348 MARCUS CATO.

custom was, with his usual companions to the market : and among the rest, he called aloud to one Salonius, who had been a clerk under him, and asked him whether he had married his daughter ? He answered, no, nor would he, till he had consulted him. Said Cato, " Then I have found out a fit son-in-law for you, if he should not displease by reason of his age ; for in all other points there is no fault to be found in him ; but he is indeed, as I said, ex- tremely old." However, Salonius desired him to under- take the business, and to give the young girl to whom he pleased, she being a humble servant of his, who stood in need of his care and patronage. Upon this Cato, without any more ado, told him, he desired to have the damsel himself These words, as may well be imagined, at first astonished the man, conceiving that Cato was as far off ii'om marrying, as he from a likelihood of being allied to the family of one who had been consul, and had tri- umphed ; but perceiving him in earnest, be consented willingly ; and, going onwards to the forum, they quickly completed the bargain. Whilst the marriage was in hand, Cato's son, taking some of his friends along with him, went and asked his father if it were for any offence he brought in a step- mother upon him ? But Cato cried out, " Far from it, my son, I have no fault to find with you nor any thing ■ of yours ; only I desire to have many children, and to leave the commonwealth more such citizens as you are." Pisis- tratus, the tyrant of Athens, made, they say, this answer to his sons, when they were grown men, when he married his second wife, Timonassa of Argos, by whom he had, it is said, lophon and Thessalus. Cato had a son by this second wife, to whom from his mother, he gave the sur- name of Salonius.* In the mean time, his eldest died in his praetorship ; of whom Cato often makes mention in

• More correctly Salonianus.