Cato (II)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

MARCUS PORCIUS, surnamed the Younger or Uticensis (from Utica, the place of his death), the great-grandson of Cato the Censor, was born 95 b. c. Even when a boy, he is said to have given indications of sturdy independence. Taking his great ancestor as his model, he adopted his principles and imitated his conduct. He commenced his military career in 72 B. C., as a volunteer, in the servile war of Spartacus; and afterward earned a high reputation as a military tribune in Macedonia. spent in the study of stoicism, his favorite philosophy, and in diligent preparation for the duties of official life, he was elected quæstor for 65 B. C.; and acting on the principles which he had prescribed to himself, corrected various abuses which had been sanctioned by his predecessors. As the supporter of Cicero, in 63 B. c., in all his measures for suppress- wonderful appearance. ing the Catilinarian conspiracy, he decided by his speech, on the 5th of December, the motion that the conspirators should be put to death. Along with the senatorial party he strenuously opposed the coalition of Cæsar, Pompey, and Crassus, in 60 B. C., but the supporters of the triumvirate dexterously removed him from the scene of action by conferring upon him an appointment which called him first to Cyprus, and afterward to Byzantium. When prætor, in 54 B. C., he was exposed to the outrages of the mob, in consequence of his endeavors to put a stop to the bribery and corrupprevailed the tion which . On commencement of the civil war, 49 B. C., Cato joined the party of Pompey, and after the battle of Pharsalia, he retired to Africa, whither he had thought Pompey had fled, and endured, with his troops, hardships in marching across desert to join Scipio at Utica, with whom he had some contest about the mode of carrying on the war. Cato also gave of fense to that general by sparing those inhabitants of Utica who were attached to Cæsar. When that conqueror came before the place Cato retired to his chamber, and after reading Plato's "Phædo, or Dialogue on the Immortality of the Soul," fell upon his sword, 45 B. C.