letion, in an Oftentation of Honesty, but because he could ot recede from the Sentiments of Honour which were inrafted in his Breaft, and only thought fuch Proceedings bad Reafon on their Side which were founded on Fuftice.

Being now one and twenty Years Old, the Gladiator's War broke out in Italy, which was rais'd and fomented by one Sparticus a Thracian, who had perfwaded feventy of his Fellow Swordsmen, it would be much more Honourable for them to fight for their own Liberty, than the Diversion of Rome: Lucius Gellius, the Conful, was chofen Prætor of the Army to fubdue the Rebels, and Cato entered himself a Voluntier under that General, for the love that he bore to his Brother Capio, who had the Command of a thousand Foot under the Conful. Cato foon met the Advancement he had fo good a Title to; and was himself fent a Tribune into Macedon, to Rubrius, Prator there; at whofe Camp he no fooner arrived, but he was honoured with the Charge of one of the Roman Legions; where he endeared himfelf extreamly to the Soldiers, by always taking a part in what he commanded them; and by being in his Apparel, Diet, and Labour, more like a Common Soldier than their Officer: And when the time of his Service in the Army was expired, he received at his Departure not only the Prayers and Praises, but the Tears and Embraces of the Soldiers, who spread their Garments at his Fect, and kiffed his Hands as he pafs'd; which was an Honour rarely confer'd by the Romans on any of their Generals.

Cato, ere he would return Home, refolving to travel over Afia, and observe the Customs and Strength of the feveral Provinces, was met by Pompey at Ephefus, who would not receive him fitting, but rofe to Embrace and Welcome him as one of the nobleft Perfons of Rome, and faid many Things in Commendation of his Virtue both in his Prefence and after he was gone away: Thence proceeding to

pay

pay his Refpects to Old Deïotarus, King of Galatia, h had the Offers of immenfe Prefents from that Monarch which he could neither be perfuaded himself to receive, no fuffer a Diftribution of them to be made amongst his Fol lowers.

On his Return to Rome, he spent much time in Philofophical Arguments with Athenodorus, fometimes at his own Houfe, and othertimes in publick Difputations at the Forum to oblige his Friends: And when it came to his Turn to make fuit for the Questorship, he would not be prevailed on to make his Applications, 'till he had fully informed himself in all the Ordinances belonging to the Duty and Authority of the Office: Thus inftructed, he entered on this firft Step to Civil Preferment, and fill'd the Place with fuch Sufficiency, and deferv'd Applause, that 'twas univerfally faid, Cato had made the Office of a Queftor equal to the Dignity of a Conful.

Cato, after he had laid down his Power, yet did not throw off his Care of the Treasury, but at the Expence of five Talents, had the Books containing Accounts of the Revenues, from Sylla's time to his own, tranfcrib'd for him, and kept the fame always by him: Nay, fo diligent and laborious was he for the Good of the Commonwealth, that he was generally obferved to be the first Man that came to, and the last that retired from the Senate Houfe.

Being now in the One and Thirtieth Year of his Age, he was follicited by his Friends to ftand up for a TribuneShip of the People; which he refolutely declined, till he found Metellus Nepos was pufhing for that Office, who was an Inftrument employ'd by Pompey to get a Decree to pafs in the Senate, that that General thould prefently be call'd into Italy with all his Forces for the Prefervation of the City. Cato, who was apprifed of the Measures this rafh Agent meant to take, thought it was

no

no time of Retirement for him; but that he must go and prevent Metellus in his Defigns, cr bravely die in Defence of his Country's Liberty: He was back'd with the Interest of Perfons of the beft Quality, who perceived that he exposed himself to this dangerous Honour only for the Service of Rome, and was declared one of the Tribunes.

