XXXIV. But though Caesar and his party had thus violently got
possession of the power, and had one part of the citizens at their
command through their grants, and another part through fear, they
still dreaded Cato. For even when they did get the advantage over him,
the fact that it was with difficulty and labour, and not without shame
and exposure that they hardly forced their purpose, was annoying and
vexatious. Clodius, indeed, did not expect to be able to put down
Cicero so long as Cato was at home, and as he was contriving how to
effect this, he sent for Cato as soon as he was in his office, and
addressed him to the effect that he considered Cato to be the purest
man of all the Romans, and he was ready to prove the sincerity of his
opinion by his acts, and he said that though many persons were
soliciting the commission to Cyprus and Ptolemaeus,[706] and asking to
be sent, he thought Cato alone worthy of it, and that he gladly
offered him the favour. On Cato crying out that the thing was a snare
and insult and not a favour, Clodius replied in an insolent and
contemptuous manner, "Well, if you don't like it, you shall make the
voyage against your liking;" and immediately going before the people
he got the mission of Cato confirmed by a law. When Cato was leaving
Rome, Clodius allowed him neither ship nor soldier nor attendant
except two clerks, one of whom was a thief and a thorough knave, and
the other was a client of Clodius.
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