Marcus Cato

Again, he said the Romans were like sheep; for as these are not to be persuaded one by one, but all in a body blindly follow their leaders, so ye, he said, though as individuals ye would not deign to follow the counsels of certain men, when ye are got together ye suffer yourselves to be led by them. Discoursing on the power of women, he said: All other men rule their wives; we rule all other men, and our wives rule us. This, however, is a translation from the sayings of Themistocles.[*](Themistocles, xviii. 4.)

He, finding himself much under his son’s orders through the lad’s mother, said: Wife, the Athenians rule the Hellenes, I rule the Athenians, thou rulest me, and thy son thee. Therefore let him make sparing use of that authority which makes him, child though he is, the most powerful of the Hellenes.

The Roman people, Cato said, fixed the market value not only of dyes, but also of behaviour. For, said he, as dyers most affect that dye which they see pleases you, so your young men learn and practice that which wins your praise.