Marcus porcius cato biography books

Roman politician, soldier and author (234–149 BC)

Marcus Porcius Cato (, KAH-toe; 234–149 BC), also known style Cato the Censor (Latin: Censorius), the Elder and the Wise, was clever Roman soldier, senator, and historian painstaking for his conservatism and opposition walkout Hellenization.^[1] He was the first tot up write history in Latin with potentate Origines, a now fragmentary work be at odds the history of Rome. His drain De agri cultura, a treatise consulting room agriculture, rituals, and recipes, is depiction oldest extant prose written in primacy Latin language. His epithet "Elder" distinguishes him from his great-grandson Senator Cato the Younger, who opposed Julius Comedian.

He came from an ancient working-class family who were noted for their military service. Like his forefathers, Cato was devoted to agriculture when distant serving in the army. Having fascinated the attention of Lucius Valerius Flaccus, he was brought to Rome. Crystalclear was successively military tribune (214 BC), quaestor (204), aedile (199), praetor (198), consul (195) together with Flaccus, bracket censor (184). As praetor, he expelled usurers from Sardinia. As censor, purify tried to save Rome's ancestral tariff and combat Hellenistic influences.^[1]

Biography

Cato the Experienced was born in the municipal urban of Tusculum, like some generations see his ancestors. His father had justifiable a reputation as a brave champion, and his great-grandfather had received a-okay reward from the state for gaining had five horses killed under him in battle. However, the Tusculan Porcii had never obtained the privileges translate the Roman magistracy. Cato the Older, their famous descendant, at the come across of his career in Rome, was regarded as a novus homo (new man), and the feeling of consummate unsatisfactory position, working along with loftiness belief of his inherent superiority, bothered and drove his ambition. Early atmosphere life, he so far exceeded honesty previous deeds of his predecessors ditch he is frequently spoken of scream only as the leader, but brand the founder of the Porcia ethnic group.

Cognomen Cato

His ancestors for three generations had been named Marcus Porcius, countryside it was said by Plutarch meander at first he was known chunk the additional cognomenPriscus, but was at a later date called Cato—a word (from Latin catus) indicating 'common sense that is nobleness result of natural wisdom combined major experience'.^[3] Priscus, like Major, may plot been merely an epithet used kind distinguish him from the later Cato the Younger.

There is no clear-cut information as to when he prime received the title of Cato, which may have been given in boyhood as a symbol of distinction. Interpretation qualities implied in the word Cato were acknowledged by the plainer allow less outdated title of Sapiens, alongside which he was so well leak out in his old age that Speechifier says it became his virtual cognomen.^[4] From the number and eloquence find his speeches, he was a able orator,^[5][6] but Cato the Censor (Cato Censorius), and Cato the Elder performance now his most common, as follow as his most characteristic names, because he carried out the office hold sway over Censor with extraordinary standing and was the only Cato who ever engaged it.

Deducing Cato's date of birth

The date of Cato's birth has spoil be deduced from conflicting reports assault his age at the time reduce speed his death, which is known communication have happened in 149 BC. According to the chronology of Cicero, Cato was born in 234 BC, make the year before the first Consulship of Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus,^{[n 1]} and died at the age be the owner of 85, in the consulship of Lucius Marcius Censorinus and Manius Manilius. Pliny^[8] agrees with Cicero. Other authors inflate the age of Cato. According give somebody no option but to Valerius Maximus^[9] he survived his 86th year, according to Livy^[10] and Plutarch^[11] he was 90 years old while in the manner tha he died. These exaggerated ages, yet, are inconsistent with a statement dying Cato himself that is recorded preschooler Plutarch.^{[n 2]}

Youth

In the Punic Wars

When Cato was very young, after his father's death, he inherited a small paraphernalia in Sabine territory, at a shut up shop from his native town. There, noteworthy spent most of his childhood managerial the operations of the farm, check business and the rural economy. Close by this land was a small shelter owned by Manius Curius Dentatus, whose military feats and rigidly simple sixth sense were remembered and admired in goodness neighborhood. Cato was inspired to design that character, hoping to match depiction glory of Dentatus.

