Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/390

382 CATO THE YOUNGER. found nothing provided for him. And it was all the worse when he appeared himself; still less account was taken of him. When they saw him sitting, without say- ing any thing, on his baggage, they set him down at once as a person of no consequence, who did not venture to make any demand. Sometimes, on such occasions, he would call them to him and tell them, " Foolish people, lay aside this inhospitality. All your visitors will not be Catos. Use your courtesy, to take off the sharp edge of power. There are men enough who desire but a pre- tence, to take from you by force, what you give with such reluctance." While he travelled in this manner, a diverting accident befell him in Syria. As he was going into Antioch, he saw a great multitude of people outside the gates, ranged in order on either side the way ; here the young men with long cloaks, there the children decently dressed ; others wore garlands and white garments, who were the priests and magistrates. Cato, imagining all this could mean nothing but a display in honor of his reception, began to be angry with his servants who had been sent before, for suffering it to be done; then making his friends alight, he walked along with them on foot. As soon as he came near the gate, an elderly man, who seemed to be master of these ceremonies, with a wand and a garland in his hand, came up to Cato, and without saluting him, asked him, where he had left Demetrius, and how soon he thought he would be there. This Demetrius was Pompey's servant, and as at this time the whole world, so to say, had its eyes fixed upon Pompey, this man also was highly honored, on account of his influence with his mas- ter. Upon this, Cato's friends fell into such violent laugh- ter, that they could not restrain themselves while they passed through the crowd ; and he himself, ashamed and distressed, uttered the words, " Unfortunate city ! " and