If Bibulus, he said, was greatly attached to his wife,
he would return her as soon as she had born a child, and he had become
more closely united both with Bibulus and Cato by a community of
children. Cato replied that he loved Hortensius and valued his
kinship, but he considered it strange for Hortensius to speak about
the marriage of his daughter who had been given to another; on which
Hortensius changing his proposal and disclosing himself did not
hesitate to ask the wife of Cato, who was still young enough to bear
children, while Cato himself had children enough. And it cannot be
said that Hortensius did this because he knew that Cato paid no
attention to Marcia, for they say that she happened to be with child
at the time. Accordingly Cato seeing the earnestness and eagerness of
Hortensius did not refuse, but he said that Philippus the father of
Marcia must also approve of it. When they had seen Philippus and
informed him of the agreement, he did not give Marcia in marriage,
except in the presence of Cato, and Cato joined in giving her away.
Though this took place later, it seemed convenient to me to anticipate
the time as I had made mention of the female part of Cato's family.
XXVI. When Lentulus and his associates had been executed, and Caesar,
on account of the charges and insinuations made against him before the
Senate, betook himself to the people for protection and was stirring
up the numerous diseased and corrupted members of the state and
collecting them about him, Cato, being alarmed, persuaded the Senate
to relieve the crowd of poor who had no property by an allowance of
grain, the expenditure for which purpose was to the amount of twelve
hundred and fifty talents[694] annually; and the threats of Caesar were
manifestly rendered futile by this liberality and bounty.
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