However, Cato prevailed and changed the opinion of the Senate,
who condemned the men to death.
XXIV. Now as we perhaps ought not to omit even the slight tokens of
character when we are delineating as it were a likeness of the soul,
it is reported that on this occasion when Caesar was making much
exertion and a great struggle against Cato, and the attention of the
Senate was fixed on both of them, a small letter was brought in for
Caesar from the outside. Cato attempted to fix suspicion on this
matter, and alleged that some of the senators were disturbed at it and
he bade him read the writing, on which Caesar handed the letter to Cato
who was standing near him. Cato read the letter, which was an amatory
epistle addressed to Caesar by his sister Servilia[690] who was
enamoured of Caesar and had been debauched by him, and throwing it at
Caesar he said, "Take it, drunkard," and so resumed his speech. Indeed
in the female part of his family Cato appears to have always been
unlucky. For this sister had a bad report in respect of Caesar; and the
conduct of the other Servilia, also a sister of Cato, was still more
unseemly. For though she was married to Lucullus, a man who was among
the first of the Romans in reputation, and bore him a child, she was
driven from his house for incontinence. And what was most scandalous
of all, even Cato's wife Atilia was not free from such vices, for
though he had two children by her, he was compelled to put her away
for her unseemly behaviour.
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