Cato the Younger 51
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nd now Pompey also returning with glory from the war, andconfiding in the good-will of the people, shown in their splendidreception of him, thought he should be denied nothing, and senttherefore to the senate to put off the assembly for the election ofconsuls, till he could be present to assist Piso, who stood for thatoffice. To this most of the senators were disposed to yield;Cato only not so much thinking that this delay would be ofgreat importance, but, desiring to cut down at once Pompey’shigh expectations and designs, withstood his request, and sooverruled the senate that it was carrried against him. And thisnot a little disturbed Pompey, who found he should very oftenfail in his projects unless he could bring-over Cato to his interest.He sent, therefore, for Munatius, his friend; and Cato havingtwo nieces that were marriageable, he offered to marry the_ eldest himself, and take the youngest for his son. Some say_ they were not his nieces, but his daughters. Munatius proposed_ the matter to Cato, in presence of his wife and sisters; the_ women were full of joy at the prospect of an alliance with so» great and important a person. But Cato, without delay or balancing, forming his decision at once, answered, ‘“‘ Go, Muna-tius, go and tell Pompey that Cato is not assailable on the side_ of the women’s chamber; I am grateful indeed for the intended_ kindness, and so long as his actions are upright, I promise him afriendship more sure than any marriage alliance, but I will notgive hostages to Pompey’s glory against my country’s safety.”This answer was very much against the wishes of the women,and to all his friends it seemed somewhat harsh and haughty.But afterwards, when Pompey, endeavouring to get the consul-ship for one of his friends, gave pay to the people for their votes,and the bribery was notorious, the money being counted out inPompey’s own gardens, Cato then said to the women, they mustnecessarily have been concerned in the contamination of thesemisdeeds of Pompey, if they had been allied to his family; andthey acknowledged that he did best in refusing it, Yet if wemay judge by the event, Cato was much to blame im rejecting_ that alliance, which thereby fell to Cesar. And then that matchwas made, which, uniting his and Pompey’s power, had well-nigh ruined the Roman empire, and did destroy the common-wealth, Nothing of which, perhaps, had come to pass, but thatCaté was too apprehensive of Pompey’s least faults, and did notconsider how he forced him into conferring on another man theopportunity of committing the greatest. These things, however, were yet to come. Lucullus and
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