Besides this book on agriculture, Cato left behind him various works, which have almost entirely perished. He left a hundred and fifty orations(19), which were existing in the time of Cicero, though almost entirely neglected, and a book on military discipline(20), both of which, if now extant, would be highly interesting, as proceeding from one who was equally distinguished in the camp and forum. A good many of his orations were in dissuasion or favour of particular laws and measures of state, as those entitled—“Ne quis iterum Consul fiat—De bello Carthaginiensi,” of which war he was a vehement promoter—“Suasio in Legem Voconiam,—Pro Lege Oppia,” &c. Nearly a third part of these orations were pronounced in his own defence. He had been about fifty times accused(21), and as often acquitted. When charged with a capital crime, in the 85th year of his age, he pleaded his own cause, and betrayed no failure in memory, no decline of vigour, and no faltering of voice(22). By his readiness, and pertinacity, and bitterness, he completely wore out his adversaries(23), and earned the reputation of being, if not the most eloquent, at least the most stubborn speaker among the Romans. Cato’s oration in favour of the Oppian law, which was a sumptuary restriction on the expensive dresses of the Roman matrons, is given by Livy(24). It was delivered in opposition to the tribune Valerius, who proposed its abrogation, and affords us some notion of his style and manner, since, if not copied by the historian from his book of orations, it was doubtless adapted by him to the character of Cato, and his mode of speaking. Aulus Gellius cites, as equally distinguished for its eloquence and energy, a passage in his speech on the division of spoil among the soldiery, in which he complains of their unpunished peculation and licentiousness. One of his most celebrated harangues was that in favour of the Rhodians, the ancient allies of the Roman people, who had fallen under the suspicion of affording aid to Perseus, during the second Macedonian war. The oration was delivered after the overthrow of that monarch, when the Rhodian envoys were introduced into the Senate, in order to explain the conduct of their countrymen, and to deprecate the vengeance of the Romans, by throwing the odium of their apparent hostility on the turbulence of a few factious individuals. It was pronounced in answer to those Senators, who, after hearing the supplications of the Rhodians, were for declaring war against them; and it turned chiefly on the ancient, long-tried fidelity of that people,—taking particular advantage of the circumstance, that the assistance rendered to Perseus had not been a national act, proceeding from a public decree of the people. Tiro, the freedman of Cicero, wrote a long and elaborate criticism on this oration. To the numerous censures it contains, Aulus Gellius has replied at considerable length, and has blamed Tiro for singling out from a speech so