δὲ Κάτων ʼὑπονοῶν τὴν μεταβολὴν οὐκ ἤλεγχε, τῷ μέντοι Σκηπίωνι καὶ τῷ Ἰόβᾳ γράψας ἀπέχεσθαι τῆς Ἰτύκης ἀπιστίᾳ Τῶν τριακοσίων ἐξέπεμψε τοὺς γραμματοφόρους. τῶν δὲ ἱππέων οἱ διαφυγόντες ἀπὸ τῆς μάχης, ἀριθμὸς οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητος, προσελάσαντες τῇ Ἰτύκῃ πέμπουσι πρὸς τὸν Κάτωνα τρεῖς ἄνδρας οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν γνώμην ἀπὸ πάντων ἔχοντας.
Cato suspected their change of heart, but would not tax them with it. However, he wrote to Scipio and Juba advising them to keep away from Utica, because the three hundred were not to be trusted, and sent away the letter-bearers. And now the horsemen who had escaped from the battle, in numbers quite considerable, rode up to Utica and sent three of their number to Cato.
οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀπιέναι πρὸς Ἰόβαν, οἱ δὲ τῷ Κάτωνι προσχωρεῖν ὥρμηντο, τοὺς δὲ καὶ δέος εἶχεν εἰς Ἰτύκην παριέναι. ταῦτα ὁ Κάτων ἀκούσας τοῖς μὲν τριακοσίοις ἐκέλευσε προσέχειν Μᾶρκον Ῥούβριον, ἀτρέμα τὰς ἀπογραφὰς Τῶν ἐλευθερούντων δεχόμενον καὶ μὴ προσβιαζόμενον,
These men, however, did not bring the same proposition from the whole body. For one party among them was bent on going off to Juba, another wanted to join Cato, while a third was prevented by fear from entering Utica. On hearing their views, Cato ordered Marcus Rubrius to attend to the three hundred; he was to accept quietly the lists of those who gave freedom to their slaves, and was to use no compulsion.
αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς συγκλητικοὺς ἀναλαβὼν προῆλθεν ἔξω τῆς Ἰτύκης, καὶ τοῖς ἱππάρχοις ἐνέτυχε δεόμενος μὴ προέσθαι Ῥωμαίων ἄνδρας ἀπὸ βουλῆς τοσούτους μηδὲ Ἰόβαν ἑλέσθαι στρατηγὸν ἀντὶ Κάτωνος, ἀλλὰ σῴζεσθαι κοινῇ καὶ σῴζειν, παρελθόντας εἰς πόλιν οὔτε κατὰ κράτος ἁλώσιμον εἰς ἔτη τε πάμπολλα σῖτον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην παρασκευὴν ἔχουσαν.
But Cato himself took the men of senatorial rank and went forth outside of Utica. Here he conferred with the leaders of the horsemen, entreating them not to abandon so great a number of Roman senators, and not to choose Juba as their commander instead of Cato, but to save others as well as save themselves by coming into a city which could not be taken by storm, and had grain and other requisite provision for very many years.
ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Τῶν συγκλητικῶν δεομένων καὶ δακρυόντων οἱ μὲν ἵππαρχοι διελέγοντο τοῖς ἱππεῦσιν, ὁ δὲ Κάτων ἐπὶ χώματός τινος καθίσας μετὰ Τῶν συγκλητικῶν ἀνέμενε τὰς ἀποκρίσεις.
In these entreaties the senators also joined, and with tears; whereupon the leaders of the horsemen discussed the matter with the horsemen, while Cato sat down on a mound with the senators and awaited the answers.
ἐν δὲ τούτῳ παρῆν ὁ Ῥούβριος σὺν ὀργῇ κατηγορῶν τῶν τριακοσίων ἀκοσμίαν πολλὴν καὶ θόρυβον, ὡς ἀφισταμένων καὶ διαταραττόντων τὴν πόλιν. ἐφʼ οἷς οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι παντάπασιν ἀπογνόντες ἑαυτῶν εἰς δάκρυα καὶ ὀδυρμοὺς ἐξέπεσον, ὁ δὲ Κάτων ἐκείνους τε θαρσύνειν ἐπειρᾶτο καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τριακοσίους ἔπεμψεν ἀναμεῖναι κελεύων.
