Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.4, 1865).djvu/319

 CJESAR. 311 their king, being glad to save himself by flight ; so that in a small part of a single day he made himself master of three camps, and killed fifty thousand of the enemy, with the loss only of fifty of his own men. This is the account some give of that fight. Others say, he was not in the action, but that he was taken with his usual dis- temper just as he was setting his army in order. He perceived the approaches of it, and before it had too far disordered his senses, when he was already beginning to shake under its influence, withdrew into a neighboring fort, where he reposed himself. Of the men of consular and praetorian dignity that were taken after the fight, several Caesar put to death, others anticipated him by killing themselves. Cato had undertaken to defend Utica, and for that rea- son was not in the battle. The desire which Caesar had to take him alive, made him hasten thither ; and upon the intelligence that he had despatched himself, he was much discomposed, for what reason is not so well agreed. He certainly said, " Cato, I must grudge you }^our death, as you grudged me the honor of saving your life." Yet the discourse he wrote against Cato after his death, is no great sign of his kindness, or that he was inclined to be reconciled to him. For how is it probable that he would have been tender of his life, when he was so bitter against his memory? But from his clemency to Cicero, Brutus, and many others who fought against him, it may be divined that Caesar's book was not written so much out of animosity to Cato, as in his own vindication. Cicero had written an encomium upon Cato, and called it by his name. A composition by so great a master upon so excellent a subject, was sure to be in every one's hands. This touched Caesar, who looked upon a panegy- ric on his enemy, as no better than an invective against himself; and therefore he made in his Anti-Cato, a col-