Livy says, in an eloquent encomium on Cato (xxxix, 40): “Simultates nimio plures et exercuerunt eum, et ipse exercuit eas: nec facile dixeris utrum magis presserit eum nobilitas, an ille agitaverit nobilitatem. Asperi procul dubio animi, et linguæ acerbæ et immodice liberæ fuit: sed invicti a cupiditatibus animi et rigidæ innocentiæ: contemptor gratiæ, divitiarum.... Hunc sicut omni vitâ, tum censuram petentem premebat nobilitas; coierantque candidati omnes ad dejiciendum honore eum; non solum ut ipsi potius adipiscerentur, nec quia indignabantur novum hominem censorem videre; sed etiam quod tristem censuram, periculosamque multorum famæ, et ab læso a plerisque et lædendi cupido, expectabant.”
See also Plutarch (Cato, c. 15, 16: his comparison between Aristeidês and Cato, c. 2) about the prodigious number of accusations in which Cato was engaged, either as prosecutor or as party prosecuted. His bitter feud with the nobilitas is analogous to that of Kleon against the Hippeis.
I need hardly say that the comparison of Cato with Kleon applies only to domestic politics: in the military courage and energy for which Cato was distinguished, Kleon is utterly wanting, nor are we entitled to ascribe to him anything like the superiority of knowledge and general intelligence which we find recorded of Cato.
The expression of Cicero respecting Kleon: “turbulentum quidem civem, sed tamen eloquentem,” (Cicero, Brutus, 7) appears to be a translation of the epithets of Thucydidês—βιαιότατος—τῷ δήμῳ πιθανώτατος (iii, 45).
The remarks made too by Latin critics on the style and temper of Cato’s speeches, might almost seem to be a translation of the words of Thucydidês about Kleon. Fronto said about Cato: “Concionatur Cato infeste, Gracchus turbulente, Tullius copiose. Jam in judiciis sævit idem Cato, triumphat Cicero, tumultuatur Gracchus.” See Dübner’s edition of Meyer’s Oratorum Romanorum Fragmenta, p. 117 (Paris, 1837).
[759] Plutarch, Reip. Ger. Præcept. p. 806. Compare two other passages in the same treatise, p. 805, where Plutarch speaks of the ἀπόνοια καὶ δεινότης of Kleon; and p. 812, where he says, with truth, that Kleon was not at all qualified to act as general in a campaign.
[760] Aristophan. Ran. 566-576.
[761] Here again we find Cato the elder represented as constantly in the forum at Rome, lending aid of this kind, and espousing the cause of others who had grounds of complaint (Plutarch, Cato, c. 3), πρωῒ μὲν εἰς ἀγορὰν βαδίζει καὶ παρίσταται τοῖς δεομένοις—τοὺς μὲν θαυμαστὰς καὶ φίλους ἐκτᾶτο διὰ τῶν ξυνηγοριῶν, etc.
[762] Aristophan. Equit. 1271:—
Λοιδορῆσαι τοὺς πονηροὺς, οὐδέν ἐστ᾽ ἐπίφθονον,