At a later time he had large sums out at interest in
Cyprus and partly in other persons' names. He was a merciless usurer.
(Cicero, _Ad Attic._, v. 18 and 21; vi. 21; and the Life of Cicero, c.
36, notes.)]
[Footnote 713: Plutarch explains in a general way what is meant. The
Roman word "pignus," which Plutarch translates by [Greek: enechyra],
means a thing pawned and delivered as a security to the pawnee. To
take pledges, "pignora capere," was to seize something that belonged
to a man in order to compel the discharge of a duty. It was like a
distress for a service. Instances occur in Livy (3. c. 38, 37. c. 51;
Cicero, _De Oratore_, 3. c. 1).]
[Footnote 714: The Greek nominative would be Barcas. The name does not
appear to be Roman and is probably corrupted. Bursa is a Roman name.
See c. 48.]
[Footnote 715: There is no suspicion that Cato got anything for
himself. He was above that. He honestly discharged his dishonest
mission.]
[Footnote 716: This was a port of Corinth on the east side of the
Isthmus.]
[Footnote 717: The amazement of the people at the quantity of the
plunder, and the thanks of the Senate for the faithful discharge of
their order to pillage, might seem regular enough if it had been booty
gotten in war. But the robbery was not gilded with this false show. It
was pure, simple robbery without the accessories of war.]
[Footnote 718: This means a praetorship before the age at which a man
could regularly hold the office.
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