Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/402

394 CATO THE YOUNGER. the very heat, and the whole senate regarding them two, a little note was brought in to Cassar, which Cato de- clared to be suspicious, and urging that some seditious act was going on, bade the letter be read. Upon which Caesar handed the paper to Cato ; who discovering it to be a love-letter from his sister Servilia to Caesar, by whom she had been corrupted, threw it to him again, saying, " Take it, drunkard," and so went on with his discourse. And, indeed, it seems Cato had but ill-fortune in women ; for this lady was ill spoken of, for her familiarity with Caesar, and the other Servilia, Cato's sister also, was yet more ill-conducted ; for being married to Lucullus, one of the greatest men in Rome, and having brought him a son, she was afterwards divorced for incontinency. But what was worst of all, Cato's own wife Atilia was not free from the same fault ; and after she had borne him two children, he was forced to put her away for her misconduct. After that he married Marcia, the daughter of Philippus, a woman of good reputation, who yet has occasioned much discourse ; and the life of Cato, like a dramatic piece, has this one scene or passage full of perplexity and doubtful meaning. It is thus related by Thrasea, who refers to the author- ity of Munatius, Cato's friend and constant companion. Among many that loved and admired Cato, some were more remarkable and conspicuous than others. Of these was Quintus Hortensius, a man of high repute and approved virtue, who desired not only to live in friend- ship and familiarity with Cato, but also to unite his whole house and family with him by some sort or other of alli- ance in marriage. Therefore he set himself to persuade Cato, that his daughter Porcia, who was already married to Bibulus, and had borne him two children, might never- theless be given to him, as a fair plot of land, to bear fruit also for him. " For," said he, " though this in the