, has deserted the senate,
and since our leading men think themselves in a seventh heaven, if there
are bearded mullets in their fish-ponds that will come to hand for food,
and neglect everything else, do not you think that I am doing no mean
service if I secure that those who have the power, should not have the
will, to do any harm? As for our friend Cato, you do not love him more
than I do: but after all, with the very best intentions and the most
absolute honesty, he sometimes does harm to the Republic. He speaks and
votes as though he were in the Republic of Plato, not in the scum of
Romulus. What could be fairer than that a man should be brought to trial
who has taken a bribe for his verdict? Cato voted for this: the senate
agreed with him. The equites declared war on the senate, not on me, for
I voted against it. What could be a greater piece of impudence than the
equites renouncing the obligations of their contract? Yet for the sake
of keeping the friendship of the order it was necessary to submit to the
loss. Cato resisted and carried his point. Accordingly, though we have
now had the spectacle of a consul thrown into prison,[157] of riots
again and again stirred up, not one of those moved a finger to help,
with whose support I and the consuls that immediately followed me were
accustomed to defend the Republic. "Well, but," say you, "are we to pay
them for their support?" What are we to do if we can't get it on any
other terms? Are we to be slaves to freedmen or even slaves? But, as you
say, _assez de serieux!_ Favonius[158] carried my tribe with better
credit than his own; he lost that of Lucceius. His accusation of
Nasica[159] was not creditable, but was conducted with moderation: he
spoke so badly that he appeared when in Rhodes to have ground at the
mills more than at the lessons of Molon.[160] He was somewhat angry
with me because I appeared for the defence: however, he is now making up
to me again on public grounds. I will write you word how Lucceius is
getting on when I have seen Caesar, who will be here in a couple of days.
The injury done you by the Sicyonians you attribute to Cato and his
imitator Servilius.[161] Why? did not that blow reach many excellent
citizens? But since the senate has so determined, let us commend it, and
not be in a minority of one.[162] My "Amaltheia"[163] is waiting and
longing for you. My Tusculan and Pompeian properties please me
immensely, except that they have overwhelmed me