them to Death but Caesar stood up and made a set Speech wherein he told them That he thought it without Precedent and not just to take away the Lives of two Persons of their Birth and Quality before they were fairly tried unless there was an absolute necessity for it but that if they were kept confin'd in any Town which Cicero himself should chuse till Catiline was defeated then the Senate might in peace and at their leisure determine what was best to be done This Sentence of his carried so much appearance of Humanity and he gave it so good an air by his Speech that not only those who spoke after him closed with it but even they who had before given a contrary Opinion now came over to his till it came about to Catulus and Cato's turn to speak They warmly opposed it and Cato insinuated in his Speech some suspicions of Caesar himself and prest the matter so far that the Criminals were given up to suffer Execution As Caesar was going out of the Senate many of the young Men who guarded Cicero ran in with their naked Swords to assault him But Curio as it is said threw his Gown over him and convey'd him out and Cicero himself gave a Sign to his Guards who watch't the motions of his Eye not to kill him either for fear of the People or because he thought the Murder unjust and illegal If this be true I wonder how Tully came to omit it in the Book which he wrote concerning his Consulship Cicero was blam'd afterwards for not making use of so good an opportunity against Caesar out of fear of the Populace who mightily favourd him Sometime after when Caesar went into the Senate to clear himself of some Suspicions he lay under he found great clamours rais'd against him whereupon the Senate sitting longer then ordinary the People went up to the House in a Tumult and beset it demanding Caesar and requiring them to dismiss him Upon this Cato much fearing a Mutiny from the poorer sort who are always the Incendiaries in a Rebellion and who now plac'd all their hopes in Caesar persuaded the Senate to give them a Monthly allowance of Corn which put the Commonwealth to the extraordinary charge of 55000 Crowns a year This Expedient remov'd all fears for the present and very much weaken'd Caesar's power who at that time was just going to be made Praetor and consequently would have been more formidable by his Office But there was
noble Ambition of Alexander answer'd him That those Treatises which were his Metaphysicks were indeed publish'd but not plainly expos'd to every bodies Capacity For to say truth they are written in such a style that they are only an useful and instructive System to those who have been already long conversant in that sort of Learing Doubtless it was to Aristole's Precepts that he owed the inclination he had not barely to the Theory but likewise to the Practice of Physick For when any of his Friends were sick he would often prescribe them their course of Diet and Medicines proper to their Disease as we may find in his Epistles He was naturally a great lover of all kind of Learning and mightily addicted to Reading and Onesicritus informs us That he constantly laid Homer's Illiads Corrected by Aristotle with his Dagger under his Pillow declaring that he esteemed them an exact Institution and perfect Store-house of all Military Vertue and Knowledge When he was in the higher Provinces of Asia being destitute of other Books he order'd Harpalus to send him some who furnish'd him with Philestus his History a great many of Euripides Sophocles and Aeschylus his Tragedies and some Dithyrambick Hymns composed by Telestes and Philaxenus For a while he lov'd and cherished Aristotle no less as he was wont to say himself than if he had been his Father giving this Reason for it that as he receiv'd his Being from the one so the other had taught him to live well But afterwards having some mistrust of him yet not so far as to do him any Prejudice his Familiarity and friendly Kindness to him abated so much as to make it evident he was very indifferent to him However his violent Thirst after and Respect for Learning which were born and still grew up with him never decay'd as appears by his veneration of Anaxarchus by the Present of 50 Talents which he sent to Xenocrates and his particular Care and Esteem of Dandamis and Calanus While Philip made War against the Byvantines he left Alexander then 16 years old his Lieutenant in Macedonia committing the charge of his Great Seal to him who not to sit idle reduc'd the rebellious Medan and having taken their chief Town by Storm drave out the barbarous Inhabitants and planting a Colony of several Nations in their room call'd the Place after his own Name Alexandropolis At the Battel of Chaeronaea which his Father fought against the Grecians he is said to have been the first Man that charg'd the Thebans sacred Band. And even in my remembrance there stood an old Oak near the River Cephisus