affairs are ruined, when we see that love of power abides among us even when we are in the midst of ruin?” In the mean time hearing that the horsemen, as they were leaving the city, were pillaging and plundering the people of Utica, as if their property was booty, Cato hurried to them as fast as he could run, and took the plunder from the first that he met with, and the rest made haste to throw it away or set it down on the ground, and all of them for very shame retired in silence and with downcast looks.  Cato having called together the people of Utica in the city, entreated them not to irritate Caesar against the three hundred, but to unite altogether to secure their safety.  Then again betaking himself to the sea he inspected the persons who were embarking, and all his friends and acquaintance whom he could persuade to go away, he embraced and accompanied to the shore.  But he did not recommend his son to take shipping, nor did he think it his duty to turn him from his purpose of sticking to his father.  There was one Statyllius, in years a young man, but one who aimed at being resolute in character and an imitator of the indifference of Cato.  This man Cato entreated to embark, for he was notoriously a hater of Caesar; and-when he would not go, Cato looking on Apollonides the Stoic and Demetrius the Peripatetic said—­“It is your business to soften this stubborn man and to fashion him to his own interests.”  But Cato himself was busied all the night and the greatest part of the following day in assisting the rest in making their escape and helping those who wanted his aid.

LXVI.  When Lucius Caaesar,[752] who was a kinsman of Caesar, and about to go to him as ambassador on behalf of the three hundred, urged Cato to help him in devising some plausible speech which he should employ on behalf of the three hundred, “for on thy behalf,” he continued, “it is becoming for me to touch the hands and to fall down at the knees of Caesar,” Cato would not allow him to do this, and said, “For my part, if I wished to save my life by Caesar’s favour, I ought to go to him myself.  But I do not choose to thank a tyrant for his illegal acts; and he acts illegally in sparing as master those whom he has no right to lord it over.  However, if you please, let us consider how you shall get pardon for the three hundred.”  After talking with Lucius on this matter he presented his son and his friends to him as he was departing, and after accompanying him some distance and taking leave of him he returned home, and then calling together his son and his friends he spoke on many subjects, among which he forbade his son to meddle in political matters, for, he said, circumstances no longer allowed him to act as befitted a Cato, and to act otherwise was base.  At evening he went to the bath.  While he was bathing, he remembered Statyllius, and calling out aloud he said, “Apollonides, have you sent Statyllius away, and brought him down from his stubborn temper, and has the man gone without even taking leave of us?” “By no means,” replied Apollonides, “though we said much to him, but he is lofty and immovable and says he will stay and do whatever you do.”  On this they say that Cato smiled and replied, “Well, this will soon be shown.”