39.43
Valerius Antias, as though he had never
read Cato's speech and had only given credence to an unauthenticated; story,
relates a different incident, but resembling the above in its lust and cruelty.
According to him, a woman of Placentia, a bad character, with whom the
consul was madly in love, was invited by him to a banquet. Here, boasting of
his exploits, he told the harlot, amongst other things, what a stern inquisitor
he had been, how many who had been condemned to death he was keeping
in chains till he executed them. She was reclining on the same couch with
him, and remarked that she had never seen an execution and would dearly
love to see one. Thereupon, to indulge her, he ordered one of those unhappy
wretches to be brought in and then struck off his head. Whether the incident
took the form described in the censor's speech, or whether it was as Valerius
narrates it, in any case a cruel and brutal crime was perpetrated. During a
festive meal, when it is customary to pour libations to the gods and wish all
happiness to the guests, a human victim was sacrificed and the table
sprinkled with blood to delight the eyes of a wanton harlot lying on a
consul's breast! Cato closed his speech by saying that if Quinctius denied the
charges he gave him the option of providing security and letting the case go
to trial, but if he admitted them, did he suppose that any one would grieve
over his disgrace after he had amused himself, when maddened by wine and
lust, by shedding a man's blood at a banquet?
