CATO, MARCUS PORTIUS, the Censor, one of the greatest men among the ancients, was born at Tusculum in the year of Rome 519, about the 232d before Christ. He began to bear arms at seventeen, and on all occasions showed extraordinary courage. He was a man of great sobriety, and reckoned no bodily exercise unworthy of him. He had but one horse for himself and his baggage, and he looked after and dressed it himself. On his return from his campaigns he betook himself to plough his ground; not that he was without slaves to do it, but because such was his inclination. He also dressed like his slaves, sat down at the same table with them, and partook of the same fare. He did not in the meanwhile neglect to cultivate his mind, especially in regard to the art of speak-
ing; and he employed his talents, which were very great, in generously pleading causes in the neighbouring cities without fee or reward. Valerius Flaccus, who had a country seat near Cato, conceiving an esteem for him, persuaded him to go to Rome, where Cato, by his own merits, and the influence of so powerful a patron, was soon taken notice of, and promoted. He was first of all elected tribune of the soldiers for the province of Sicily; and he was next made questor in Africa under Scipio. Having in this last office reproved the general for his profuseness to his soldiers, the latter answered that he did not want so exact a questor, but would make war at what expense he pleased; nor was he to give an account to the Roman people of the money he spent, but only of his enterprises, and the execution of them. Cato, provoked at this answer, left Sicily, and returned to Rome.
Cato was afterwards made pretor, and fulfilled the duties of that office with the strictest justice. He conquered Sardinia, governed with admirable moderation, and was created consul. Being tribune in the war of Syria, he gave distinguished proofs of his valour against Antiochus the Great; and on his return stood candidate for the office of censor. But the nobles, who not only hated him as a new man, but dreaded his severity, set up against him seven powerful competitors. Valerius Flaccus, who had introduced him into public life, and had been his colleague in the consulship, was a ninth candidate, and these two united their interests. On this occasion Cato, far from employing soft words to the people, or giving hopes of gentleness or complaisance in the execution of his office, loudly declared from the rostra, with a threatening look and voice, that the times required firm and vigorous magistrates, to put a stop to that growing luxury which menaced the republic with ruin; censors who would cut up the evil by the roots, and restore the rigour of ancient discipline. It is to the honour of the people of Rome, that, notwithstanding these startling intimations, they preferred him to all his competitors, who courted them by promises of a mild and easy administration. The comitia also appointed his friend Valerius his colleague, without whom he had declared that he could not hope to compass the reformation he had in view. Cato's merit, upon the whole, was superior to that of any of the great men who stood against him. He was temperate, brave, and indefatigable; frugal of the public money, and wholly incorruptible. There is scarcely any talent requisite for public or private life which he had not received from nature, or acquired by industry. He was a great soldier, an able statesman, an eloquent orator, a learned historian, and very skilful in rural affairs. Yet with all these accomplishments he had very great faults. His ambition being poisoned with envy, disturbed both his own peace and that of the whole city as long as he lived. Though he refused to take bribes, he was unmerciful and unconscionable in amassing wealth by all means which the law did not punish as criminal.
No part of the censor's conduct seemed so cruel to the nobles and their wives as the taxes he laid upon luxury in all its branches, including dress, household furniture, women's toilets, chariots, slaves, and equipage. The people, however, were in general pleased with his regulations; inasmuch that they ordered a statue to be erected to his honour in the Temple of Health, with an inscription which mentioned nothing of his victories or triumphs, but imported only, that by his wise ordinances in his censorship he had reformed the manners of the republic. Plutarch relates, that before this, upon some of Cato's friends expressing their surprise, that when many persons without merit or reputation had statues, he had none, he answered, "I had much rather it should be asked why the people
have not erected a statue to Cato, than why they have." Cato was the occasion of the third Punic war. Being dispatched to Africa to terminate a difference between the Carthaginians and the king of Numidia, he, on his return to Rome, reported that Carthage had grown excessively rich and populous, and warmly exhorted the senate to destroy a city and republic, during the existence of which Rome could never be safe. Having brought from Africa some very large figs, he showed them to the conscript fathers in one of the lappets of his gown. "The country," says he, "where this fine fruit grows, is but a three days' voyage from Rome." We are told that from this time he never spoke in the senate upon any subject, without concluding with these words, "I am also of opinion that Carthage ought to be destroyed." He judged, that for a people debauched by prosperity, nothing was more to be feared than a rival state, always powerful, and now, from its misfortunes, grown wise and circumspect. He held it necessary to remove all dangers that could be apprehended from without, when the republic had within so many distempers threatening her destruction.
Cato died in the year of Rome 604, aged eighty-five. He wrote several works, as, 1. A Roman History; 2. Concerning the Art of War; 3. Of Rhetoric; 4. A Treatise of Husbandry. Of these the last only is extant.