Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/449

CATO THE YOUNGER. 441 in the mean time, do not trouble yourselves ; but go tell my son, that he should not compel his father to what he cannot persuade him to." They made him no answer, but went weeping out of the chamber. Then the sword being brought in by a little boy, Cato took it, chew it out, and looked at it; and when he saw the point was good, "Now," said he, "I am master of myself;" and laying down the sword, he took his book again, which, it is re- lated, he read twice over. After this he slept so soundly, that he was heard to snore by those that were without. About midnight, he called up two of his freedmen, Cle- anthes, his physician, and Butas, whom he chiefly em- ployed in public business. Him he sent to the port, to see if all his friends had sailed ; to the physician he gave his hand to be dressed, as it was swollen with the blow he had struck one of his servants. At this they all re- joiced, hoping that now he designed to live. Butas, after a while, returned, and brought word they were all gone except Crassus, who had stayed about some business, but was just ready to depart ; he said, also, that the wind was high, and the sea very rough. Cato, on hearing this, sighed, out of compassion to those who were at sea, and sent Butas again, to see if any of them should happen to return for any thing they wanted, and to acquaint him therewith. Now the birds began to sing, and he again fell into a little slumber. At length Butas came back, and told him, all was quiet in the port. Then Cato, laying himself down, as if he would sleep out the rest of the night, bade him shut the door after him. But as soon as Butas was gone out, he took his sword, and stabbed it into his breast ; yet not being able to use his hand so well, on account of the swelling, he did not immediately die of the wound ; but struggling, fell off the bed, and throwing down a lit- tle mathematical table that stood by, made such a noise,