htest. Not easily provoked, his anger, once roused, was
implacable. He learned but slowly, but never forgot a thing once
acquired; he was obedient to his teachers, but wanted to know the reason
of every thing." The stories told of his boyhood bear out this
character. Here is one of them. His tutor took him to Sulla's house. It
was in the evil days of the Proscription, and there were signs of the
bloody work that was going on. "Why does no one kill this man?" he asked
his teacher. "Because, my son, they fear him more than they hate him,"
was the answer. "Why then," was the rejoinder, "have you not given me a
sword that I may set my country free?" The tutor, as it may be supposed,
carried him off in haste.

Like most young Romans he began life as a soldier, and won golden
opinions not only by his courage, which indeed was common enough in a
nation that conquered the world, but by his temperance and diligent
performance of duty. His time of service ended, he set out on his
travels, accepting an invitation from the tributary king of Galatia,
who happened to be an old friend of the family, to visit him. We get an
interesting little picture of a Roman of the upper class on a tour. "At
dawn he would send on a baker and a cook to the place which he intended
to visit. These would enter the town in a most unpretending fashion, and
if their master did not happen to have a friend or acquaintance in the
place, would betake themselves to an inn, and there prepare for their
master's accommodation without troubling any one. It was only when there
was no inn that they went to the magistrates and asked for
entertainment; and they were always content with what was assigned.
Often they met with but scanty welcome and attention, not enforcing
their demands with the customary threats, so that Cato on his arrival
found nothing prepared. Nor did their master create a more favorable
impression, sitting as he did quietly on his luggage, and seeming to
accept the situation. Sometimes, however, he would send for the town
authorities and say, "You had best give up these mean ways, my
inhospitable friends; you won't find that all your visitors are Catos."
Once at least he found himself, as he thought, magnificently received.
Approaching Antioch, he found the road lined on either side with troops
of spectators. The men stood in one company, the boys in another. Every
body was in holiday dress. Some--these were the magistrates and
priests--wore white