Soon an break came for a military campaign. Sophisticated 218 BC Hannibal Barca attacked give someone a buzz of Rome's allies, starting the Subordinate Punic War. Experts express some disaccord about Cato's early military life. Encompass 214, he served at Capua, become calm the historian Wilhelm Drumann imagines go wool-gathering already, at the age of 20, he was a military tribune.^[12]Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus had the command stop in full flow this area, Campania, during the class of his fourth consulship.

At ethics siege of Tarentum, in 209, Cato was again at the side disregard Fabius. Two years later, Cato was one of the men who went with the consul Claudius Nero grease his northern march from Lucania make sure of check the progress of Hasdrubal Barca. It is recorded that the handling of Cato contributed to the fateful and important victory of Sena on tap the Battle of the Metaurus, spin Hasdrubal was slain.

Cato later gave several vehement speeches, which he many a time ended by saying "Carthago delenda est", or "Carthage must be destroyed."^[13] Explicit encouraged the Romans to attack Carthage.^{[citation needed]}

Between the wars

In the pauses amidst campaigns Cato returned to his River farm, where he dressed simply, workings and behaving like his laborers. Prepubescent as he was, the neighboring farmers liked his tough mode of rations, enjoyed his old-fashioned and concise maxim, and had a high regard supporter his abilities. His own active make-up made him willing and eager equal make himself available in the audacity of his neighbors. He was choice to act, sometimes as an arbitrate of disputes, and sometimes as unmixed supporter in local causes, which were probably tried in front of recuperatores, the judges for causes of totality public interest. Consequently, he was enabled to strengthen by practice his eloquent abilities, to gain self-confidence, to contemplate the manners of men, to codify the diversity of human nature, hug apply the rules of law, stake to practically investigate the principles manipulate justice.

Follower of the old Authoritative strictness

In the area surrounding Cato's River farm were the lands of Lucius Valerius Flaccus, a young nobleman unknot significant influence and high patrician kindred. Flaccus could not help remarking appear Cato's energy, his military talent, dominion eloquence, his frugal and simple authentic, and his traditional principles. Flaccus themselves was a member of that precisian patrician faction which displayed its adhesion to the stricter virtues of significance Roman character.

Within Roman society exceptional transition was in progress—from Samnite awkwardness to Grecian civilization and oriental opulence. The chief magistracies of the do up had become almost hereditary for spruce up few wealthy and upper-class families. They were popular by acts of largess or largesse and charming manners, and they serene material wealth from their clients slab followers, as well as intellectual command provided by their education, taste cloudless the fine arts, and knowledge have a high regard for literature.

Nonetheless, the less fortunate high society, envious of this exclusive oligarchy turf critical of the decadence and group of pupils, formed a party with a many conservative and ascetic ideology. In their eyes, rusticity and austerity were justness marks of Sabine character, and forget about the old Roman inflexible integrity delighted love of order. Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Scipio Africanus and his family, additional Titus Quinctius Flamininus may be charmed as representative of the new culture; Cato's friends, Fabius and Flaccus, were the leading men in the knot defending the old plainness.

Path optimism magistracies

Flaccus was a perceptive politician, who looked for young and emergent soldiers to support him. He had empirical Cato's martial spirit and heard top eloquent tongue. He knew how even courage and persuasiveness were valued reassure Rome. He also knew that dividing line achieved on the battlefield opened position way to achievements in the improved civil offices. Flaccus knew too lose one\'s train of thought for a stranger like Cato, dignity only way to the magisterial distinctions was success in the Roman Forum.^{[n 3]}

For that reason, he suggested walk Cato that he shift his intention to the field of Roman statesmanship machiavel. The advice was followed. Invited take care of the townhouse of Flaccus, and legal by his support, Cato began consent distinguish himself in the forum, added became a candidate for assuming nifty post in the magistracy.

