ht food, and suitable
for sick persons, except that it often happened that those who ate of
them suffered from nightmares. He used to declare that by following
this regimen, he kept both himself and all his household in perfect
health.

XXIV. He seems to have been justly rewarded for his quackery, for he
lost both his wife and his son by sickness. He himself, however,
being of an iron constitution, made a second marriage, in spite of his
advanced age, being led into it by the following circumstances. After
the death of his wife he arranged a marriage between his son and the
daughter of AEmilius Paulus, who was the sister of Scipio. He himself
meanwhile solaced himself by an intrigue with a maid-servant who
visited him by stealth. However, in a small house with a
daughter-in-law in it this could not be kept secret; and one day when
this woman was insolently swaggering into his father's bedchamber,
young Cato was observed by the old man to glance at her with bitter
hatred and then turn away in disgust. As soon as Cato perceived that
his conduct vexed his children, he said not a word, but went into the
forum with his friends, as was his wont. Here one Salonius, who was
one of his under-secretaries, met him and began to pay his respects to
him, when Cato asked him in a loud voice whether he had provided a
husband for his daughter. On the man's replying that he had not, and
would not presume to do so without consulting him, Cato replied,
"Well, I, by Jupiter, have found a very suitable person to marry her,
unless his age be any objection: for he is very passable in all
respects except that he is very old." As Salonius upon this bade him
carry out his intention and marry the girl to whomsoever he pleased,
seeing that she was his client[31] and he was her patron, Cato without
a moment's delay told him that he wished to marry the girl himself.
This proposal at first, as might be expected, astonished the
secretary, who had thought that a man at Cato's time of life was very
unlikely to marry, and had never dreamed that his humble family would
be allied with a house which could boast of consulates and triumphs;
but as he saw that Cato was in earnest he gladly accepted his offer.
While the preparations for the marriage were in progress, young Cato,
taking his relatives with him, went and inquired of his father whether
he had reproached or annoyed him in any way, that he was putting a
mother-in-law over him. Cato at this question c