XXIII. Such had been the change, and all the Senators in a body had
gone over to the milder and more humane proposal, when Cato rising to
deliver his opinion, commenced his speech in anger and passion,
abusing Silanus for changing his mind, and attacking Caesar, whom he
charged with a design to overturn the State under a popular guise and
pretext of humanity, and with making the Senate alarmed at things at
which he himself ought to be alarmed, and therewith well content, if
he escaped unharmed on account of what had passed and without
suspicion, when he was so openly and audaciously endeavouring to
rescue the common enemies of all, and admitting that he had no pity
for the state, such and so great though it was, and though it had so
narrowly escaped destruction, but was shedding tears and lamenting
because those who ought never to have existed or been born would by
their death release the state from great bloodshed and danger. They
say that this is the only speech of Cato which is preserved, and that
it was owing to Cicero the consul, who had previously instructed
those clerks who surpassed the rest in quick writing in the use of
certain signs which comprehended in their small and brief marks the
force of many characters and had placed them in different parts of the
Senate house. For the Romans at this time were not used to employ nor
did they possess what are called note-writers,[689] but it was on this
occasion, as they say, that they were first established in a certain
form.
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