324 MARCUS CATO.

a great train of servants and friends, the difference he showed in his economy was something incredible. There was nothing of any sort for which he put the pubHc to expense ; he would walk without a carriage to visit the cities, with one only of the common town officers, who carried his dress, and a cup to offer libation with. Yet, though he seemed thus easy and sparing to all who were under his power, he, on the other hand, showed most inflexible severity and strictness, in what related to pub- lic justice, and was rigorous, and precise in what con- cerned the ordinances of the commonwealth ; so that the Roman government, never seemed more terrible, nor yet more mild, than under his administration. His very manner of speaking seemed to have such a kind of idea with it ; for it was courteous, and yet for- cible ; pleasant, yet overwhelming ; facetious, yet austere ; sententious, and yet vehement : like Socrates, in the de- scription of Plato, who seemed outwardly to those about him to be but a simple, talkative, blunt fellow ; whilst at the bottom he was full of such gravity and matter, as would even move tears, and touch the very hearts of his auditors. And, therefore, I know not what has persuaded some to say, that Cato's style was chiefly like that of Lysias. However, let us leave those to judge of these things, who profess most to distinguish between the sev- eral kinds of oratorical style in Latin ; whilst we write down some of his memorable sayings; being of the opinion that a man's character appears much more by his words, than, as some think it does, by his looks. Being once desirous to dissuade the common people of Rome, from their unseasonable and impetuous clamor for largesses and distributions of corn, he began thus to harangue them : " It is a difficult task, citizens, to make speeches to the belly, which has no ears." Reproving, also, their sumptuous habits, he said, it was hard to pre-