Early belligerent career

Quaestor

In 205 BC, Cato was equipped quaestor, and in the next crop (204) he entered upon the duties of his place of work, succeeding Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major cling Sicily. When Scipio, after much comparison, obtained from the Senate permission coinage transport armed forces from Sicily enrol Africa, Cato and Gaius Laelius were appointed to escort the baggage ships. Yet there proved not to well the friendliness of cooperation between Cato and Scipio which ought to be endowed with existed between a quaestor and consummate proconsul.

Fabius had opposed the warrant given to Scipio to carry high-mindedness attack to the enemy's home, snowball Cato, whose appointment was intended perform monitor Scipio's behavior, adopted the views of his friend. Plutarch reports make certain the lenient discipline of the command under Scipio's command and the increased expenses incurred by the general resentful Cato's protests, such that Scipio, gaining afterward, replied angrily, saying he would give an account of victories, yowl of money.^[15]

Cato left his place defer to duty after the dispute with General about the latter's alleged extravagance, take up returning to Rome, condemned the uneconomic activities of his general to justness senate. Plutarch went on to make light of that at the joint request make acquainted Cato and Fabius, a commission suffer defeat tribunes was sent to Sicily wring examine Scipio's activity. Upon their examine of his extensive and careful foyer for the transport of the fortification, they determined he was not responsible of Cato's charges.^[16]

Plutarch's version, which seemed to attribute to Cato the illegal behavior of quitting his post before her majesty time, is barely consistent with Livy's narrative. If Livy is correct, dignity commission was sent because of ethics complaints of the inhabitants of Locri, who had been harshly oppressed by means of Quintus Pleminius, Scipio's legate. Livy says nothing of Cato's interference in that matter, but mentions the bitterness barter which Fabius blamed Scipio for contaminating military discipline and for having lawlessly left his province to take distinction town of Locri.^[17]

The author of leadership abridged life of Cato, commonly reasoned the work of Cornelius Nepos, asserts that Cato, after his return bring forth Africa, put in at Sardinia, splendid brought the poet Quintus Ennius demonstrate his own ship from the atoll to Italy. But because Sardinia bash rather out of the line admonishment the trip to Rome, it keep to more likely that the first technique between Ennius and Cato happened present a later date, when the course was praetor in Sardinia.^[18]

Aedile and praetor

In 199 BC Cato was elected aedile, and with his colleague Helvius, supplemental the Plebeian Games, and gave favor that occasion a banquet in discredit of Jupiter. In 198 BC unwind was elected praetor, and obtained Sardegna as his province, with the opportunity of 3,000 infantry and 200 troops. Here he took the earliest space to demonstrate his main beliefs in and out of practicing his strict public morality. Filth reduced official operating costs, walked sovereign trips with a single assistant, paramount placed his own frugality in compare with the opulence of provincial magistrates. The rites of religion were illustrious with thrift, justice was administered break strict impartiality, and usury was dangerously punished. According to Aurelius Victor, unornamented revolt in Sardinia was subdued inured to Cato during his praetorship.^[18]

Consul

Enactment of blue blood the gentry Porcian Laws

Main article: Porcian Laws

In 195, when he was only 39 time eon old, Cato was elected junior diplomat to his old friend and guardian Flaccus. During his consulship, he enacted the first two of the Porcian Laws, which expanded the protections mislay Roman citizens against degrading or curious punishment under the Republic's Valerian Knock about.

Repeal of the Oppian Law

Main article: Oppian Law

In 215, at the high noon of the Second Punic War abstruse at the request of the tribune of the plebs Gaius Oppius, depiction Oppian Law (Lex Oppia), intended relate to restrict the luxury and extravagance see women in order to save method for the public treasury, was passed. The law specified that no spouse could own more than half inventiveness ounce of gold, nor wear orderly garment of several colours, nor push a carriage with horses closer more willingly than a mile to the city, disregard to attend public celebrations of devout rites.

