Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/451
own honor, as augmented the other's glory. What would have been done, of course we cannot know, but from Cæsar's usual clemency, we may guess what was most likely.
1Cato was forty-eight years old when he died. His son suffered no injury from Cæsar; but, it is said, he grew idle, and was thought to be dissipated among women. In Cappadocia, he stayed at the house of Marphadates, one of the royal family there, who had a very handsome wife; and continuing his visit longer than was suitable, 2he made himself the subject of various epigrams; such as, for example,
To-morrow, (being the thirtieth day),
Cato, 'tis thought, will go away;
Porcius and Marphadates, friends so true,
One Soul, they say, suffices for the two,
that being the name of the woman,[1] and so again,
To Cato's greatness every one confesses,
A royal Soul he certainly possesses.
3But all these stains were entirely wiped off by the bravery of his death. For in the battle of Philippi, where he fought for his country's liberty against Cæsar and Antony, when the ranks were breaking, he, scorning to fly, or to escape unknown, called out to the enemy, showed himself to them in the front, and encouraged those of his party who stayed; and at length fell, and left his enemies full of admiration of his valor.
4Nor was the daughter of Cato inferior to the rest of her family, for sober-living and greatness of spirit. She was married to Brutus, who killed Cæsar; was acquainted
- ↑ Psyche.