verned by that feeling of "De mortuis nil nisi bonum,"
which is now common to us all--he might have said much that was not
good. Cato had endeavored to live up to the austerest rules of the
Stoics--a mode of living altogether antagonistic to Cicero's views. But
we know that he praised Cato to the full--and we know also that Caesar
nobly took the praise in good part, as coming from Cicero, and answered
it in an Anti-Cato, in which he stated his reasons for differing from
Cicero. We can understand how Caesar should have shown that the rigid
Stoic was not a man likely to be of service to his country.

There came up at this period a question which made itself popular among
the "optimates" of Rome, as to the return of Marcellus. The man of Como,
whom Marcellus had flogged, will be remembered--the Roman citizen who
had first been made a citizen by Caesar. This is mentioned now not as the
cause of Caesar's enmity, who did not care much probably for his citizen,
but as showing the spirit of the man. He, Marcellus, had been Consul
four years since, B.C. 51, and had then endeavored to procure Caesar's
recall from his province. He was one of the "optimates," an oligarch
altogether opposed to Caesar, a Roman nobleman of fairly good repute, who
had never bent to Caesar, but had believed thoroughly in his order, and
had thought, till the day of Pharsalia came, that the Consuls and the
Senate would rule forever. The day of Pharsalia did come, and Marcellus
went into voluntary banishment in Mitylene. After Pharsalia, Caesar's
clemency began to make itself known. There was a pardon for almost every
Roman who had fought against him, and would accept it. No spark of anger
burnt in Caesar's bosom, except against one or two, of whom Marcellus was
one. He was too wise to be angry with men whose services he might
require. It was Caesar's wish not to drive out the good men but to induce
them to remain in Rome, living by the grace of his favor. Marcellus had
many friends, and it seems that a public effort was made to obtain for
him permission to come back to Rome. We must imagine that Caesar had
hitherto refused, probably with the idea of making his final concession
the more valuable. At last the united Senators determined to implore his
grace, and the Consulares rose one after another in their places, and
all, with one exception,[141] asked that Marcellus might be allowed to
return. Cicero, however, had remained silent to the last. There must
h