ἐπεὶ δὲ τέλος εἶχεν ἡ στρατεία τῷ Κάτωνι, προεπέμφθη, οὐκ εὐχαῖς, ὃ κοινόν ἐστιν, οὐδʼ ἐπαίνοις, ἀλλὰ δάκρυσι καὶ περιβολαῖς ἀπλήστοις, ὑποτιθέντων τὰ ἱμάτια τοῖς ποσὶν ᾗ βαδίζοι καὶ καταφιλούντων τὰς χεῖρας, ἃ τῶν αὐτοκρατόρων ὀλίγοις μόλις ἐποίουν οἱ τότε Ῥωμαῖοι.
When the time of Cato’s military service came to an end, he was sent on his way, not with blessings, as is common, nor yet with praises, but with tears and insatiable embraces, the soldiers casting their mantles down for him to walk upon, and kissing his hands, things which the Romans of that day rarely did, and only to a few of their imperators.
βουληθεὶς δὲ πρὸ τοῦ πολιτείᾳ προσελθεῖν ἅμα μὲν πλανηθῆναι καθʼ ἱστορίαν τῆς Ἀσίας καὶ γενέσθαι θεατὴς ἠθῶν καὶ βίων καὶ δυνάμεως τῆς περὶ ἑκάστην ἐπαρχίαν, ἅμα δὲ τῷ Γαλάτῃ Δηϊοτάρῳ διὰ ξενίαν καὶ φιλίαν πατρῴαν δεομένῳ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν μὴ ἀχαριστῆσαι, τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἀποδημίαν. προὔπεμπεν ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν ἀρτοποιὸν καὶ τὸν μάγειρον ὅπου καταλύσειν ἔμελλεν.
But before applying himself to public affairs he desired to travel about in a study of Asia, and to see with his own eyes the customs and lives and military strength of each province; at the same time he wished to gratify Deiotarus the Galatian, who had been a guest-friend of his father, and now solicited a visit from him. He therefore arranged his journey as follows. At daybreak, he would send forward his baker and his cook to the place where he intended to lodge.
οἱ δὲ πάνυ κοσμίως καὶ μεθʼ ἡσυχίας εἰσελθόντες ἂν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, εἰ μηδεὶς τύχοι τῷ Κάτωνι φίλος ὢν αὐτόθι πατρῷος ἢ γνώριμος, ἐν πανδοκείῳ τὴν ὑποδοχὴν αὐτῷ παρεσκεύαζον, ἐνοχλοῦντες οὐδενί· πανδοκείου δὲ μὴ ὄντος, οὕτως πρὶς τοὺς ἄρχοντας τραπόμενοι ξενίαν ἐλάμβανον, ἀγαπῶντες τὴν δοθεῖσαν.
These would enter the city with great decorum and little stir, and if Cato had no family friend or acquaintance there, they would prepare a reception for him at an inn, without troubling anybody; or, in case there was no inn, they would apply to the magistrates for hospitality, and gladly accept what was given.
πολλάκις δὲ ἀπιστούμενοι καὶ περιορώμενοι διὰ τὸ μὴ θορύβῳ μηδὲ ἀπειλῇ ταῦτα πράσσειν πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας, ὑπὸ τοῦ Κάτωνος ἄπρακτοι κατελαμβάνοντο, καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτὸς ὀφθεὶς ὠλιγωρεῖτο, καὶ παρεῖχεν ἐπὶ τῶν φορτίων σιωπῇ καθεζόμενος ὑπόνοιαν ἀνθρώπου ταπεινοῦ καὶ περιδεοῦς.
But frequently they were distrusted and neglected, because they raised no tumult and made no threats in their dealings with the magistrates. In such a case Cato would find their work not done when he arrived, and he himself would be more despised than his servants when men saw him, and would awaken suspicion, as he sat upon the baggage without saying a word, that he was a man of low condition and very timid.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ προσκαλούμενος αὐτοὺς εἰώθει λέγειν ὦ μοχθηροί, μεταβάλεσθε ταύτης τῆς κακοξενίας. οὐ πάντες ὑμῖν ἀφίξονται Κάτωνες. ἀμβλύνατε ταῖς φιλοφροσύναις τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῶν δεομένων προφάσεως, ἵνα βίᾳ, λαμβάνωσιν, ὡς παρʼ ἑκόντων μὴ τυγχάνοντες.