which the Country People call'd Alexander's Oak because his Tent was pitch'd under it And not far off are to be seen the Graves of the Macedonians who fell in that Battel This early Bravery made Philip so fond of him that nothing pleas'd him more than to hear his Subjects call Alexander their King while they allow'd himself no other Title than that of their General But the Disorders of his Family chiefly caused by his new Marriages and extravavagant Loves the whole Kingdom being soon in a manner imbroil'd by the Women rais'd many Quarrels and great Breaches between them which the ill Nature of Olympias a Woman of a jealous and implacable Temper still made wider by exasperating Alexander against his Father Among the rest this Accident contributed most to their falling out At the Wedding of Cleopatra whom Philip in his Dotage had Married she being much too young for him her Uncle Attalus in his Drink desir'd the Macedonians would implore the Gods to give them a lawful Successor to the Kingdom by his Neece This nettled Alexander so that throwing one of the Cups at his Head You Villain said he what am I then a Bastard Then Philip taking Attalus his part rose up and would have ran his Son through but by good Fortune for them both either his over-hasty Rage or the Wine he had drank made his Foot slip so that he fell down on the Floor At which Alexander most reproachfully insulted over him See there said he how low he lyes not able to remove from one Seat to another who was making such Preparations to pass out of Europe into Asia After this insolent Debauch he and his Mother Olympias went from Court and when he had plac'd her in Epirus he himself retir'd into Illyria About this time Demaratus the Corinthian an old Friend of the Family who had the freedom to say any thing among them without offence coming to visit Philip after the first Compliments and Embraces were over Philip asked him Whether the Grecians liv'd in Amity with one another It ill becomes you replied Demaratus to enquire after the State of Greece who have involv'd your own House in so many Dissentions and Calamities He was so convinc'd by this seasonable Reproach that he immediately sent for his Son home and at last by Demaratus his Mediation prevail'd with him to return But this Reconciliation lasted not long for when Pexodorus Viceroy of Caria sent Aristocritus to treat a Match between his eldest Daughter and Philip's Son Aridaeus seeking thereby to enter into a League offensive and defensive with him Alexander's Mother and some who pretended to be his Friends fill'd his Head with Tales and Calumnies as if Philip by this splendid Alliance and considerable Negotiation intended to settle the Kingdom upon Aridaeus To prevent this he dispatches one Thessalus a Player into Caria to dispose Pexodorus to slight Aridaeus both as illegitimate and a Fool and rather to accept of himself for his Son-in-law This Proposition was much more agreeable to Pexodorus then the former But Philip as soon as ever he was made acquainted with this Transaction went directly to his Son's Apartment accompanied only by Philotas one of his most intimate Friends the Son of Parmenio and there reprov'd him severely and reproach'd him bitterly that he should be so degenerate and unworthy of the Crown he was to leave him as to desire the Alliance of a mean Carian who was at best but the Vassal of a barbarous Prince Nor did this satisfie his Resentment for he wrote to the Corinthians to send Thessalus to him in Chains and banish'd Harpalus Nearchus Phrygius and Ptolomy his Sons Confidents and Favorites whom Alexander afterwards recall'd and rais'd to great Honour and Preferment Not long after this a Youth nam'd Pausanias being forcibly abused not without the knowledge and consent of Attalus and Cleopatra When he found he could get no Reparation for his Disgrace at Philip's hands watch'd his opportunity and Murther'd him The guilt of which Fact fell partly upon Olympias who is said to have encourag'd and exasperated the enrag'd Youth to Revenge and partly upon Alexander himself wâ—â— when Pausanias came and complain'd to him of the Injury he had receiv'd repeated these Verses to him out of Euripides his Medea where in her Fury she says She 'll see
