τούτων προσπεσόντων ἡ μὲν πόλις, οἷον εἰκὸς ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ πολέμῳ, πρὸς τοιοῦτον ἄγγελμα μικροῦ δεῖν ἔκφρων γενομένη μόλις ἑαυτὴν ἐντὸς τειχῶν κατεῖχεν, ὁ δὲ Κάτων προελθὼν τότε μέν, ὡς ἑκάστοις ἀπήντα διαθέουσι καὶ βοῶσιν, ἐπιλαμβανόμενος καὶ παραμυθούμενος ἀφῄρει τοῦ δέους τὸ περιθαμβὲς καὶ ταραχῶδες, ὡς οὐ τηλικούτων ἴσως γεγονότων, ἀλλὰ ἐπὶ μεῖζον αἰρομένων τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ κατέστησε τὸν θόρυβον·
These things coming suddenly upon the city, the people, as was natural at night and in time of war, were almost beside themselves at such tidings, and could with difficulty keep themselves within the walls. But Cato came forth, and for the present, whenever he met people running about and shouting, would lay hold of them one by one, and with encouraging words would take away the excessive wildness and confusion of their fear, saying that perhaps the defeat was not so bad as reported, but had been magnified in the telling, and thus he allayed the tumult;
ἅμα δʼ ἡμέρᾳ τοὺς τριακοσίους οἷς ἐχρῆτο βουλῇ, Ῥωμαίους μὲν ὄντας, ἐν δὲ Λιβύῃ πραγματευομένους ἀπὸ ἐμπορίας καὶ δανεισμῶν, εἰς ἱερὸν Διὸς ἐκήρυττε συνιέναι, καὶ ὅσοι παρῆσαν ἀπὸ συγκλήτου, καὶ παῖδας αὑτῶν, ἔτι δὲ συλλεγομένων ἐκείνων προσελθὼν ἀθορύβως καὶ μετὰ εὐσταθείας, ὥσπερ οὐδενὸς καινοῦ γεγονότος, βιβλίον ἔχων ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ἀνεγίνωσκεν. ἦν δὲ ἀναγραφὴ τῶν πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον ὀργάνων, ὅπλων, σίτου, τόξων, ὁπλιτῶν.
but as soon as it was day, he issued proclamation that the three hundred who made up his senate (they were Romans, and were doing business in Libya as merchants and money-lenders) should assemble in the temple of Jupiter, as well as all the senators from Rome who were present, with their children. And while they were still coming together, he advanced quietly and with a composed countenance, and as if nothing unusual had happened, with a book in his hands from which he was reading. This was a register of his military engines, arms, grain, and men-at-arms.
ἐπεὶ δὲ συνῆλθον, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν τριακοσίων καὶ διελθὼν πολὺν ἔπαινον τῆς προθυμίας αὑτῶν καὶ τῆς πίστεως, ἣν ἐπεδείξαντο καὶ χρήμασι καὶ σώμασι καὶ βουλαῖς ὠφελιμώτατοι γενόμενοι, παρεκάλει μὴ διαλυθῆναι ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἕκαστον αὑτῷ φυγὴν ἰδίαν ἢ ἀπόδρασίν τινα ποριζόμενον. ἂν γὰρ ἐν ταὐτῷ συμμένωσι, καὶ πολεμούντων ἧττον καταφρονήσειν Καίσαρα, καὶ φείσεσθαι μᾶλλον δεομένων.
After they had come together, beginning with the three hundred and commending at great length their zeal and fidelity, which they had manifested by making themselves most helpful with their means and persons and advice, he exhorted them not to ruin their good prospects by trying to procure for themselves severally some separate flight or escape. For if they should hold together, he said, Caesar would despise them less as foes, and show them more mercy as suppliants.