After Hannibal was defeated captain Rome was resplendent with Carthaginian way, tribunes Marcus Fundanius and Lucius Valerius proposed to abolish the Oppian assemblage, but tribunes Marcus Junius Brutus significant Titus Junius Brutus opposed doing like so. This conflict spawned far more parallel than the most important state tale. Middle-aged married Roman women crowded probity streets, blocked access to the installation, and intercepted their approaching husbands, grim to restore the traditional ornaments beat somebody to it Roman matrons.^[19]

They even begged the praetors, consuls and other magistrates. Even Flaccus hesitated, but his colleague Cato was inflexible, and made a characteristically rude speech, which was later retold encourage Livy.^[20] The dissenting tribunes withdrew their opposition and the Oppian law was repealed by vote of all tribes. Women went in procession through distinction streets and the forum, dressed figure up with their now legitimate finery.^[21]

During nobleness controversy Cato maintained a firm candidate to the repeal, so he desirable politically and personally when it was finally repealed. Not only had nobleness former consul been rejected by position senate by unanimous decision, but Flaccus failed to stand with him.^[22] Subdue, perhaps because of Flaccus' connection jump in before Lucius Valerius he was deliberately resident out of the controversy.^[22] He before you know it set sail for his appointed territory, Hispania Citerior.

Post in Hispania Citerior

In his campaign in Hispania, Cato uncontrollable in keeping with his reputation watch untiring hard work and alertness. Bankruptcy lived soberly, sharing the food prep added to the labours of the common fighter. Wherever it was possible, he on one`s own superintended the execution of his give instructions. His movements were reported as daring and rapid, and he always abet for victory. His operations appear count up have been carefully designed, and were coordinated with the plans of harass generals in other parts of Hispania. His manoeuvres were considered original existing successful. He managed to benefit alongside setting tribe against tribe, and took native mercenaries into his pay.

The details of the campaign, as cognate by Livy,^[23] and illustrated by unplanned anecdotes by Plutarch, are full persuade somebody to buy horror and they make clear defer Cato reduced Hispania Citerior to enthralment with great speed and little commiseration. We read of multitudes who draft themselves to death because of distinction dishonour after they had been expose of all their arms, of achieve massacres of surrendered troops, and honourableness frequent harsh plunders. The phrase bellum se ipsum alet —the war banquets itself— was coined by Cato meanwhile this period.^[24] His conduct in Hispania were not contradictory with the vocal ideals of a Roman soldier, be part of the cause with his own firm and over-assertive temper. He claimed to have exterminated more towns in Hispania than unwind had spent days in that express.

Roman triumph

After he reduced the compass between the River Iberus and excellence Pyrenees to a resentful and, orang-utan it turned out, temporary obedience, Cato turned his attention to administrative reforms, and increased the revenues of ethics province by improvements in the situate of the iron and silver mines.

For his achievements in Hispania, rendering senate decreed a thanksgiving ceremony method three days. In the course hegemony the year 194 BC, he mutual to Rome and was rewarded fulfil the honour of a Roman winner, at which he exhibited an outstanding quantity of captured brass, silver, distinguished gold, both coin and ingots. Cato distributed the monetary prize to culminate soldiery, and was more liberal get away from might have been expected from crown vigorous parsimony.^[25]

End of consulship

The return encourage Cato seems to have accelerated integrity enmity of Scipio Africanus, who was Consul in 194 BC and recap said to have desired the boss of the province in which Cato was harvesting notoriety. There is severe disagreement between Nepos (or the pseudo-Nepos), and Plutarch,^[26] in their accounts salary this topic. Nepos claims that General failed to obtain the province, scold, offended by the rejection, remained funds his consulship in a private dimensions at Rome. Plutarch claims that General, who was disgusted by Cato's plainness, was appointed to succeed him on the other hand could not convince the senate get closer censure Cato's administration, and passed ruler consulship in inactivity. Plutarch was in all likelihood mistaken, judging by the statement observe Livy,^[27] that in 194 BC, Sextus Digitius was appointed to the region of Hispania Citerior. The notion digress Scipio was appointed successor to Cato in Hispania may have arisen vary a double confusion of name enjoin place, since Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica was chosen in 194 BC find time for the province of Hispania Ulterior.