Engagement where the Enemy had again the better Caesar took an Ensign who was running away by the Neck and forcing him to face about said Look that way is the Enemy Scipio flush'd with this Success at first had a mind to come to one decisive Action Wherefore he leaves Afranius and Juba in two distinct Bodies not far distant and marches himself towards Thapsacus where he built a Fort which might serve for a Security to them and a Retreat to himself Whilst Scipio was taken up with this matter Caesar with an incredible dispatch made his way through thick Woods and an unpassable Country surrounded one Party of the Enemy and charg'd the other other in the Front When he had defeated these he improv'd this Opportunity and the course of his good Fortune so far that in one moment he took Afranius's Camp and destroy'd that of the Numidians Juba their King being glad to save himself by flight so that in a small part of a day he made himself Master of three Camps and kill'd 50000 of the Enemy with the loss only of 50 Men. This is the Account some give of that Fight Others say He was not in the Action but that he was taken with his usual Distemper just as he was setting his Army in Battalia He perceiv'd the approaches of it before it had too far disorder'd his Senses and as soon as he began to shake took care to be remov'd into a neighbouring Fort where he repos'd himself Of the Great Men that were taken after the Fight some Caesar put to Death others prevented him by killing themselves Cato had undertaken to defend Utica and for that reason was not in the Battel The desire which Caesar had to take him alive made him hasten thither upon notice that he had dispatch'd himself 't is certain Caesar was much discompos'd but for what reason is not so well agreed yet this he said Cato I envy thee thy Death because thou enviedst me the honour of saving thy Life Yet after all this the Discourse he wrote against Cato after his Death is no great sign of his kindness or that he was thorowly reconciled to him For how is it probable that he would have been tender of his Life who was so bitter against his Memory Yet from his Clemency to Cicero Brutus and many others who fought against him some have guess'd that Caesar's Book was not compos'd so much out of harted to Cato as in his own Vindication Cicero it seems had written an Encomium upon Cato and call'd it by his Name a Discourse written by so great a Master upon so excellent a Subject was sure to be in every ones hands This touch'd Caesar who look'd upon a Panegyric on his Enemy as no better then a Satyr against himself and therefore he made in his Anti-Cato a full Collection of whatever could be said in that Great Man's derogation Those Discourses had each of them their several Admirers as Men were differently inclin'd to the Parties Caesar upon his return to Rome did not forget to entertain the People with a large Account of his Victory telling them That he had subdu'd a Country which would supply the Publick every year with 200000 Bushels of Corn and 3000000 weight of Oyl He was allow'd three Triumphs for Aegypt Pontus and Afrric the last not for the Conquest of Scipio but Juba whose little Son was then led in Triumph the happiest Captive that ever was who of a barbarous Numidian came by this means to be reckon'd among the most Learned Historians of all Greece After these Triumphs he distributed Rewards to his Soldiers and treated the People with Feasting and Shews At one Feast he had 22000 Tables and entertain'd the People with Gladiators and Sea-Fights in honour to his Daughter Julia long since dead When those Shews were over an Account was taken of the people who from 320000 were now reduc'd 150000. So great a waste had the Civil War made in Rome alone not to mention what the other parts of Italy and the Provinces suffer'd He was now chosen a fourth time Consul and went into Spain against Pompey's Sons they were but young yet had got together a great Army and shew'd they had Courage and Conduct to command it so that Caesar was in extreme danger The great Battel was near Munda in which Caesar seeing his Men hard press'd and making but a weak Resistance ran through the Ranks among the Soldiers and crying out ask'd them Whether they were not asham'd to deliver him into the hands of Boys At last with great difficulty and the best efforts he could make he forced back the Enemy killing 30000 of them though with the loss of 1000 of his best Men. When he came back from the Fight he told his Friends that he had often fought for Victory but this was the first time he had ever fought for Life This Battel was won on the Feast of the Bacchanals the very day in which Pompey four years before had set out for the War The younger of Pompey's Sons escap'd and Didius some days after the Fight brought the elder 's Head to Caesar This was the last Battel he was engag'd in The Triumph he made for this Victory displeas'd the Romans beyond any thing For he had not defeated foreign Generals and barbarous Kings but had ruin'd the Children and Family of one of the greatest Men of Rome though unfortunate and it did not look well to triumph over the Calamities of his Country and to rejoyce in those things for which no better Apology could be made to the Gods and Men then their being absolutely necessary Besides that hitherto he had never sent Letter or Express of any Victory over his Fellow-Citizens but had seem'd rather to be asham'd of the Action then to expect Honour from it For all this the Romans taking the same side with Fortune gave the