βουλεύεσθαι δʼ ἐκέλευεν αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν, οὐδέτερα μεμψόμενος, ἀλλʼ εἰ μὲν τρέποιντο τῇ γνώμῃ πρὸς τὴν τύχην, τῆς ἀνάγκης θησόμενος τὴν μεταβολήν ἱσταμένων δὲ πρὸς τὰ δεινὰ καὶ δεχομένων τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐλευθερίας κίνδυνον, οὐκ ἐπαινεσόμενος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμασόμενος τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ παρέξων ἑαυτὸν ἄρχοντα καὶ συναγωνιζόμενον,
Moreover, he urged them to deliberate upon their future course, declaring that he would have no fault to find with either decision which they might make. If they should turn their allegiance to the fortunate side, he would attribute their change to necessity; but if they should face the threatening evil and accept danger in defence of liberty, he would not only praise them, but would admire their valour and make himself their leader and fellow combatant,
ἄχρι οὗ τὴν ἐσχάτην τύχην τῆς πατρίδος ἐξελέγξωσιν, ἣν οὐκ Ἰτύκην οὐδὲ Ἀδρούμητον οὖσαν, ἀλλὰ Ῥώμην, πολλάκις ἐκ χαλεπωτέρων σφαλμάτων ὑπὸ μεγέθους ἀναφέρεσθαι, πολλῶν δʼ αὐτοῖς εἰς σωτηρίαν καὶ ἀσφάλειαν ὑποκειμένων, καὶ μεγίστου πρὸς ἄνδρα πολεμεῖν ἐπὶ πολλὰ τοῖς καιροῖς ἀνθελκόμενον, Ἰβηρίας τε πρὸς Πομπήϊον ἀφεστώσης τὸν νέον,
until they had fully tested the ultimate fortunes of their country; and this country was not Utica, nor Adrumetum, but Rome, and had many times by her greatness recovered from more grievous disasters. Besides, he said, many things favoured their salvation and security, and chiefly the fact that they were waging war against a man who was drawn in many opposing directions by the exigencies of the times. For Spain had gone over to the younger Pompey,
αὐτῆς τε τῆς Ῥώμης οὔπω διʼ ἀήθειαν παντάπασι δεδεγμένης τὸν χαλινόν, ἀλλʼ ἀναξιοπαθούσης καὶ συνεξανισταμένης πρὸς πᾶσαν μεταβολήν, οὐδὲ τὸν κίνδυνον εἶναι φευκτέον, ἀλλὰ ἔχειν διδάσκαλον τὸν πολέμιον ἀφειδοῦντα τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπὶ ταῖς μεγίσταις ἀδικίαις, οὐχ ὥσπερ ἑαυτοῖς εἰς τὸν εὐτυχέστατον βίον κατορθοῦσιν ἢ πταίουσιν εἰς τὸν εὐκλεέστατον θάνατον τὴν ἀδηλότητα τοῦ πολέμου τελευτᾶν.
and Rome herself had not yet altogether accepted the bit to which she was so unaccustomed, but was impatient of her lot and ready to rise up unitedly at any change in the situation. Nor, he assured them, was danger a thing to be shunned, but they must learn a lesson from their enemy, who spared not his life in perpetrating the greatest wrongs, while in their own case, so different from his, the uncertainties of war would end in a most happy life, if they were successful, or in a most glorious death, if they failed.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἐκείνους γε δεῖν ἔφη βουλεύεσθαι καθʼ ἑαυτούς, συνευχόμενος ἀντὶ τῆς πρόσθεν ἀρετῆς καὶ προθυμίας αὐτοῖς τὰ δόξαντα συνενεγκεῖν.
However, it was for them to deliberate by themselves, he said, and in return for their former bravery and zeal he joined them in praying that what they decided might be for their advantage.
τοιαῦτα τοῦ Κάτωνος εἰπόντος, ἦσαν μὲν οἱ καὶ τοῖς λόγοις ἀγόμενοι πρὸς τὸ θαρρεῖν, οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι πρὸς τὸ ἀδεὲς καὶ γενναῖον αὐτοῦ καὶ φιλάνθρωπον ὀλίγου δεῖν ἐκλαθόμενοι τῶν παρόντων, ὡς μόνον ὄντα τοῦτον ἀήττητον ἡγεμόνα καὶ πάσης κρείττονα τύχης, ἐδέοντο χρῆσθαι καὶ σώμασιν αὐτῶν καὶ χρήμασι καὶ ὅπλοις, ὅπως αὐτὸς ἔγνωκε· κρεῖττον γὰρ ἐκείνῳ πειθομένους ἀποθανεῖν ἢ σώζεσθαι προδόντας ἀρετὴν τοσαύτην.
When Cato had thus spoken, there were some whom his words merely restored to confidence, but the majority, in view of his fearlessness, nobility, and generosity, almost forgot their present troubles in the conviction that he alone was an invincible leader and superior to every fortune, and they begged him to use their lives and property and arms as he himself judged best; for it was better to die as his willing followers than to save their lives by betraying such virtue as his.
εἰπόντος δέ τινος ὡς χρὴ ψηφίσασθαι δούλοις ἐλευθερίαν, καὶ τῶν πλείστων συνεπαινεσάντων, οὐκ ἔφη τοῦτο ποιήσειν ὁ Κάτων οὐ γὰρ εἶναι νόμιμον οὐδὲ δίκαιον, αὐτῶν μέντοι τῶν δεσποτῶν ἀφιέντων τοὺς ἐν ἡλικίᾳ δέχ; εσθαι. γενομένων δὲ πολλῶν ὑποσχέσεων κελεύσας ἀπογράφεσθαι τὸν βουλόμενον ἀπηλλάττετο.
And now someone proposed that they should pass a vote giving freedom to the slaves, and the majority approved; but Cato said he would not do this, since it was not lawful or right; if, how ever, the masters of their own accord gave up their slaves, those slaves who were of military age should be accepted. Many promises to do this were made, and after ordering a list to be made of all who were willing, Cato withdrew.
καὶ μετὰ μικρὸν ἧκεν αὐτῷ γράμματα παρὰ Ἰόβα καὶ Σκηπίωνος, Ἰόβα μὲν ἐν ὄρει κεκρυμμένου μετʼ ὀλίγων ἐρωτῶντος ὅ τι πράττειν δέδοκται τῷ Κάτωνι· καὶ γὰρ περιμενεῖν Ἰτύκην ἐκλιπόντα καὶ πολιορκουμένῳ μετὰ στρατιᾶς ἐπιβοηθήσειν, Σκηπίωνος δὲ πρὸς ἄκρᾳ τινὶ ναυλοχοῦντος οὐ πόρρω τῆς Ἰτύκης ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς καραδοκοῦντος.
