ried out aloud, "Hush,
my son; I approve of all that you have done, and find no fault with
you: I only desire to leave behind me more sons of my race, and more
citizens to serve the state." It is said that this remark was first
made by Peisistratus, the despot of Athens, when, although he had sons
grown up, he married Timonassa of Argos, by whom we are told that he
had two sons, Iophon and Thessalus. Cato also had a son by his second
marriage, whom he named Salonius after his mother. His eldest son died
during his praetorship. Cato often mentions him in his writings as
having been a brave and good man, but is said to have borne his loss
with philosophic resignation, and to have taken as keen an interest in
politics as before. He did not, as was afterwards done by Lucius
Lucullus or Metellus Pius, abandon public life when he grew old, and
think that it was a burden to take part in politics; still less did he
imitate Scipio Africanus, who some years before had proudly turned his
back on the people who grudged him the glory he had won, and spent the
rest of his life in ease and retirement. Some one is said to have told
Dionysius of Syracuse that an absolute monarchy is the best thing for
a man to die in, and so Cato seemed to think that political life was
the best for him to grow old in, while he amused himself in his
leisure moments by writing and farming.

XXV. He compiled works on various subjects, especially on history.
Farming he applied himself to when very young, on account of his
poverty, for he himself tells us that he had only two sources of
income, farming and frugality. In later life he derived both amusement
and instruction from watching the operations of agriculture, and he
has written a farmer's manual, in which there is even an account of
how to cook cakes and preserve fruits, so desirous was he to show a
thorough knowledge of every subject. His table was never so well
served as when he was in the country; for he used to invite all his
friends and acquaintances from the neighbourhood, and make himself
very agreeable to them, as he was a pleasant companion not only to men
of his own age, but also to the young, having in the course of his
long life seen and heard from others much that was interesting and
curious. He regarded the table as the best means of forming
friendships, and when dining used to praise the good without stint,
but never would allow the names of worthless men to be mentioned,
either by way