Rein into his hands and hoping that the Government of a single Person would give them time to breathe after so many Civil Wars and Calamities made him Dictator for Life This was a down-right Tyranny for his Power now was not only absolute but perpetual too Cicero propos'd to the Senate to confer such Honours upon him as were indeed in some measure within the bounds of modesty Others striving which should deserve most carried them so excessively high that they made Caesar odious to the most indifferent and moderate sort of men by the haughtiness and extravagance of those Titles which they decreed him His Enemies are thought to have had some share in this as well as his Flatterers it gave them more advantage against him and laid him more open to their Calumnies for since the Civil Wars were ended he had nothing else that he could be charg'd with And they had good reason to decree a Temple to Clemency in token of their Thanks for this mild use he made of this Victory for he not only pardon'd many of those who fought against him but farther
danger Cato boldly opposed him and made him appear so infamous that he was forc'd to leave the Town and when Cicero came to thank him for what he had done You must thank the Commonwealth said he for whose sake alone it was that he did every thing Thus he gained a great and wonderful Reputation so that a certain 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 grown proverbial among the 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 Prodigal talking in the Senate about Frugality and Temperance Amnoeus standing up cryed Who can endure this Sir to hear you that feast like Crassus and build like Lucullus talk like Cato So likewise those who were wild and dissolute in their Manners yet affected to seem grave and severe in their Discourses were in derision called Cato's At first when his Friends would have perswaded him to stand to be Tribune of the People he thought it not convenient for that the Power of so great an Office ought to be imployed only as the strongest Medicines when things are brought to the last necessity But afterward in Vacation-time as he was going accompanied with his Books and Philosophers to Leucania where he had a pleasant Seat by the way they met 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 stopp'd and after a little pause gave Orders to return immediately At which the Company seeming to wonder Don't you know said he how dangerous of it self the Madness of Metellus is but now he comes assisted with the Counsel of Pompey he will fall like Lightning on the State and bring it to utter ruine wherefore this is no time for Idleness and Diversion but we must go and prevent this man in his Designs or bravely die in defence of our Liberty Nevertheless by the Perswasion of his Friends he went first to his Countrey-house where he stay'd 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 sollicit for the Tribuneship in opposition to Metellus The Power of this Office consists rather in controuling than performing any Business for tho' 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 Persons of the best Quality and of his own Acquaintance took part with him for they looked upon him not as one that desired a Favour of them but one that sought to do a great Kindness to his Countrey 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 flock'd 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 Now when Cato was chosen into this Office having observed that the Election of Consuls was grown very mercenary he sharply rebuked the People for this Corruption and in the conclusion of his Speech protested he would accuse whom ever he should find giving Money yet Passed by Silanus by reason of his Alliance for he had married Servilia Cato's Sister so that he did not prosecute him but Lucius Murena who was chosen Consul with Silanus he accused of Bribery There was a Law That the Party accused might set a Guard upon his Accuser to watch him lest he should use any indirect means 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 unjustly but always generously and candidly going on in the just and open Methods of Proceeding So that he much admired Cato's great Spirit and noble Nature and easily trusted to his Integrity for meeting him abroad or going to his House he would ask him if he designed to do any thing that day in order to the Accusation and if Cato said No he went away freely relying on his Word When the Cause was pleaded Cicero who was then Consul and defended Murena did so wittily expose Cato and the Stoick Philosophers and their Paradoxes that he raised great Laughter in his Judges Whereupon Cato smiling said to the Standers by Sirs we have a very pleasant Consul Murena was acquitted and afterward shewed himself no passionate but a very prudent Man for when he was Consul he always took Cato's Advice in the most weighty Affairs and in all the