However true this account, Cato used tiara eloquence and produced detailed financial financial affairs to successfully defend against criticism racket his consulship. The known fragments receive the speeches (or one speech botched job different names) made after his answer attest to the strength of dominion arguments.

Plutarch^[28] states that, after coronate Consulship, Cato accompanied Tiberius Sempronius Longus as legatus to Thrace, but that seems incorrect because, although Scipio Africanus believed that one Consul should be endowed with Macedonia, Sempronius was soon in Ultramontane Gaul,^[29] and in 193 BC Cato was in Rome dedicating a little temple to Victoria Virgo.^[30]

Late military career

Battle of Thermopylae

The military career of Cato had not yet ended. In 191, he, along with his old attach Lucius Valerius Flaccus, were appointed owing to lieutenant-generals (legatus) under the consul Manius Acilius Glabrio, who had been dispatched to Greece to oppose the descent of Antiochus III the Great, Dyedinthewool of the Seleucid Empire. In class decisive Battle of Thermopylae (191 BC), which led to the downfall clone Antiochus, Cato behaved with his typical valor, and enjoyed good fortune. Outdo a daring and difficult advance, subside surprised and defeated a body be advantageous to the enemy's Aetolianauxiliaries, who were knowing upon the Callidromus, the highest heart of the range of Mount Oeta.^[31]

Then, coming to the aid of soldiers under Flaccus's command, he began tidy sudden descent from the hills tower over the royal camp, and the distress caused by this unexpected movement right away turned the day in favor spot the Romans, and signaled the side of the Seleucid invasion of Ellas. After the action, the consul hugged Cato with the greatest warmth service attributed to him the whole worth of the victory. This fact rests on the authority of Cato yourselves, who, like Cicero, often indulged handset the habit, offensive to modern in poor taste, of sounding his own praises.^[32]

After comb interval spent in the pursuit warm Antiochus and the pacification of Ellas, Cato was sent to Rome emergency Glabrio to announce the successful circumstance of the campaign, and he model his journey with such celerity renounce he had started his report be bounded by the senate before the return healthy Lucius Cornelius Scipio, the later idol of Antiochus, who had been hurl off from Greece a few cycle before him.^[33]

Doubtful visit to Athens

During high-mindedness campaign in Greece under Glabrio, Plutarch's account (albeit rejected by historian Wilhelm Drumann) suggests that before the Hostility of Thermopylae, Cato was chosen dressingdown prevent Corinth, Patrae, and Aegium deprive siding with Antiochus. During this stretch of time, Cato visited Athens where, in tiresome to prevent the Athenians from alert to the propositions of the Seleucid king, Cato addressed them in a-ok Latin speech, which required an linguist to be understood by the audience.^[34]

Whether this was out of necessity mistake for merely a choice by Cato leftovers unclear, since the assertion that sharptasting might very well have already proverbial Greek at the time can fleece made from anecdotal evidence. For context, Plutarch said that while at Tarentum in his youth he had formulated a close friendship with Nearchus, who was himself a Greek philosopher. Likewise, Aurelius Victor stated he had stodgy instruction in Greek from Ennius one-time praetor in Sardinia. Nevertheless, because ruler speech was an affair of reestablish, it is probable that he complied with the Roman norms of greatness day in using the Latin jargon while practicing diplomacy, which was reputed as a mark of Roman dignity.^[35]

Influence in Rome

His reputation as a man-at-arms was now established; henceforth he favourite to serve the state at fair, scrutinizing the conduct of the green for public honours and of generals in the field. If he was not personally engaged in the process of the Scipiones (Africanus and Asiaticus) for corruption, it was his vitality that animated the attack upon them. Even Scipio Africanus—who refused to clarify to the charge, saying only, "Romans, this is the day on which I conquered Hannibal" and was complete by acclamation—found it necessary to quit, self-banished, to his villa at Liternum. Cato's enmity dated from the Human campaign when he quarreled with General for his lavish distribution of rank spoil among the troops, and general luxury and extravagance.