At this juncture Rubrius came up, wrathfully denouncing the three hundred for great disorder and tumult, inasmuch as they were falling away and throwing the city into confusion. Thereupon the other Romans altogether despaired of their case and burst into tears and lamentations; but Cato tried to encourage them, and sent to the three hundred bidding them await his coming. And now the spokesmen of the horsemen came with immoderate demands.
οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἱππέων ἧκον οὐ μέτρια προστάττοντες· ἔφασαν γὰρ οὔτε Ἰόβα δεῖσθαι μισθοδοτοῦντος οὔτε Καίσαρα φοβεῖσθαι Κάτωνος αὐτῶν ἄρχοντος, Ἰτυκαίοις δέ, Φοίνιξιν ἀνθρώποις εὐμεταβόλοις, συγκαθείργνυσθαι δεινὸν εἶναι· καὶ γὰρ εἰ νῦν ἀτρεμοῦσιν, ὅταν Καῖσαρ ἐπίῃ, συνεπιθήσεσθαι καὶ προδώσειν.
They said they neither wanted Juba for a paymaster, nor feared Caesar if Cato were their leader, but that to be shut up with the people of Utica, a fickle Phoenician folk, was a fearful thing; for even though they were quiet now, whenever Caesar came up against them they would play the traitor and aid him in his attacks.
εἴπερ οὖν δεῖταί τις αὐτῶν συμπολεμούντων καὶ συμπαρόντων, ἐκβαλὼν ἅπαντας Ἰτυκαίους ἢ διαφθείρας, οὕτως εἰς πόλιν καθαρὰν πολεμίων καὶ βαρβάρων καλείτω. ταῦτα ὁ Κάτων ἄγρια μὲν δεινῶς ἡγεῖτο καὶ βάρβαρα, πρᾴως δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο βουλεύσεσθαι μετὰ τῶν τριακοσίων.
If, therefore, any one wanted their aid in war and their presence, he must first drive out or destroy all the people of Utica, and then invite the horsemen into a city that was free from Barbarians and enemies. This proposal Cato regarded as excessively barbarous and cruel, but he returned a mild answer, saying that he would advise with the three hundred.
καὶ παρελθὼν αὖθις εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐνετύγχανε τοῖς ἀνδράσιν οὐκέτι σκήψεις οὐδὲ παραγωγὰς πλασσομένοις ὑπʼ αἰδοῦς πρὸς αὐτόν, ἄντικρυς δέ χαλεπαίνουσιν εἴ τις αὐτοὺς βιάζοιτο πολεμεῖν Καίσαρι μὴ δυναμένους μηδὲ βουλομένους· ἔνιοι δὲ καὶ παρεφθέγγοντο περὶ τῶν συγκλητικῶν, ὡς καθεκτέον ἐν τῇ πόλει Καίσαρος προσιόντος.
So he went back into the city, where he found the men no longer manufacturing pretexts or evasions out of regard for him, but downright angry that any one should try to force them to war with Caesar when they were neither able nor willing. And some of them actually muttered that the men of senatorial rank ought to be detained in the city while Caesar was approaching.
ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν ὡς οὐκ ἀκούσας ὁ Κάτων παρῆκε· καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὑποκωφότερος· ὡς δέ τις αὐτῷ προσελθὼν ἀπήγγειλε τοὺς μὲν ἱππεῖς ἀπιέναι, φοβηθεὶς μὴ παντάπασιν οἱ τριακόσιοι κατὰ τῶν συγκλητικῶν ἀπονοηθῶσιν, ἐβάδιζε μετὰ τῶν φίλων ἐξαναστάς· καὶ θεασάμενος ἤδη προκεχωρηκότας ἵππον λαβὼν ἐδίωκε πρὸς αὐτούς.
But this Cato let pass, as though he had not heard it (and indeed he was somewhat deaf); when, however, men came to him with tidings that the horsemen were going away, he was afraid that the three hundred might become altogether desperate in their hostility to the senators, and therefore rose up and set out on foot with his friends; and when he perceived that the horsemen had already gone on, he took a horse and hastened after them.
οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες ἄσμενοι προσελαύνοντα καὶ ἐδέξαντο καὶ παρεκάλουν σῴζεσθαι μετʼ αὐτῶν, τότε καὶ δακρῦσαι τὸν Κάτωνά φασιν ὑπὲρ τῶν συγκλητικῶν δεόμενον καὶ προτείνοντα τὰς χεῖρας, ἐνίων δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἀναστρέφοντα καὶ τῶν ὅπλων ἀντιλαμβανόμενον, μέχρι οὗ κατειργάσατο τὴν γοῦν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ἐπιμείναντας ἀσφαλῆ τοῖς ἀνδράσι φυγὴν παρασχεῖν.
The horsemen were glad when they saw him riding up, and greeted him, and exhorted him to save himself with them. Then, it is said, Cato actually burst into tears as he begged with outstretched hands in behalf of the senators, even trying to turn back the horses of some of the horsemen and laying hold of their arms, until he prevailed upon them to remain there that day at least, and to make the flight of the senators safe.
ὡς οὖν ἔχων αὐτούς ἀφίκετο καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς πύλας κατέστησε, τοῖς δὲ τὴν ἄκραν φυλάττειν παρέδωκεν, ἔδεισαν οἱ τριακόσιοι μὴ δίκην δῶσι τῆς μεταβολῆς· καὶ πρὸς τὸν Κάτωνα πέμποντες ἐδέοντο πάντως ἀφικέσθαι πρὸς αὑτούς, οἱ. δὲ συγκλητικοὶ περιχυθέντες οὐκ εἴων, οὐδὲ ἔφασαν προήσεσθαι τὸν κηδεμόνα καὶ σωτῆρα τοῖς ἀπίστοις καὶ προδόταις.
Accordingly, when he came to the city with them, stationed some of them at the gates, and committed the citadel to others to guard, the three hundred were afraid they might be punished for their change of allegiance, and sending to Cato they begged him by all means to come to them.
σαφεστάτη γὰρ, ὡς ἔοικεν, αἴσθησις τότε παρέστη καὶ πόθος καὶ θαῦμα τῆς τοῦ Κάτωνος ἀρετῆς πᾶσιν ὁμαλῶς τοῖς ἐν τῇ Ἰτύκῃ γενομένοις, ὡς οὐδὲν ἄρα κίβδηλον οὐδὲ ἀπατηλὸν ἐμέμικτο τοῖς πραττομένοις ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ. πάλαι δὲ ἅνθρωπος ἑαυτὸν ἐγνωκὼς ἀνελεῖν δεινοὺς πόνους ἐπόνει καὶ φροντίδας καὶ ὠδῖνας εἶχεν ὑπὲρ ἄλλων, ὅπως εἰς ἀσφαλὲς καταστήσας ἅπαντας ἀπαλλάξαιτο τοῦ ζῆν.
But the senators crowded about him and would not let him go, declaring that they would not give up their saviour and guardian to treacherous and faithless men. For by that time all the inhabitants of Utica alike most clearly perceived and fondly admired the virtuous qualities of Cato, convinced that nothing deceitful or spurious entered into what he did.
But for a long time the man had determined to destroy himself, and he was undergoing dreadful toils and suffering anxiety and pain in behalf of others, that he might put them all in the way of safety before he took his leave of life.
οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄδηλος ἡ πρὸς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ φορά, καίπερ οὐ φάσκοντος. ὑπήκουσεν οὖν τότε τοῖς τριακοσίοις παραμυθησάμενος τοὺς συγκλητικούς· καὶ μόνος ἧκε πρὸς αὐτούς χάριν ἔχειν ὁμολογοῦντας καὶ δεομένους τὰ μὲν ἄλλα χρῆσθαι καὶ πιστεύειν, εἰ δὲ Κάτωνες οὐκ εἰσὶν οὐδὲ τὸ Κάτωνος φρόνημα χωροῦσιν, οἰκτείρειν τὴν ἀσθένειαν αὐτῶν·
Indeed, there was no secret about his resolution to die, although he said nothing about it. Accordingly, after comforting the senators, he obeyed the call of the three hundred. He came alone to them, and they thanked him, and begged him in all other ways to trust and make use of them, but if they were not Catos and could not carry the large thoughts of Cato, to have pity on their weakness;
ἐγνωκότες δʼ οὖν Καίσαρος δεῖσθαι καὶ πέμπειν πρὸς αὐτόν, ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου μάλιστα καὶ πρώτου ποιήσεσθαι δέησιν· εἰ δὲ μὴ πείθοιεν, οὐδʼ αὐτοῖς διδομένην δέξεσθαι τὴν χάριν, ἀλλʼ ἄχρι ἂν ἐμπνέωσι πολεμήσειν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου. πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Κάτων ἐπαινέσας τὴν εὔνοιαν ἔφη χρῆναι τῆς αὐτῶν σωτηρίας ἕνεκα πέμπειν κατὰ τάχος, ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δὲ μὴ δεῖσθαι·
and now that they had determined to send to Caesar and pray for his mercy, for Cato first of all they would make their prayers; and if they could not prevail with Caesar, they would not accept the grace which he might offer to them, but as long as they had breath would fight for Cato.
In reply to this, alter praising their good will, Cato said that to secure their own safety they ought to send to Caesar with all speed, but they must make no prayer for him;
κεκρατημένων γὰρ εἶναι δέησιν καὶ ἀδικούντων παραίτησιν αὐτὸς δὲ οὐ μόνον ἀήττητος γεγονέναι παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον, ἀλλὰ καὶ νικᾶν ἐφʼ ὅσον ἐβούλετο καὶ κρατεῖν Καίσαρος τοῖς καλοῖς καὶ δικαίοις· ἐκεῖνον δʼ εἶναι τὸν ἑαλωκότα καὶ νενικημένον ἃ γὰρ ἠρνεῖτο πράττων κατὰ τῆς πατρίδος πάλαι, νῦν ἐξηλέγχθαι καὶ πεφωρᾶσθαι.
prayer belonged to the conquered, and the craving of grace to those who had done wrong; but for his part he had not only been unvanquished all his life, but was actually a victor now as far as he chose to be, and a conqueror of Caesar in all that was honourable and just; Caesar was the one who was vanquished and taken; for the hostile acts against his country which he had long denied, were now detected and proven.
τοιαῦτα διαλεχθεὶς τοῖς τριακοσίοις ἀπηλλάττετο· καὶ πυθόμενος Καίσαρα πᾶσαν ἄγοντα τήν στρατιὰν ἤδη καθʼ ὁδὸν εἶναι, παπαὶ, εἶπεν, ὡς ἐπʼ ἄνδρας ἡμᾶς ἐκεῖνος καὶ τραπόμενος πρὸς τοὺς συγκλητικοὺς ἐκέλευε μὴ μέλλειν, ἀλλʼ ἕως παραμένουσιν οἱ ἱππεῖς σῴζεσθαι. καὶ τὰς μὲν ἄλλας ἀπέκλεισε θύρας, μιᾷ δὲ τῇ πρὸς θάλασσαν φερούσῃ τά τε πλοῖα τοῖς ὑφʼ ἑαυτὸν διένειμε καὶ τάξεως ἐπεμελεῖτο, παύων τὰς ἀδικίας καὶ διαλύων τοὺς θορύβους, καὶ τοὺς ἀπόρως ἔχοντας ἐφοδιάζων.
After this discourse to the three hundred, he withdrew; and on learning that Caesar with all his army was already on the march, Aha! he said, he thinks we are men! Then turning to the senators he bade them not delay, but save themselves while the horsemen were still there. He also closed the other gates of the city, and stationing himself at the one leading to the sea, he assigned transports to those under his command, and tried to keep things in order, stopping deeds of wrong, quelling tumults, and supplying stores to those who were destitute.