time of his Office gave him much Honour and Respect Of which not only Murena's Prudence but also Cato's obliging Humour was the Cause for tho' he were terrible and severe as to Matters of Justice in the Senate and at the Bar yet he was very courteous and good-natured to all men in private Before Cato took upon him the Office of Tribune he assisted Cicero at that time Consul in many things that concerned his Office but most especially in prosecuting Catiline's Conspiracy which he did with great Courage and Success This Catiline had plotted a dreadful and entire Subversion of the Roman State contriving to raise great Seditions and drive them into a Civil War but being detected by Cicero was forced to fly the City Yet Lentulus and Cethegus conspired with several others and blaming Catiline as one that wanted Courage and had too much Caution for such desperate Designs they themselves resolved to set the whole Town on fire and utterly to ruine the Empire of the World by Tumults at home and War from abroad 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 that spoke after him till it came to Coesar who was very eloquent and looking upon all Changes and commotions in the State as Matter for him to work upon desired rather to increase than extinguish them Wherefore standing up he made a very merciful and perswasive Speech That they ought not to suffer otherwise than according to Law by which they could not be put to death and moved that they might be kept in Prison Thus was the House almost wholly turned by Coesar They were also afraid of the People insomuch that Silanus retracted and said he did not mean Death but Imprisonment for that was the utmost of what a Roman could suffer Upon this
Decree Metellus before-hand possessed the Forum with armed Men Strangers Gladiators and Slaves and all those that in hopes of Change followed Pompey which was no small part of the People besides they had great Assistance from Coesar who was then Proetor The best and chiefest Men of the City were no less offended at these Proceedings than Cato but they seemed rather likely to suffer with him than able to assist him In the mean time Cato's whole Family were in dreadful Fear and Apprehension for him some of his Friends did neither eat nor sleep all the night continuing in very great Perplexity his Wife and Sisters also bewailed and lamented him but he himself void of all Fear and full of Assurance did comfort and encourage them by his own Discourse After Supper he went to rest at his usual hour and was the next day waked out of a profound Sleep by Minutius Thermus one of his Collegues So soon as he was up they two went together into the Forum accompanied by very few but met by a great many who bid them have a care of themselves Cato when he saw the Temple of Castor and Pollux incompassed with armed Men and the ascent to it guarded by Gladiators at the top whereof sate Metellus and Caesar together turning to his Friends Behold said he that couragious Fellow who has raised so great Forces against one unarmed naked man and so he went on with Thermus They who kept the Passages gave way to those two but would not let any body else pass yet Cato taking Munatius by the Hand with much difficulty pull'd him thorow along with him Then going directly to Metellus and Caesar he sate himself down between them to prevent their talking to one another at which they were both amazed And those of the honest Party observing the Countenance and admiring the Spirit and Boldness of Cato went nearer and cry'd out to him to have Courage exhorting 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 snatch'd away the Book Yet Metellus having the Decree by heart began to recite it without book but Thermus clapp'd his Hand to his Mouth and stopp'd his Speech Metellus seeing them fully bent to withstand him and the People inclining to their side sent to his House for armed Men who rushing in with great noise and terrour they all dispers'd and run away except Cato who alone stood still while the other Party threw Sticks and Stones at him from below Murena whom he had formerly accused could not brook this but came to him and holding his Gown before him cryed out to them to leave off throwing in â—ine perswading and pulling him along he forc'd him into the Temple of Caster 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 Souldiers to retire and going orderly to work he began to proceed in passing the Decree But the other side having recollected themselves returned very boldly and with great shouting insomuch that Metellus his Adherents were utterly dismayed and 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 Multitude were by all means for deposing Metellus from his Office The Senate also being presently assembled gave Orders to stand by Cato and to oppose this Decree which would certainly raise great Disturbance and perhaps Civil War in the Common