army of the natives, and was in danger of being
disgracefully defeated by their overwhelming numbers. Consequently he
applied for aid to the neighbouring tribe of the Celtiberians, who
demanded as the price of their assistance the sum of two hundred
talents. At this every one protested that it was unworthy of Romans to
pay barbarians for their alliance, but Cato said that he saw no evil
in the practice, since, if the Romans were victorious, they would pay
them from the spoils of the enemy, while if they were defeated there
would be no one to demand the money and no one to pay it. He won a
pitched battle on this occasion, and was very successful in his whole
campaign. Polybius indeed tells us that in one day at his command all
the cities on this side of the river Guadalquiver pulled down their
walls; and yet they were very numerous, and filled with a warlike
population. Cato himself tells us that he took more cities than he
spent days in Spain; nor is this a vain boast, if the number captured
really, as is stated, amounted to four hundred. His soldiers enriched
themselves considerably during the campaign; and at the termination of
it he distributed a pound of silver to each man, saying that it was
better that many Romans should return to Rome with silver in their
pockets than that a few should return with gold. He himself states
that he received no part of the plunder except what he ate or drank.
"I do not," said he, "blame those who endeavour to enrich themselves
by such means, but I had rather vie with the noblest in virtue than
with the richest in wealth, or with the most covetous in
covetousness." He not only kept his own hands clean, but those of his
followers also. He took five servants to the war with him. One of
these, Paccius by name, bought three boys at a sale of captives; but
when Cato heard of it, Paccius, rather than come into his presence,
hanged himself. Cato sold the boys, and paid the price into the public
treasury.

XI. While he was still in Spain, Scipio the Great, who was his
personal enemy, desiring to check his career of success, and to obtain
the management of Spanish affairs for himself, contrived to get
himself appointed to succeed Cato in his government. He at once
hurried to Spain and brought Cato's rule to an end. Cato, however, at
once marched to meet Scipio with an escort of five companies of
infantry and five hundred horsemen. On his way he conquered the tribe
of the Lacetani; and finding