Cato the censor (Elder)--Born 234 BC Died 149 BC
CATO, a surname, signifying the wise, first given to the Roman
Marcius Porcius, known in history as Cato the Censor, and afterward
borne by that family of the (plbeian) Porcian genes of which he was
the first member. Marcus Porcius, afterward called pricus, and surnamed
Cato and Censorius, a Roman statesman and patriot, born at Tusculum, probably
in 234 BC, died in Rome in 149. His father the descendant of a family for
many generations resident in Latium, died when he was very young,
and left him a small estate at a considerable distance from his birthplace,
in the territory of the Sabines. Here he spent his early youth in work upon
his
land, leading a simple life, and studying such subjects as he thought would
best advance the career of patriotic service which he had already marked
out for himself. When 17 yrs of age, in 217, he entered the Roman Army, and
served in the campaign of that year against Hannibal. In 214 he served at
Capua and in 209 he was with Fabius Maximum at Tarentum. During the short
periods
between his various terms of service he devoted his time to labor at his farm.
Near this favorite resort a Roman patrician, Lucius Valerius Flaccus, had a
large estate. Cato was constantly brought into contact with him, and
impressed
the Nobleman so favorably that the latter begged him to go to Rome with him,
and under his patronage as the custom was, to study law and oratory. Cato
consented and made his entry into the political world and marked sucess
rapidly acquiring celebrity as a pleader and oratorin the forum and becoming a
candidate for the quaestorship, an office which he attained in 205.
In this capacity he accompanied Scioip Africanus to Sicily in 204 but went
back to Rome before the return of his general whom he accused to the senate of
prodigality and mismanagement. This is the story given by some authorities,
though Livy says the inhabitants of Locri were the complainants against
Scripio and does not mention Cato by name as having pleaded the cause. A
commission of investigation was the result of the complaint and Scipio was
acquitted. Concerning the next few years of Cato's life we have slight details
but know that he was aedile in 199 and that in 198 he was made praetor and
received
the province of Sardinia. Here he showed in his administration and mode of
life
the enconomy simplicity and impartial justice which distinguished his whole
career.
By the frugality of his habits by his example in public and his prompt
punishment of venality and corrupt practices, he endeavored to combat the
introduction of habits
of luxury and extravagance from Greece and to restore the old severity and
strength of the Roman character. In 195 he was chosen consul, Lucius Valerius
Flaccus his former patron being his colleague. It was then customary for one
of the conssuls
to take the governorship of a distant portion of the Roman possessions and
Cato
was assigned to that of Hither Spain, a province then in a state of revolt and
great disorder. Here he showed remarkable ability as a military leader,
suppressed the rebellion, compelled the Spanish cities to destroy the greater
part of their
fortifications and restored affairs to their old condition. on his return to
Rome in
194 he received the honor of his triump. In the consulship of Manisu Acillius
Glabrio
which immediately followed his own Cato accompanied that leader as legate in
his campaign against Greece. Here, by a sudden and remarkably difficult march
he decided the principal battle of the war in favor of the Romans and
compelled the retreat of the enemy. Returning to Rome, he from this time
abandoned military life and resumed his place as a popular orator in the forum
and the courts. In 184 BC he was made Censor, again having his old friend
Flaccus as his colleague. In the exercise of the censorship Cato gained the
most enduring fame of his life. He raised the taxes on luxuries of many kinds,
degraded officers for the most trifling acts of levity as well as for actual
crimes, and bitterly persecuted those who opposed his acts.
He improved the public works of the city, while introducing economy in the
contract and stopped many abuses of the priviledges of the citizens. Now as
during
his whole life he was warmly on the side of the plebeians, and opposed the
nobles by every means given him either by his official or personal influence;
so that his censorship was a constant struggle with the patricians, both in
petty and important
matters. In revenge they began against him several prosecutions but he
defended
himself sucessfully in every case from their charges of maladadministration.
At the close of his censorship the people caused his statue to be erected and
a commemorative inscription to be placed upon its pedestal. Cato now ceased to
hold public office, except as a senator, but continued a remarkable activity
in political affairs, never relaxing in his opposition to all forms of luxury,
and attacking bitterly the vices of the nobles. He was employed in several
important cases; in the prosecution of M. Marienus and Publius Furius Philus
for maladadministration in Spain (171) BC in the defence of the Rhodians from
the charge of treachery toward Rome; and in other of equal moment. He took a
leading part in the debates of the
Senate on all great questions, always favoring a policy intensely hostile to
foreigners; his hostility toward all outside nationalities is shown in many
familiar anecdotes. The patricians continued to manifest their hatred of him
as late as 153 BC when he was 81 yrs old Cains Cassius brought against him a
serious accusation, the nature of which is not recorded, which compelled him
to defend himself with ultimate success. In 150 BC he began in the senate to
urge an immediate declaration of war against Carthage (the third Puin war)
With nine other deputies he was sent that year to investigate the condition
of the rival city, and was so impressed by its appearance of power and
prosperity that he declared upon his return that Rome could no longer permit
so powerful an enemy to exist. His hatred of Carthage now became the absorbing
passion of his life; he urged upon the people the importance of war, and never
rose to speak or give his
vote in the senate without adding to whatever else he said no matter how
foreign the subject, (I vote moreover that Carthage must (vote) be destroyed,
sentiment more familiar in the form Delendaest Carthage, which Cato himself
probably never used in formal debates. A part of the last year of his life was
spent in aiding the
prosecution of S Sulpicius Galba for treachery; but this though undoubtly
just; was unsuccessful. Soon after its conclusion Cato died at 85 years old.
The character of Cato was bitter and severe; in private life and especially in
the treatment of inferiors and slaves, he exhibited great harshness. His
personal morality, tried by a modern standard, was in some respects not so
pure as it has been often represented by parial historians. After the death of
his first wife Licinia he for a long time cohabited secretly with a female
slave, and only married again when nearly 80 yrs old on his son's discovery of
his concealed course. But his honesty and patriotism were
incorruptible at a time when those around him possessed little of either
virtue. Cato
left two sons; one M Porcius Cato Licinianus, afterward became a jurist of
eminence; the other M Porcius Cato Salonianus, by his second wife Salonia, was
born in his father's 80th year and lived to become Paretor.
This was left to me by my cousin Frank Cato of Ruston, La and I don't
know the source.
Adruain