However, he would then call the magistrates to him and say: Ye miserable wretches, lay aside this inhospitality. Not all men who come to you will be Catos. Blunt by your kind attentions the power of those who only want an excuse for taking by force what they do not get with men’s consent.
ἐν δὲ Συρίᾳ καὶ γελοῖόν τι λέγεται παθεῖν. βαδίζων γὰρ εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν εἶδε περὶ τὰς πύλας ἔξω πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων ἑκατέρωθεν τῆς ὁδοῦ παρακεκριμένων, ἐν οἷς ἔφηβοι μὲν χωρὶς ἐν χλαμύσι καὶ παῖδες ἑτέρωθεν κοσμίως εἱστήκεσαν, ἐσθῆτας δὲ καθαρὰς ἔνιοι καὶ στεφάνους εἶχον, ἱερεῖς θεῶν ὄντες ἢ ἄρχοντες, πάντων οὖν μᾶλλον οἰηθεὶς ὁ Κάτων αὐτῷ τινα πράττεσθαι τιμὴν καὶ δεξίωσιν ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως, ὠργίζετο μὲν τοῖς προπεμφθεῖσι τῶν ἰδίων, ὡς μὴ κωλύσασιν, ἐκέλευσε δὲ καταβῆναι τοὺς φίλους, καὶ πεζῇ προῄει μετʼ αὐτῶν.
In Syria, too, as we are told, he had a laughable experience. As he was walking into Antioch, he saw at the gates outside a multitude of people drawn up on either side of the road, among whom stood, in one group, young men with military cloaks, and in another, boys with gala robes, while some had white raiment and crowns, being priests or magistrates. Cato, accordingly, thinking that this could only be some honourable reception which the city was preparing for him, was angry with his servants who had been sent on in advance, because they had not prevented it; but he ordered his friends to dismount, and went forward on foot with them.
ὡς δʼ ἐγγὺς ἦσαν, ὁ πάντα διακοσμῶν ἐκεῖνα καὶ τὸν ὄχλον εἰς τάξιν καθιστάς, ἀνὴρ πρεσβύτερος ἤδη, ῥάβδον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ καὶ στέφανον κρατῶν, ἀπήντησε τῷ Κάτωνι πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων, καὶ μηδὲ ἀσπασάμενος ἠρώτα ποῦ Δημήτριον ἀπολελοίπασι καὶ πηνίκα παρέσται. Πομπηΐου δὲ ἦν γεγονὼς ὁ Δημήτριος οἰκέτης· τότε δὲ πάντων, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἀνθρώπων εἰς Πομπήϊον ἀποβλεπόντων, ἐθεραπεύετο παρʼ ἀξίαν, μέγα παρʼ αὐτῷ δυνάμενος.
When, however, they were near the gate, he who was arranging all these ceremonies and marshalling the crowd, a man now well on in years, holding a wand and a crown in his hand, advanced to meet Cato, and without even greeting him asked where they had left Demetrius and when he would be there. Now, Demetrius had once been a slave of Pompey, but at this time, when all mankind, so to speak, had their eyes fixed upon Pompey, he was courted beyond his deserts, since he had great influence with Pompey.
τοῖς μὲν οὖν φίλοις τοῦ Κάτωνος γέλως ἐνέπεσε τοσοῦτος ὥστε ἀναλαβεῖν ἑαυτοὺς οὐκ ἐδύναντο διὰ τοῦ πλήθους ἅμα βαδίζοντες, ὁ δὲ Κάτων τότε μὲν ἰσχυρῶς διατραπείς, ὦ τῆς κακοδαίμονος, ἔφη, πόλεως, ἄλλο δὲ οὐδὲν ἐφθέγξατο, χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον εἰώθει γελᾶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ, καὶ διηγούμενος καὶ μνημονεύων.
