slew him with his own hand, and this is the
version which Cato has followed in his written account of the matter.
When Cato discussed what took place at this wine party, Lucius
endeavoured to deny it, but on being challenged to state exactly what
happened he refused to answer. He was most justly condemned to lose
his right as a senator; but afterwards, when some spectacle was being
witnessed in the theatre, he walked past the place reserved for men of
consular rank, and sat down in the humblest seat of all, which so
moved the people to compassion, that they forced him by their clamour
to resume his former seat, thus as far as they were able reversing the
sentence upon him and condoning his offence.

Cato expelled another senator, who was thought likely to be soon
elected consul, named Manilius, because he had kissed his wife in the
daytime in the presence of his daughter. He himself said that his own
wife never embraced him except when it thundered loudly, and added by
way of joke, that he was happy when Jupiter was pleased to thunder.

XVIII. His conduct in depriving of his horse Lucius Scipio, the
brother of Scipio Africanus, a man who had been decreed a triumph, was
censured, as being merely prompted by private spite; as he seemed
merely to do it in order to insult Scipio Africanus after his death.
But what caused the greatest dissatisfaction were his restrictions on
luxury. This he could not attack openly, because it had taken such
deep root among the people, but he caused all clothes, carriages,
women's ornaments, and furniture, which exceeded fifteen hundred
drachmas in value to be rated at ten times their value and taxed
accordingly, as he thought that those who possessed the most valuable
property ought to contribute most largely to the revenues of the
state. In addition to this he imposed a tax on all citizens of three
copper ases for every thousand, in order that those who were burdened
with an excessive taxation on objects of luxury, when they saw
persons of frugal and simple habits paying so small a tax on the same
income, might cease from their extravagance. This measure gained him
the hatred of those who were taxed so heavily for their luxuries, and
of those who, to avoid excessive taxation, were obliged to give up
their luxuries. Most persons are as much irritated at losing the means
of displaying their wealth as at losing their wealth itself, and it is
in superfluities, not in necessaries, that wealth