For this reason he
passed over Silanus, but he prosecuted Lucius Murena,[687] on the
charge of having secured his election with Silanus by bribery. There
was a law according to which the accused had always the power to
appoint a person to watch the accuser, in order that it might not be
unknown what he was getting together and preparing to support the
prosecution. Now he who was appointed by Murena to watch Cato used to
accompany him and observe his conduct, and when he saw that Cato was
doing nothing with unfair design or contrary to equity, but honourably
and in a kindly spirit was going a simple and straightforward course
towards the prosecution, he had such admiration of his noble bearing
and morality that he would come up to Cato in the Forum, or go to his
door and ask, whether he intended that day to attend to any matters
that concerned the prosecution, and if he said that he did not, he
would take his word and go away. When the trial came on, Cicero, who
was then consul and one of the advocates of Murena, on account of
Cato's connection with the Stoics, ridiculed and mocked these
philosophers and their so-called paradoxes, and thus made the judices
laugh. On which it is said that Cato, with a smile, observed to those
who were present, "My friends, what a ridiculous consul we have."
Murena, who was acquitted, did not display towards Cato the temper of
a bad or a foolish man, for in his consulship he used to ask his
advice in the most important affairs, and all along in every other
matter showed him respect and confidence.
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