72.2
When, however, he heard of his death, he said thus much only, as we are told: O Cato, I begrudge thee thy death; for thou didst begrudge me the sparing of thy life. For, in reality, if Cato could have consented to have his life spared by Caesar, he would not be thought to have defiled his own fair fame, but rather to have adorned that of Caesar. However, what would have happened is uncertain; though the milder course is to be conjectured on the part of Caesar.
73.1
When Cato died,In 46 B.C. A single letter of his to Cicero is extant ( ad div. xv. 5): cf. chapter xxiii. 3. he was forty-eight years old. His son received no harm at the hands of Caesar, but he was of an easy disposition, as we are told, and in his relations with women not blameless. In Cappadocia he enjoyed the hospitality of Marphadates, one of the royal family, who had a comely wife; and since young Cato spent more time with them than was seemly,
73.2
he was satirized in such writings as these: On the morrow Cato journeys,—after a good round thirty days; and, Marphadates and Porcius, two friends with but a single Soul. For the wife of Marphadates was named Psyche (soul). And again: Nobody born, illustrious, our Cato hath a royal Soul.
73.3
But all such ill-report was blotted out and removed by the manner of his death. For he fought at Philippi against Caesar and Antony, in behalf of liberty; and when his line of battle was giving way, he deigned not either to fly or to hide himself, but challenged the enemy, displayed himself in front of them, cheered on those who held their ground with him, and so fell, after amazing his foes by his valour.