Cato’s friends accordingly, were seized with such a fit of laughter that they could not recover themselves even when they were walking through the crowd; but Cato was greatly disturbed at the time, and said: O the unhappy city! and not a word besides. In after times, however, he was wont to laugh at the incident himself also, both when he told it and when he called it to mind.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ Πομπήϊος αὐτὸς ἐπέστρεψε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὕτω πλημμελοῦντας εἰς τὸν Κάτωνα διʼ ἄγνοιαν. ὡς γὰρ εἰς Ἔφεσον ἐλθὼν ἐπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτόν ἀσπασόμενος πρεσβύτερον ὄντα, καὶ δόξῃ πολὺ προήκοντα, καὶ δυνάμεων τότε μεγίστων ἡγούμενον, ἰδὼν ὁ Πομπήϊος οὐκ ἔμεινεν, οὐδὲ εἴασε καθεζομένῳ προσελθεῖν, ἀλλʼ ὥς τινι τῶν κρειττόνων ἀναθορὼν ἀπήντησε, καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν ἐνέβαλε.
However, Pompey himself put to shame the men who were thus neglectful of Cato through ignorance. For when Cato came to Ephesus and was proceeding to pay his respects to Pompey as an older man, one who was greatly his superior in reputation, and then in command of the greatest forces, Pompey caught sight of him and would not wait, nor would he suffer Cato to come to him as he sat, but sprang up as though to honour a superior, went to meet him, and gave him his hand.
καὶ πολλὰ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐν τῷ φιλοφρονεῖσθαι καὶ ἀσπάζεσθαι παρόντα, πλείω δὲ ἔτι μεταστάντος ἐγκώμια διῆλθεν αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ὥστε πάντας ἐπιστρεφομένους καὶ προσέχοντας ἤδη τῷ Κάτωνι, θαυμάζειν ἐξ ὧν πρότερον κατεφρονεῖτο, καὶ πρᾳότητα καὶ μεγαλοψυχίαν ἀναθεωρεῖν. καὶ γὰρ ἡ Πομπηΐου σπουδὴ περὶ αὐτόν οὐκ ἐλάνθανε θεραπεύοντος οὖσα μᾶλλον ἢ φιλοῦντος, ἀλλʼ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι θαυμάζει μὲν παρὄντα, χαίρει δὲ ἀπερχομένῳ.
He also passed many encomiums upon his virtue even while he was present and receiving marks of kindness and affection, and still more after he had withdrawn. Therefore all men, being put to shame and now directing their attention to Cato, admired him for the traits which before had brought him scorn, and made a study of his mildness and magnanimity. And indeed it was no secret that Pompey’s attentions to him were due to self-interest rather than to friendship; men knew that Pompey admired him when he was present, but was glad to have him go away.
τοὺς γὰρ ἄλλους νέους, ὅσοι παρʼ αὐτόν ἀφικνοῦντο, φιλοτιμούμενος κατεῖχε καὶ ποθῶν αὐτῷ συνεῖναι, τοῦ δὲ Κάτωνος οὐδὲν ἐδεήθη τοιοῦτον, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ οὐκ ἀνυπεύθυνος ἄρχων ἐκείνου παρόντος ἐξέπεμψεν ἄσμενος, μόνῳ σχεδὸν ἐκείνῳ τῶν εἰς Ῥώμην πλεόντων τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα παρακαταθέμενος, ἄλλως αὐτῷ προσήκοντα καὶ διὰ συγγένειαν. ἐκ τούτου δόξα καὶ σπουδὴ καὶ ἅμιλλα περὶ αὐτὸν ἦν τῶν πόλεων καὶ δεῖπνα καὶ κλήσεις, ἐν οἷς τοὺς φίλους ἐκέλευε προσέχειν αὐτῷ, μὴ λάθῃ βεβαιώσας τὸν Κουρίωνος λόγον.
For all the other young men who came to him were retained by Pompey, who showed an eager longing for their companionship; of Cato, on the contrary, he made no such request, but, as if he must render account of his command while Cato was there, he was glad to send him away. And yet Cato was almost the only person among those bound for Rome to whom Pompey commended his wife and children, although it is true that they were relatives of his.
As a consequence of all this, the cities eagerly vied with one another in showing Cato honour, and there were suppers and invitations, at which times he would urge his friends to keep close watch upon him, lest he should unawares confirm the saying of Curio.
