334 MARCUS CATO.

Cato (as it plaiuly appears) was never overspariug of his own praises, and seldom shunned boasting of any exploit ; which quality, indeed, he seems to have thought the nat- ural accompaniment of great actions; and with these particular exploits he was highly puifed up ; he says, that those who saw him that day pursuing and slaying the enemies, were ready to assert, that Cato owed not so much to the public, as the public did to Cato ; nay, he adds, that Manius the consul, coming hot from the fight, embraced him for a great while, when both were all in a sweat ; and then cried out with joy, that neither he him- self, no, nor all the people together, could make him a recompense equal to his actions. After the fight he was sent to Rome, that he himself might be the messenger of it ; and so, with a favorable wind, he sailed to Brundusium, and in one day got from thence to Tarentum ; and hav- ing travelled four days more, upon the fifth, counting from the time of his landing, he arrived at Rome, and so brought the first news of the victory himself; and filled the whole city with joy and sacrifices, and the people with the belief, that they were able to conquer every sea and every land. These are pretty nearly all the eminent actions of Cato, relating to military affairs : in civil policy, he was of opin- ion, that one chief duty consisted in accusing and indict- ing criminals. He himself prosecuted many, and he would also assist others who prosecuted them, nay would even procure such, as he did the Petilii against Scipio ; but not being able to destroy him, by reason of the noble- ness of his family, and the real greatness of his mind, which enabled him to trample all calumnies underfoot, Cato at last would meddle no more with him ; yet joining with the accusers against Scipio's brother Lucius, he suc- ceeded in obtaining a sentence against him, which con- demned him to the payment of a large sura of money to