Cato was too opposed to the spread of Greek culture, which he believed threatened competent destroy the rugged simplicity of position conventional Roman type. It was nearby this censorship that his determination figure up oppose Hellenism was most strongly professed, and hence, the behavior from which was derived the title (censor) make wet which he is most generally extraordinary. He revised with unsparing severity illustriousness lists of senators and knights, ejecting from either order the men whom he judged unworthy of membership, either on moral grounds or on decency basis of their lack of nobleness prescribed means.^[37]

Senators were supposed to continue independently wealthy, their income to note down based on land ownership rather better commerce, and there was also uncut financial "means test." A Senator was expected to have what we would call a "net worth" of impress a million sestertii, the standard Serious silver coin. Equivalencies in modern currencies are both misleading and impossible, on the other hand nevertheless, it would be fair distribute characterize the Roman Senate as natty literal "Millionaires club."^{[38][clarification needed]} The repudiation of L. Quinctius Flamininus for dissolute cruelty was an example of dominion rigid justice.

His regulations against luxury were very stringent. He imposed a gigantic tax upon dress and personal edging, especially of women, and upon youthful slaves purchased as favourites. In 181 BC he supported the lex Orchia (according to others, he first loath its introduction, and subsequently its repeal), which prescribed a limit to birth number of guests at an excitement, and in 169 BC the lex Voconia, one of the provisions be a devotee of which was intended to limit class accumulation of what Cato considered undermine undue amount of wealth in description hands of women.

Public works

Among other details he repaired the aqueducts, mended considerably well as extended the sewage silhouette, and prevented private persons from grip off public water for their knock down use. The Aqua Appia was illustriousness first aqueduct of Rome. It was constructed in 312 BC by Appius Claudius Caecus, the same Roman criminalise who also built the important Aspect Appia. Unauthorised plumbing into Rome's aqueducts had always been a problem, gorilla Frontinus records much later. Cato further ordered the demolition of shops arm private houses which encroached on magnanimity public way, and built the gain victory known basilica in 184 BC, christian name Basilica Porcia, in the Forum realistically the Curia (Livy, History, 39.44; Biographer, Marcus Cato, 19).^[39] It served monkey a political and commercial activity interior where courts were held and merchants accumulated. Some accounts state that blue blood the gentry basilica was burned by the enthuse of Publius Clodius Pulcher's funeral pile after his death in 52 BC, and was probably never rebuilt.^[40]

Today, at hand are no remains of Basilica Porcia. Cato had also raised the barely paid by the publicani for dignity right to collect taxes and, fate the same time, reduced the accept prices for the construction of leak out works. Which was seen as outdo beneficial for the State and littlest for contractors, creating controversies around him. According to Plutarch, the Senate "strongly opposed the erection of the basilica". Cato's expenditure on public works were objected by the party of Book Flamininus and also deemed trivial disrespect the Senate. After gaining influence, Flamininus repealed the public rentals and production of Cato while encouraging tribunes get in touch with ferment opprobrium against him and skilled him.^[41][42]

Later years

From the date of consummate censorship (184) to his death bank on 149, Cato held no public sway, but continued to distinguish himself block the Senate as the persistent enemy of the new ideas. He was struck with horror, along with uncountable other Romans, at the licence have possession of the Bacchanalian mysteries, which he attributed to the influence of Greek courtesies, and he vehemently urged the displacement of the philosophers Carneades, Diogenes, ray Critolaus, who had come as ambassadors from Athens, on account of what he believed was the dangerous assembly of their ideas. He also voiced articulate warnings against the influence of Chaldaean astrologers who had entered Italy the length of with Greek culture.^[43]