ὁ γὰρ Κουρίων ἀχθόμενος τῷ αὐστηρῷ τοῦ Κάτωνος, φίλου καὶ συνήθους ὄντος, ἠρώτησεν αὐτόν εἰ πρόθυμός ἐστι μετὰ τὴν στρατείαν γενέσθαι τῆς Ἀσίας θεατής, τοῦ δὲ καὶ πάνυ φήσαντος, εὖ λέγεις, εἶπεν ὁ Κουρίων, ἡδίων γὰρ ἐπανήξεις ἐκεῖθεν καὶ μᾶλλον ἥμερος οὕτω πως καὶ τῷ ῥήματι χρησάμενος.
For Curio, annoyed at the severity of Cato, who was his intimate friend, had asked him whether he was desirous of seeing Asia after his term of service in the army. Certainly I am, said Cato. That’s right, said Curio, for you will come back from there a more agreeable man and more tame,—that is about the meaning of the word he used.
Δηϊόταρος δὲ ὁ Γαλάτης μετεπέμψατο μὲν τὸν Κάτωνα πρεσβύτερος ὢν ἤδη παραθέσθαι τοὺς παῖδας αὐτῷ βουλόμενος καὶ τὸν οἶκον, ἐλθόντι δὲ προσφέρων δῶρα παντοδαπὰ καὶ πειρῶν καὶ δεόμενος πάντα τρόπον οὕτω παρώξυνεν ὥστε, δείλης ἐλθόντα καὶ νυκτερεύσαντα, τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ περὶ τρίτην ὥραν ἀπᾶραι.
But Deiotarus the Galatian sent for Cato, being now an old man, and desiring to commend to his protection his children and his family. When Cato arrived, however, Deiotarus offered him gifts of every sort, and by tempting and entreating him in every way so exasperated him that, although he had arrived late in the day and merely spent the night, on the next day about the third hour he set off.
προελθὼν μέντοι μιᾶς ἡμέρας ὁδόν εὗρεν ἐν Πεσσινοῦντι πλείονα τῶν ἐκεῖ δώρων αὖθις αὐτὸν ὑπομένοντα, καὶ γράμματα τοῦ Γαλάτου δεομένου, λαβεῖν αὐτὸς εἰ μὴ πρόθυμός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς φίλους ἐᾶσαι, πάντως μὲν ἀξίους ὄντας εὖ παθεῖν διʼ ἐκεῖνον οὐκ ὄντων δὲ τῶν ἰδίων τοῦ Κάτωνος τοσούτων.
However, after proceeding a day’s journey, he found at Pessinus more gifts again awaiting him than those he had left behind him, and a letter from the Galatian begging him, if he did not desire to take them himself, at least to permit his friends to do so, since they were in every way worthy to receive benefits on his account, and Cato’s private means would not reach so far.
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τούτοις ἐνέδωκεν ὁ Κάτων, καίπερ ἐνίους τῶν φίλων μαλασσομένους καὶ ὑπομεμφομένους ὁρῶν, ἀλλὰ φήσας ὅτι πᾶσα δωροδοκία προφάσεως ἂν εὐπορήσειεν, οἱ δὲ φίλοι μεθέξουσιν ὧν ἂν ἔχῃ καλῶς καὶ δικαίως κτησάμενος, ἀπέπεμψε τὰ δῶρα πρὸς τὸν Δηϊόταρον.
But not even to these solicitations did Cato yield, although he saw that some of his friends were beginning to weaken and were disposed to blame him; nay, he declared that every taking of gifts could find plenty of excuse, but that his friends should share in what he had acquired honourably and justly. Then he sent his gifts back to Deiotarus.
ἐπεὶ δὲ μέλλοντος ἀπαίρειν εἰς τὸ Βρεντέσιον ᾤοντο δεῖν οἱ φίλοι τὰ λείψανα τοῦ Καιπίωνος εἰς ἕτερον θέσθαι πλοῖον, εἰπὼν ὅτι τῆς ψυχῆς μεθήσεται μᾶλλον ἢ τούτων, ἀνήχθη. καὶ μέντοι λέγεται κατὰ τύχην ἐπισφαλέστατα περᾶσαι, τῶν ἄλλων μετρίως κομιζομένων.
As he was about to set sail for Brundisium, his friends thought that the ashes of Caepio should be put aboard another vessel; but Cato declared that he would rather part with his life than with those ashes, and put to sea. And verily we are told that, as chance would have it, he had a very dangerous passage, although the rest made the journey with little trouble.
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