So Cato's soul by tyrant power unbow'd,

1681

1676 Opposing stood, and scorn'd the servile crowd; By interest never, or ambition mov'd, Strict justice, for herself, he serv'd and lov'd ;* And Heav'n, which saw the secrets of his breast, Saw the true temple where a God might rest. Astræa, long the hireling judge's sport, Fix'd in his mind her solitary court. Not more to others than himself severe," By love unbiass'd, and uncheck'd by fear, Ill deeds, however varnish'd, he despis'd;

1685

The heart's applause, and not the world's, he pris'd."

Yet

+ Ecce parens verus patriæ, dignissimus aris,
Roma, tuis, per quem nunquam jurare pudebit ;-.

LUCAN. 1. ix. 601.

5-cui [sc. Catoni] ut videtis, etiam cantare non serii hominis videtur. MACROB. 1. ii. c. 10.

Accessit his tot doctrina non moderata nec mitis, fed, ut mihi videtur, paulo asperior et durior quam aut veritas aut natura patiatur.

Cic. pro Muræn.

• Cato with the highest reputation for virtue, and constantly employed in publick affairs, never attained to the consular dignity. This circumstance not only shews the great corruption of the Romans in his time,

but

Yet no extremes deform'd his temperate mind,
The friend was lenient, and the father kind;
And not content with speculative good,

1690

Firm in the pass where danger frown'd, he stood.
All trembling but himself, his host he led,
Where living poisons the burnt soil o'erspread;
While his scorchd brows sustain'd the Lybian heat,
A thousand deaths writh'd hissing at his feet; 1695
Seps, dipsa, asp, and all the snaky brood,
Whose mortal stings polute the vital flood:
Region of terrors! where Medusas reign
Affrights and desolates the pestful plain;
A zenith sun the venom'd rage sublimes,
With dreadful bane, unknown to shadowy climes.
Bad men, who fear'd not heaven, his anger fear'd,'
Yet none would imitate what all rever'd:

1700

but proves also that he either despised the arts of popularity, or did not know how to practise them. Catiline was audacious enough to appear as a candidate for the consulship.

7-neminem ausurum coram Catone peccare.

S

SEN. Epist.

Rome

Rome felt with him the self-inflicted wound,

And Liberty's last tear bedew'd the ground. 1705

C. JULIUS

8

Neque enim Cato post libertatem vixit, nec libertas post Catonem.
SEN. Epist.

The most injurious character of Cato I have met with, and drawn with some appearance of truth, is contained in the following words of the learned Abbé Mongault.

C'êtoit un homme qui avoit plus de droiture que de prudence, qui nuisoit plus au bon parti par son humeur austere et inflexible, qu'il ne le servoit par son zéle ardent, mais peu rêglé. Il s'etoit fait des principes dont il ne se relâchoit jamais, même en faveur des meilleurs citoyens, comme etoit Pontinius. Il ne scavoit pas ménager à la République le peu de gens qui s'interessoient encore pour sa liberté. Il vouloit rappeller dans le siécle le plus corrumpu, comme le plus poli, la virtu rigide et farouche des tems les plus grossiers. Il s'opposoit à tout sans discernement, souvent sans appui, presque toujours sans succès; il usoit ainsi son credit, et perdoit en vains efforts une autorité, qu'il faloit menager pour des occasions plus importantes.

It is to be observed that the above are strictures. upon the temper and judgment of Cato, not upon his morals and virtue.

The reader may now peruse the opposite sentiments of another distinguished Frenchman on the same subject.

Je crois (says Montesquieu) que si Caton s'etoit réservé pour la république, il auroit donné aux choses tout un autre tour. Cicéron avec des parties admiraoles pour un second rôle, étoit incapable du prémier:

il

JULIUS CÆSAR.