attention by his philosophical
conversation and lectures, in which he preached the pernicious doctrine
of an expediency distinct from justice, which he illustrated by the
example of Rome herself: "If Rome were stripped of all that she did not
justly gain, the Romans might go back to their huts." Cato, offended
with his principles, and jealous of the attention paid to the Greek,
gave advice which the Senate followed: "Let these deputies have an
answer, and a polite dismissal as soon as possible."

Cato was an unfeeling and cruel master. His conduct toward his slaves
was detestable. The law held them to be mere chattels, and he treated
them as such, without any regard to the rights of humanity. After supper
he often severely chastised them, thong in hand, for trifling acts of
negligence, and sometimes condemned them to death. When they were worn
out, or useless, he sold them, or turned them out of doors. He treated
the lower animals no better. His war-horse, which bore him through his
campaign in Spain, he sold before he left the country, that the state
might not be charged with the expenses of its transport. As years
advanced he sought gain with increasing eagerness, but never attempted
to profit by the misuse of his public functions. He accepted no bribes;
he reserved no booty to his own use; but he became a speculator, not
only in slaves, but in buildings, artificial waters, and
pleasure-grounds. In this, as in other points, he was a representative
of the old Romans, who were a money-getting and money-loving people.

[Footnote 53: See p. 117.(Third paragraph of Chapter XVII.--Transcriber)]

[Footnote 54: The _Nobiles_ were distinguished from the _Ignobiles_. The
outward distinction of the former was the _Jus Imaginum_. These Imagines
were figures with painted masks of wax, representing the ancestors who
had held any of the curule magistracies. They were placed in cases in
the atrium or reception-hall of the house, and were carried in the
funeral procession of a member of the family. Any one who first obtained
a curule magistracy became the founder of the nobility of his family.
Such a person was himself neither a _Nobilis_ nor an _Ignobilis_. He was
termed a _Novus Homo_, or a new man.]

[Footnote 55: The Latin word for bribery is _ambitus_, literally
canvassing. It must not be confounded with _repetundae_, the offense of
extortion or pecuniary corruption committed by magistrates in the
provinces or at Rome.]

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