Page:The republic of cicero translated by featherstonhaugh.djvu/20

ple. You may judge from this how much worse a citizen they deemed the usurer to be than the thief. And when they praised a worthy man, they spoke thus of him: ‘that he was a good farmer, an excellent husbandman.’ He that was commended in these terms, was thought to be praised enough.”* And again speaking of a good husbandman, he says, * He should part with his old cattle, his weaned calves and lambs, his wool, his skins, his old carts and worn-out irons, his old slaves, and his sick ones; and if he has got any thing else he does not want, let him sell it. A father of a family ought always to sell and never to buy.” Dion says that a messenger summoned the patricians by name, but that the people were convened by the blowing of a horn. But the splendid military government which soon grew up, gave both state ‘employment and riches to that class once distinguished for their industry and frugality. Agriculture was abandoned to slaves, and ‘men branded for crimes: it was no longer deemed an honourable employment. Luxury and habits of profusion made it necessary for conspicuous men to acquire the means of indulging in them, at the expense of principle and patriotism. - At length when sensual gratifications became dearer to a majority of the Romans than