and yet severe as a
companion, fond of jokes, but morose at the same time, just as Plato
tells us that Sokrates, if judged merely from his outside, appeared to
be only a silly man with a face like a satyr, who was rude to all he
met, though his inner nature was earnest and full of thoughts that
moved his hearers to tears and touched their hearts. For this reason I
cannot understand how any persons can see a likeness between the
orations of Lysias and those of Cato; however, this point must be
decided by those who are more skilled than myself in the comparison of
oratorical styles. I shall now relate a few of his more remarkable
sayings, believing that a man's real character can be better judged of
by his words than by his looks, although some people hold the contrary
opinion.

VIII. Once when he wished to restrain the Romans from distributing a
large quantity of corn as a largesse to the people, he began his
speech: "It is difficult, my fellow-citizens, to make the stomach hear
reason, because it has no ears." When desiring to blame the
extravagance of the Romans, he said that a city could not be safe in
which a fish sold dearer than an ox. He said, too, that the Romans
were like sheep, who never form opinions of their own, but follow
where the others lead them. "Just so," said he, "when you are
assembled together you are led by men whose advice you would scorn to
take about your own private affairs." With regard to female influence
he once said, "All mankind rule their wives, we rule all mankind, and
we are ruled by our wives." This remark, however, is borrowed from
Themistokles. He one day, when his child was instigating its mother to
lay many commands upon him, said, "Wife, remember that the Athenians
rule the Greeks, I rule the Athenians, you rule me, and your child
rules you; wherefore let him not abuse his power, which, though he
knows it not, is greater than that of anyone else in Greece." Cato
also said that the Romans fixed the price, not only of different dyes,
but of different professions. "Just as the dyers," said he, "dye stuff
of whatever colour they see people pleased with, so do our young men
only study and apply themselves to those subjects which are praised
and commended by you." He used also to beg of them, if they had become
great by virtue and self-restraint, not to degenerate; and if, on the
other hand, their empire had been won by licentiousness and vice, to
reform themselves, since by the latter