wealth But Metellus continued still very bold and resolute and seeing his Party stood greatly in fear of Cato whom they look'd upon as invincible he flung out of the Senate and going into the Forum he assembled the People to whom he made a bitter and invidious Speech against Cate crying out He was forc'd to fly from his Tyranny and this Conspiracy against Pompey that the City would soon repent their having dishonoured so great a Man Cato was highly magnified for having thus delivered the State from the dangerous Tribuneship of Metellus and thereby in some measure diminished the Power of Pompey But he was more commended for that the Senate intending to disgrace Metellus and depose him from his Office Cato did altogether oppose and at length divert that Design For which the Common People admired his Moderation and Humanity in not insulting on an Enemy whom he had overthrown but wise Men acknowledged his Prudence and Policy in not exasperating Pompey After this Lucullus returned from the War in Asia the finishing of which and thereby the Glory of the whole would in all appearance fall to Pompey Lucullus also was like to lose his Triumph for Câ—ius Memmius traduced him to the People and threatned to accuse him which he did rather out of Love to Pompey than for any particular Enmity to Lucullus But Cate being related to Lucullus who had married his Sister Servilia and also thinking this design very unjust opposed Memmius and thereby underwent many Slanders and false Accusations 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 forc'd to let fall the Accusations and to desist from his Design Lucullus having thus obtained his Triumph did yet more carefully cultivate Cato's Friendship which he look'd upon as a great guard and defence against Pompey's Power Pompey the Great also returning from the Army and considing in the Glory of his Actions and the Good-will of the People thought he should be denied nothing Therefore he sent to the Senate to put off the Assembly for the choice of Consuls till he could be present to assist Piso who stood for that Office To this most of the Senate presently yielded only Cato not thinking that this delay would be of any great importance but desiring to lessen and cut off the Hopes and Designs of Pompey withstood his Request and so over-ruled the Senate that 't was carried against him This did not a little trouble Pompey who found he should very often fail in his Designs unless he could bring over Cato to his Interest Therefore he sent for his Friend Munatius and Cato having two Neeces that were marriageable he offered to marry the eldest himself and take the youngest for his Son Some say they were not his Neeces but his Daughters whom Pompey would have thus married Munatius proposed the Matter to Cato in presence of his Wife and Sisters the Women very much desired the Alliance of so great and worthy a Person but Cato without delay or balancing presently answered Go Munatius go tell Pompey that Cato is not to be wrought upon by Women tho' otherwise I very much value his Kindness And while he deals uprightly in the State he shall find
a long time thus discontented Afterward when Cato was come back also Martia who as yet lived with him contrived to have them both invited to sup together at the House of one Barca Cato came in last of all when the rest were at Table and ask'd Where he should be Barca answered him Where he pleased then looking about he said He would be near Munatius and presently went and placed himself next to him yet he shewed him no other mark of Kindness all the time they were at Table together But another time at the Entreaty of Martia Cato wrote to Munatius That he desired to speak with him Munatius went to his House one Morning and was entertained by Martia till all the Company was gone then Cato came and embraced him very kindly and they were perfectly reconciled I have the more fully related this Passage for that I think the Manners and Tempers of Men are more clearly discovered by things of this nature than by great and illustrious Actions Cato got together no less than seven thousand Talents of Silver but apprehensive of what might happen in so long a Voyage by Sea he provided a great many Coffers that held two Talents and five hundred Drachma's apiece to each of these he fastned a long Rope and to the other end of the Rope a piece of Cork so that if the Ship should miscarry it might be discovered where about the Chests lay under Water thus all the Money except a very little was safely transported Now Cato had made two Books in which all his Accounts were carefully written but neither of them was preserved for his Freed-man Phylargyrus who had the charge of one of them setting Sayl from Cenohrea was drowned together with the Ship and all her Lading The other Book Cato himself kept till he came to Corcyra where he see up his Tents in the Market-place and the