further am of opinion that
Carthage should be left alone." Scipio's reason for this was that he
perceived that the lower classes in Rome, elated by success, were
becoming difficult for the Senate to manage, and practically forced
the State to adopt whatever measures they chose. He thought that to
have this fear of Carthage kept constantly hanging over them would be
a salutary check upon the insolence of the people, and he thought that
although Carthage was too weak to conquer the Romans, yet that it was
too strong to be despised by them. Cato, on the other hand, thought it
a dangerous thing that, at a time when the Romans were giddy and drunk
with power, they should leave in existence a city which always had
been important, and which now, sobered by defeat, was biding its time
and lying in wait for a favourable opportunity to avenge itself. He
argued that it was better to set the Romans free from any fear of
foreign states, in order that they might be able to devote themselves
uninterruptedly to the task of political reform.

These are said to have been Cato's reasons for urging his countrymen
to begin the third and last Punic war. He died as soon as the war was
begun, leaving a prophecy that it would be finished by a young man who
was then serving as military tribune, and who had given remarkable
proofs of courage and generalship. Cato, on hearing of his exploits is
said to have quoted Homer's line--

"He alone has solid wisdom; all the rest are shadows vain."

This opinion Scipio soon confirmed by his actions.

Cato left one son by his second wife, who, as has been said, was named
Salonius, and one grandson, the child of his eldest son who was dead.
Salonius died during his praetorship, but his son Marcus became consul.
This man was the grandfather of Cato the Philosopher, who was one of
the foremost men of his day in courage and ability.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 26: Cf. Livy, xxix. ch. 19, _sqq_.]

[Footnote 27: See vol. i., 'Life of Themistokles,' ch. x.]

[Footnote 28: Lictors were attendants granted to Roman magistrates as
a mark of official dignity. See vol. i., 'Life of Romulus,' ch. xxvi.]

[Footnote 29: Spain was divided by the Romans into two provinces, of
which this out was that which was nearer to Rome.]

[Footnote 30: The inhabitants of the town of Firmum, in Picenum; now
_Fermo_.]

[Footnote 31: On the nature of these relations, see 'Smith's Dict. of
Ant.,' s.v.]

COMPARISON OF AR