Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Of the four male children that were born to him, two he happened to have given to others for adoption. [*](To the houses of Scipio and of Fabius.) Of the two that were at home one died five days before his triumph, at the age of fourteen, and the other five days after the triumph, at the age of twelve. When he went forth, and the people expressed their compassion and sympathy, he said that now he had no fears or misgivings about his country, since Fortune had thrust upon his house the retribution due for all their good fortune, and he had received this in behalf of all. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aemilius Paulus, chaps. xxxv. and xxxvi. (274 A and F); Seneca, Ad Marciam de consolatione, 13; Valerius Maximus, v. 10. 2; Velleius Paterculus, i. 10. Cicero refers briefly to Aemilius’s fortitude (De amicit, 2 (9); Tusc. Disput. iii. 28 (70); Letters, iv. 6).)

The Elder Cato, in assailing the profligacy and extravagance rife among the people, said that it was hard to talk to a belly which had no ears. [*](Cf. Moralia, 131 D and 996 D, and Plutarch’s Life of M. Cato, chap. viii. (340 A). )

He said he wondered how a city could continue to exist unscathed in which a fish sold for more than an ox ! [*](Ibid. and Moralia, 668 B.)

In bitter criticism of the prevalent domination of women, he said, All mankind rules its women,

He said that he preferred to receive no thanks when he had done a favour rather than to suffer no punishment when he had done a wrong, and that he always granted pardon to all who erred, with the single exception of himself. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of M. Cato, chap. viii. (340 F).)

In trying to stimulate the officials to administer sharp rebuke to the erring, he used to say that, if those who have the power to discourage crime do not discourage it, then they encourage it. [*](Cf. the somewhat similar sentiment attributed to Pythagoras in Stobaeus, Florilegium, xlviii. 112.)