ἐπεὶ δὲ Μᾶρκος Ὀκτάβιος ἄγων δύο τάγματα πλησίον κατεστρατοπέδευσε καὶ πέμπων ἠξίου τὸν Κάτωνα περὶ ἀρχῆς διορίσασθαι πρὸς αὐτόν, ἐκείνῳ μὲν οὐθὲν ἀπεκρίνατο, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς φίλους εἶπεν εἶτα θαυμάζομεν ὅπως ἀπόλωλε τὰ πράγματα, τήν φιλαρχίαν ὁρῶντες ἡμῖν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ὀλέθρῳ βεβηκόσι παραμένουσαν;
And when Marcus Octavius with two legions encamped near by and sent to Cato demanding that he come to terms with him about the command in the province, Cato would make no reply to him, but said to his friends: Can we then wonder that our cause is lost, when we see that the love of command abides with us though we are standing on the brink of destruction?
ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τοὺς ἱππεῖς ἀκούσας ἀπιόντας ἤδη φέρειν καὶ ἄγειν τὰ τῶν Ἰτυκαίων ὥσπερ λάφυρα, δρόμῳ συνέτεινε πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ τοῖς πρώτοις ἐντυχὼν ἀφῃρεῖτο, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ἕκαστος ἔφθανε ῥίπτων καὶ κατατιθέμενος, πάντες δὲ ὑπʼ αἰσχύνης σιωπῇ καὶ κάτω βλέποντες ἀπῄεσαν. ὁ δὲ Κάτων εἰς τήν πόλιν τοὺς Ἰτυκαίους συναγαγών ἐδεῖτο περὶ τῶν τριακοσίων, μὴ παροξῦναι Καίσαρα κατʼ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κοινῇ τήν σωτηρίαν πράττειν ἀλλήλοις.
At this juncture, hearing that the horsemen, as they went away, were already plundering the people of Utica as though their property was booty, he ran to them as fast as he could; from the first whom he met he took away their plunder, but the rest, every man of them, made haste to lay down or throw away what they had, and all felt so ashamed that they went off in silence and with downcast looks. Then Cato, after calling the people of Utica together into the city, begged them not to embitter Caesar against the three hundred, but to unite with one another in securing safety for all.
εἶτα πάλιν τραπόμενος πρὸς τήν θάλατταν ἐπεσκόπει τοὺς ἐμβαίνοντας, καὶ τῶν φίλων καὶ ξένων ὅσους ἔπεισεν ἠσπάζετο καὶ προὔπεμπε. τὸν δὲ υἱὸν οὐκ ἔπεισε λαβεῖν πλοῖον, οὐδὲ ᾤετο δεῖν ἀποτρέπειν περιεχόμενον τοῦ πατρός, ἦν δέ τις Στατύλλιος, ἀνὴρ τῇ μὲν ἡλικίᾳ, νέος, ἰσχυρὸς δέ τῇ γνώμῃ βουλόμενος εἶναι καὶ τοῦ Κάτωνος ἀπομιμεῖσθαι τὴν ἀπάθειαν.
Next, he betook himself again to the sea and superintended the embarcation there, embracing and escorting on their way all the friends and acquaintances whom he could persuade to go. His son, however, he could not persuade to take ship, nor did he think it his duty to try to turn the young man from his purpose of clinging to his father. But there was one Statyllius, a man who was young in years, but minded to be strong in purpose and to imitate Cato’s calmness.
τοῦτον ἠξίου πλεῖν· καὶ γὰρ ἦν καταφανὴς μισοκαῖσαρ· ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἤθελεν, Ἀπολλωνίδῃ τῷ Στωϊκῷ καὶ Δημητρίῳ τῷ Περιπατητικῷ προσβλέψας ὁ Κάτων, ὑμέτερον, εἶπεν, ἔργον οἰδοῦντα τοῦτον μαλάξαι καὶ καταρτίσαι πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς λοιποὺς συνεκπέμπων καὶ χρηματίζων τοῖς δεομένοις τήν τε νύκτα διέτριβε περὶ ταῦτα καὶ τῆς ἐπιούσης ἡμέρας τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος.
This man Cato insisted should take ship; for he was a notorious hater of Caesar. But when Statyllius would not consent, Cato turned his eyes upon Apollonides the Stoic and Demetrius the Peripatetic, saying: It is your task to reduce this man’s swollen pride and restore him to conformity with his best interests. He himself, however, continued to assist the rest in getting off, and to supply the needy with ways and means, and was thus engaged all through the night and the greater part of the following day.
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