After a little while there came to him letters from Juba and Scipio. Juba, who was hidden on a mountain with a few men, asked what Cato had decided to do; for if he abandoned Utica, Juba would wait for him, and if he underwent a siege, Juba would come to his aid with an army. Scipio, who was stationed with his fleet off a certain headland not far from Utica, awaited Cato’s decision in the same way.
ἔδοξεν οὖν τῷ Κάτωνι τοὺς γραμματοφόρους ἐπισχεῖν, ἄχρι οὗ βεβαιώσῃ τὰ παρὰ τῶν τριακοσίων, οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ βουλῆς ἦσαν πρόθυμοι, καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας εὐθὺς ἀφιέντες ἐλευθέρους ὥπλιζον τῶν δὲ τριακοσίων, ἅτε δὴ πλωτικῶν καὶ δανειστικῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τὸ πλεῖστον ἐν τοῖς οἰκέταις τῆς οὐσίας ἐχόντων, οὐ πολὺν οἱ Κάτωνος λόγοι χρόνον ἐμμείναντες ἐξερρύησαν·
Accordingly, Cato decided to detain the bearers of the letters until he felt sure of the attitude of the three hundred. For the Romans of senatorial rank were eager in his cause, and after promptly manumitting their slaves, were arming them; but as for the three hundred, since they were men engaged in navigation and money-lending and had the greater part of their property in slaves, the words of Cato did not long abide in their minds, but lapsed away.
καθάπερ γὰρ τῶν σωμάτων τὰ μανὰ δέχεται ῥᾳδίως τὴν θερμότητα καὶ πάλιν μεθίησι, τοῦ πυρὸς ἀπαχθέντος ψυχούμενα, παραπλησίως ἐκείνους ὁ μὲν Κάτων ὁρώμενος ἀνεζωπύρει καὶ διεθέρμαινεν, αὐτοὺς δὲ ἑαυτοῖς λόγον διδόντας ὁ Καίσαρος φόβος ἐξέκρουσε τῆς πρὸς Κάτωνα καὶ τὸ καλὸν αἰδοῦς. τίνες γὰρ, ἔφασαν, ὄντες, τίνι τὸ προστασσόμενον ποιεῖν ἀπαξιοῦμεν;
For just as porous bodies readily receive heat and as readily yield it up again and grow cold when the fire is removed, in like manner these men, when they saw Cato, were filled with warmth and kindled into flame; but when they came to think matters over by themselves, their fear of Caesar drove away their regard for Cato and for honour. Who, pray, are we, they said, and who is he whose commands we are refusing to obey?
οὐχὶ Καῖσαρ μὲν οὗτος εἰς ὃν ἡ Ῥωμαίων ἅπασα περιέστηκεν ἰσχύς; ἡμῶν δὲ Σκηπίων οὐδεὶς οὐδὲ Πομπήϊος οὐδὲ Κάτων, ἀλλὰ ἐν οἷς καιροῖς πάντες ἄνθρωποι ταπεινότερα τῶν προσηκόντων διὰ φόβον φρονοῦσιν, ἐν τούτοις ἡμεῖς ὑπερμαχοῦντες τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐλευθερίας πολεμοῦμεν ἐξ Ἰτύκης ᾧ Κάτων μετὰ Πομπηΐου Μάγνου φεύγων ὑφεῖτο τῆς Ἰταλίας; καὶ δούλους ἐλευθεροῦμεν κατὰ Καίσαρος, οἷς αὐτοῖς ἐλευθερίας, ὅσον ἂν ἐκεῖνος θέλῃ, μέτεστιν; ἀλλʼ ἔτι νῦν, ὦ μοχθηροὶ, γνόντες ἑαυτοὺς παραιτώμεθα τὸν κρατοῦντα καὶ πέμψωμεν τοὺς δεησομένους.
Is he not Caesar, upon whom the whole power of Rome has devolved? And not one of us is a Scipio, or a Pompey, or a Cato. But at a time when all men are led by fear to think more humbly than they ought to think, at such a time shall we fight in defence of the liberty of Rome, and wage war in Utica against a man before whom Cato, with Pompey the Great, fled and gave up Italy? And shall we give our slaves freedom in opposition to Caesar, we who ourselves have only as much freedom as he may wish to give us? Nay, before it is too late, poor wretches, let us know ourselves, crave the conqueror’s grace, and send men to entreat him.
ταῦτα οἱ μετριώτατοι τῶν τριακοσίων παρῄνουν οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι τοῖς συγκλητικοῖς ἐπεβούλευον, ὡς, εἰ τούτους συλλάβοιεν, ἱλασόμενοι τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὀργὴν τοῦ Καίσαρος.
This was the course which the more moderate of the three hundred advised; but the majority of them were laying a plot against the men of senatorial rank, in the hope that by seizing these they might mitigate Caesar’s wrath against themselves.
Cite This Text