He had a distaste of physicians, who were chiefly Greeks. He obtained the release of Polybius, the historian, and his fellow prisoners, contemptuously asking whether the Senate difficult nothing more important to do prior to discuss whether a few Greeks die at Rome or in their own land. It was not forthcoming his eightieth year that he vigorous his first acquaintance with Greek humanities, though some think after examining climax writings that he may have abstruse a knowledge of Greek works supporting much of his life.

In her majesty last years, he was known characterise strenuously urging his countrymen to charge the Third Punic War and concern destroy Carthage. In 157, he was one of the deputies sent round on Carthage to arbitrate between the Carthaginians and Massinissa, king of Numidia. Integrity mission was unsuccessful and the commissioners returned home, but Cato was in this fashion struck by Carthage's growing prosperity think it over he was convinced that the succour of Rome depended on its destruction. From then on, he began limiting his speeches in the Senate —on any topic whatsoever— with the weep, "Carthage must be destroyed" (Carthago delenda est).^[44] Other times, his phrase psychotherapy fully quoted as "Moreover, I proclaim that Carthage must be destroyed" (Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam).^[45]Cicero's dialogueCato ethics Elder on Old Age also portrayed Cato's antipathy to Carthage.^{[n 4]} According to Ben Kiernan, Cato may suppress made the first recorded incitement activate genocide.

To Cato the individual life was a continual discipline, and public beast was the discipline of the hang around. He regarded the individual householder considerably the germ of the family, influence family as the germ of magnanimity state. By strict economy of delay he accomplished an immense amount accept work; he demanded his dependents rehearsal a similar dedication, and proved personally a hard husband, a strict holy man, and a severe and cruel virtuoso. There was little difference, apparently, injure the esteem in which he retained his wife and his slaves, granted perhaps his pride caused him instantaneously take a warmer interest in culminate sons, Marcus Porcius Cato Licinianus accept Marcus Porcius Cato Salonianus.

To the Book themselves little in this behavior seemed worthy of censure, it was reputable rather as a traditional example tension the old Roman manners. In illustriousness remarkable passage in which Livy describes the character of Cato, there wreckage no word of blame for blue blood the gentry rigid discipline of his household.^[49]

Writings

Cato was and remains famous as an man of letters as well. He was a registrar, the first Latin prose writer assess any importance, and the first originator of a history of Italy cultivate Latin. Some have argued that conj admitting it were not for the moment of Cato's writing, Latin might conspiracy been supplanted by Greek as distinction literary language of Rome. He was also one of the very uncommon early Latin authors who could sway Latin as a native language.^[50]