The beginning of this Year (which was the 69cth from the Building of the City) threatned Rome with the most dangerous Confpiracy that ever was formed against the Safety of fo potent a State, to wit, that of Cataline and his prcfligate Accomplices: In the detecting of which inoft horrid Combination, our Cato was not only Serviceable to the Conful Cicero, but when detected, the principal Inftrument and Promoter of the Malefactor's Punishments: For when this Subject came under the Debate of the Senate, Julius Cæfar (who with Marcus Craffus was fufpected as private Abetters of Cataline's black Purpose) in a plaufible and elegant Oration perfwaded Mercy, and difapprov'd that the Criminals fhould die: He told the Senators, "That in "Affairs of Moment, where Men are ask'd their Sentence, "they ought to be free from the Influences of Paffion, for "that the Mind must err in its Judgment that was either "prejudiced by Hate or Anger, or byafs'd by Affection or "Pity: That the foul Fact of the Confpirators should not "weigh more with the Senate than their own Dignity, "or they be more Indulgent to their Refentments than "their Honours: That if Punishments could be found to "equal the Crimes of the Confpirators, he should Approve "the utmost Severities; but if the Greatness of their Guilt "exceeded all Invention, he thought it fit they should fo "proceed, as their Laws in fuch Cafes provided: That no "Sentence could be Cruel against fuch Delinquents, but that "it was abhorring from their State, fince to a Citizen of "Rome, offending, their Laws gave Exile, and not. "Death: That Syllanus (the defigned Conful, and wha.

"Spoke

"Spoke before Cæfar) could not advife Execution, for fear "of the Traytors, when the Diligence of the worthy "Cicero had detected and prevented Danger; and if be "meant it for a Punishment, Cæfar thought Death was the End of Evils, and rather a Releafe from Pain, "than a Torment; as it diffolved all Griefs, and beyond "it were neither Care nor Joy. That therefore his Opi"nion was, that the Criminals fhould have their Eftates "confifcated to the publick Treasury, and their Perfons "confined in the Free Towns diftant from Rome, and di"vided from each other; that they should have no Pri"vilege of Appealing either to the Senate or People to "have their Doom reverfed or mitigated, and that who"ever should prefume to move it, the Senate fhould deter"mine of them as Enemies to the Peace and Safety of "the Roman State.

When Cafar had harangued the Houfe in a long Oration to this Effect, won over Syllanus to a more candid Interpretation of his Sentence, and inclined the Majority of the Senators to Votes of Clemency: Cato with much Warmth rofe up and reply'd to Cæfar's Arguments. "Owned "bis Sentence was far different from the precedent One; "that they disputed on the Kinds of Punishments, and "fate confulting what they should decree against those, of "whom they rather should beware: That fuch a Confpi"racy was not like thofe Common Facts, which the "Laws may Profecute when they are Committed; but "that if it was not provided against and prevented ere "it happen'd, it would not wait their Judgment when it "was happen'd; but when a City was taken, the van"quished Party had no Redress left: That they were "not debating now on the Subject of Tribute and Cu"floms, or the Injuries of their Allies, but on no less important a Theme than the hazard of their Lives "and Liberties: That he had often been heard there, com

plaining

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"plaining either of the Licentiousness or Avarice of "his Fellow-Citizens; and had procured himself many "Enemies thereby; for that as he could not indulge him"felf in the committing of any Enormities, fo he did "not easily pardon a vicious Liberty in others; which feafonable Invectives of his, if they had Slighted, it was becaufe Plenty and Profperity made 'em Negli "gent; but now it was not the Cafe in Dispute, whether their Lives and Manners were conformable to the Rules " of Honour, or bow the Empire might be Enlarg'd; "but whether their Properties should continue their own, "or become the Spoil of Invaders: That they had now

even forgot the True Names of Things: That to give "away Another's Fffects, was efteem'd Liberality, and an Hardinefs in Ill Actions, was term'd Fortitude; to "Such a low Ebb of Virtue was the Common-Wealth "reduc'd: That Caius Cæfar had very well and fubtil "ly difcours'd of Life and Death, as if he thought thofe "Things a Fable, which were deliver'd them of Hell and "Furies; and of ill Men going feparate from Good to fil "thy dark and ugly Places: That therefore Cæfar would "have the Paricides live, but far from Rome, and im

prifon'd in the fmall Free Towns, leaft there they might "have Refcue. As if Men fit for fuch Attempts, were "only to be found in the City, and not difpers'd through"out Italy? or that their audacious Proceedings would "not have moft Scope, where it found leaft Resistance? "That Cæfar's Counsel was vain if he thought them "dangerous; which if he did not, but alone rema n'd "unfrighted, where all others were terrified, it should give Cato and the Senate caufe more to fear im: "That the Fathers look'd about one at another, doubting what to do; with Faces, as they trufted to the Gods "to fave them; but that they are not Wishings and wo"manifh Prayers can draw the Immortal's Aid; but Vi B "gilance,

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