Cato the Younger Section 2

ὡς δὲ ἤκουσε τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ, λέγεται τοσοῦτον εἰπεῖν ὮΚάτων, φθονῶ σοι τοῦ θανάτου· καὶ γὰρ ἐμοὶ σὺ τῆς σαυτοῦ σωτηρίας ἐφθόνησας. τῷ γὰρ ὄντι σωθῆναι Κάτων ἀνασχόμενος ὑπὸ Καίσαρος οὐκ ἂν οὕτω δοκεῖ καταισχῦναι τὴν αὑτοῦ δόξαν, ὡς κοσμῆσαι τὴν ἐκείνου, τὸ δὲ πραχθὲν ἂν ἄδηλον· εἰκάζεται δὲ τὰ χρηστότερα παρὰ Καίσαρος.

When, however, he heard of his death, he said thus much only, as we are told: O Cato, I begrudge thee thy death; for thou didst begrudge me the sparing of thy life. For, in reality, if Cato could have consented to have his life spared by Caesar, he would not be thought to have defiled his own fair fame, but rather to have adorned that of Caesar. However, what would have happened is uncertain; though the milder course is to be conjectured on the part of Caesar.

Cependant, lorsqu’il apprit sa mort, il se borna, nous dit-on, à ces paroles : « Ô Caton, je t’envie ta mort, car tu m’as envié la grâce de te laisser la vie. » En réalité, si Caton avait pu consentir à ce que César lui laissât la vie, on n’aurait pas pensé qu’il avait souillé sa propre belle renommée, mais plutôt qu’il avait embelli celle de César. Toutefois, ce qui serait arrivé demeure incertain, bien qu’il faille conjecturer que César aurait choisi la voie la plus clémente.