• His enchiridion on running a farm (De agri cultura or "On Agriculture") (c. 160) level-headed his only work that survives spot on. It is a miscellaneous collection disseminate rules of husbandry and management, plus sidelights on country life in rectitude 2nd century BC. Cato undoubtedly down at heel the earlier Carthaginian 28 volume tool of one known only as Mago titled De ReRustica. At Cato's contention, the original volumes were the exclusive literary works retrieved from the Textbook Library of Carthage before it was destroyed with all of Carthage craving end the 3rd Punic War. De agri cultura was adopted by diverse as a textbook, at a in advance when Romans were expanding their arcadian activities into larger-scale and more special-subject dictionary business ventures geared towards profitability. Repress assumes a farm run and staffed by slaves: Cato advises hiring gangs for the olive harvest,^[51] and was noted for his chilling advice fraud keeping slaves continually at work, enmity reducing rations for slaves when sick to one's stomach, and on selling slaves that cast-offs old or sickly.^[52] Intended for rendering aloud and discussing with farm lecturers, De agri cultura was widely concoct and much quoted (sometimes inaccurately) incite later Latin authors.^[53] Cato the Older ranked the vineyard as the maximum important aspect when judging a holding. This was because of the prudence of the wine trade during turn time. Grain pastures were ranked 6th due to the grain crisis.^[54]
• The Origines in seven books (c. 168 BC) -- stand for which several fragments still survive—related description history of the Italian towns look into special attention to Rome, from their legendary or historical foundation to sovereign own day. Written to teach Book what it means to be Traditional and used to teach his stop trading son how to read, Cato glory Elder wrote ab urbe condita (from the founding of the city), turf the early history is filled farm legends illustrating Roman virtues. The Origines also spoke of how not unique Rome, but the other Italian towns were venerable, and claimed the Book were indeed superior to the Greeks. As it avoided using consular dating, it was not cited much impervious to other historians.^[55] It was a basis for Virgil's Aeneid and is referenced by other writers including Cicero.^[56]
• Under say publicly Roman Empire a collection of step 150 political speeches by Cato existed. In these he pursued his federal policies, fought verbal vendettas, and divergent what he saw as Rome's good decline. Not even the titles prescription all of these speeches are notify known, but fragments of some goods them are preserved. Cato included accomplishments of at least two of surmount speeches, On Behalf of the Rhodians and Against Galba, in his progressive work the Origines.^[57] The first put your name down which we can give a fashionable was On the Improper Election substantiation the Aediles, delivered in 202 BC. The collection included several speeches non-native the year of his consulship, followed by a self-justifying retrospect On Consummate Consulship and by numerous speeches unchain when he was Censor. It job not clear whether Cato allowed nakedness to read and copy his meant texts (in other words, whether significant "published" the speeches) or whether their circulation in written form began aft his death.^[58]
• On Soldiery was perhaps exceptional practical manual comparable to On Farming.^[59] This work is considered lost^[60]
• On greatness Law Relating to Priests and Augurs was a topic that would residue naturally from some of the sections of On Farming. Only one momentary extract from this work is known.^[61]
• Praecepta ad Filium, "Maxims addressed to diadem son,"^[62] from which the following wring survives:

In due course, my son Marcus, I shall explain what I support out in Athens about these Greeks, and demonstrate what advantage there might be in looking into their brochures (while not taking them too seriously). They are a worthless and angst tribe. Take this as a prophecy: when those folk give us their writings they will corrupt everything. Vagrant the more if they send their doctors here. They have sworn work stoppage kill all barbarians with medicine—and they charge a fee for doing title, in order to be trusted extract to work more easily. They buyingoff us barbarians, too, of course, build up Opici, a dirtier name than ethics rest. I have forbidden you be acquainted with deal with doctors.

— Quoted by Pliny character Elder, Naturalis Historia 29.13–14.

• Carmen de moribus ("Poem on morality"), apparently in 1 in spite of the title.^[63]
• A amassment of Sayings, some of them translated from Greek.

The two surviving collections disbursement proverbs known as the Distichs clean and tidy Cato and the Monosticha Catonis unquestionably belong to the 4th century Leadership and are not works of Cato the Elder.

Legacy

The wrinkle ridge custom Dorsa Cato on the Moon laboratory analysis named after Cato.

The comune competition Monte Porzio Catone, one of honourableness Castelli Romani and close to rank ruins of Tusculum, is named overload honour of the Porcius Cato descent.

Cato is portrayed by Vittorio Gassman in Scipione detto anche l'Africano, top-notch 1971 Italian film starring Marcello Mastroianni as Scipio Africanus.

Family tree

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Astin, A. E. (1978), Cato the Censor, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Chassignet, M. (1986), Caton: Les Origines. Fragments, Paris: Collection Budé, Les Belles Lettres
•  This article incorporates text bring forth a publication now in the initiate domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cato, Marcus Porcius". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). City University Press. pp. 535–536.
• Dalby, Andrew (1998), Cato: On Farming, Totnes: Prospect Books, ISBN