Mariners being very cold in the Night made a great many Fires some of which took hold of the Tents so that they were burnt and the Book lost Though Cato had brought with him several of Ptolemy's Servants who could testifie his Integrity and stop the mouths of his Enemies yet this loss troubled him for he designed them not only for a proof of his own Fidelity but a pattern of Exactness to others News being brought to Rome that Cato was coming up the River all the Magistrates the Priests and the whole Senate with great part of the People went out to meet him both the Banks of the Tyber were covered with People so that his Entrance was in Solemnity and Honour not inferiour to a Triumph But 't was thought somewhat strange and look'd like Pride that when the Consuls and Praetors appeared he did not come toward them nor stay to salute them but rowed up the Stream in a Royal Galley of six Banks of Oars and stopt not till he came to the place of Landing However when the Money was carried through the Streets the People much wondred at the vast quantity of it and the Senate being assembled did in honourable terms decree him an extraordinary Praetorship and also the priviledge of being at the publick shews in a Robe fac'd with purple Cato refused all these Honours but declaring what Diligence and Fidelity he had found in Nicias the Steward of Ptolemy he requested the Senate to give him his Freedom Philip the Father of Martia was that year Consul but the Authority and Power of the Office rested wholly in Cato for the other Consul no less respected him for his Vertue than Philip did for his Alliance Cicero being returned from his Banishment into which he was Driven by Clodius and having again obtained great Credit among the People he went one day in the absence of Clodius and by force took away the Records of his Tribuneship which Clodius had laid up in the Capitol Hereupon the Senate was assembled and Clodius Complained of Cicero who answered That Clodius was never legally Tribune and therefore whatever he had done was void and of no Authority But Cato interrupted him and standing up said That indeed he did not at all approve of Clodius his Proceedings but if they questioned the Validity of what had been done in his Tribuneship they might also question what himself had done at Cyprus for the Expedition was unlawfull if he that sent him had no lawful Authority But he thought Clodius was legally made Tribune who by permission of the Law was from a Patrician adopted into a Plebeian Family and if he had done ill in this Office he ought to be called to account for it but the Authority of the Magistracy ought not to suffer for the Faults of the Magistrate Cicero took this very ill and for along time discontinued his Friendship with Cato but they were afterward reconciled upon this occasion Pompey and Crassus by Agreement with Caesar who came over the Alpes on purpose had laid a Design That they two should stand to be chosen Consuls a second time and when they should be in their Office they would continue to Caesar his Government for five years more and take to themselves the greatest Provinces with Armies and money to maintain them This seemed a plain Conspiracy to destroy the Commonwealth and divide the Empire Several honest Men had intended to stand to be Consuls that year but upon the appearance of these great Men they all desisted except only Lucius Domitius who had married Porcia the Sister of Cato and was by him perswaded to stand it out and not abandon such an Undertaking which he said was not only to gain the Consulship but to preserve the Liberty of Rome In the mean time 't was usually discoursed among the more prudent part of the Citizens That they ought not to suffer the Power of Pompey and Crassus to be united which would then grow beyond all Bounds and become dangerous to the State that therefore one of them must be denied For these Reasons they took part with Domitius whom they exhorted and encouraged to go on assuring him that many who feared openly to appear for him would privately assist him Pompey's Party fearing this laid wait for Domitius and set upon him as he was going before day-light with Torches into the Field First he that bore the Light next before Domitius was knock'd down then several others being wounded all the rest fled except Cato and Domitius for Cato held him tho' himself were wounded in the Arm and crying out conjured the others to stay and while they had breath not to forsake the defence of their Liberty against those Tyrants who plainly shewed with what Moderation they were like to use the Power which they endeavour'd to gain by such Violence But at length Domitius also no longer willing to stand the Danger fled to his own House and so Pompey and Crassus were declared Consuls Nevertheless Cato would not give over but resolv'd to stand himself to be Praetor that year which he thought would