New Page 1

Cato the Younger
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A FIRM AND UNCOMPROMISING SPIRIT CAN TRIUMPH OVER VIOLENCE AND CORRUPTION

CATO THE YOUNGER

Marcus Porcius Cato, more popularly known as Cato the Younger, lived at the time when Rome's Republic was crumbling to pieces, and all power lay in the hands of a few powerful generals. The citizens had grown corrupted by riches, and the accepted and only way to obtain public office was through bribery and violence - election day always left several citizens dead. Gone, far gone was that virtue and honesty which had been the distinguishing feature of Roman politics in years gone by - but was it? or were there some sparks left in the young Cato, who had decided to enter the dangerous world of politics and perhaps save his country before all was too late?

It cannot be said whether his was a good decision or not, but certainly the way he conducted himself after this time was well worthy of a human being. Never once did he look back, but pursued what he thought to be right until his last breath. He rarely let himself be guided by fear, but rather baffled his adversaries by his dauntless spirit. Enough of his praises - let us read some of the instances which show most clearly his noble character.

How the Brave Cato Saved his Contry from Tyranny
There was a low and base man named Metellus who proposed to make the already powerful Pompey the Great sole ruler, but he knew that Cato and his friends would violently oppose such a design, so on the day when the people gathered to vote for his proposal he had the forum filled with armed slaves and gladiators. Nothing, however could deter Cato who was determined to keep his country free, if he should die in the attempt, and as he walked into the forum all the soldiers made way, not daring to refuse him entry, but would not admit any of his friends, save two whom Cato dragged through. Seated on the rostra was Metellus and it was to him that Cato went; and when the clerk began to read the bill, Cato forbade it but Metellus began to read it himself, whereupon Cato snatched it from him. Yet Metellus had learnt it by heart and proceeded to recite the bill, until a friend of Cato's named Thermus stopped his mouth with his hand. In great anger now, more soldiers were sent for, who upon arriving caused such fright that all the better citizens and everyone of Cato's party fled, leaving the intrepid Cato alone and unarmed among so many enemies. And now from all sides he began to be pelted with sticks and stones and was only just saved by a senator who compelled him into a nearby temple leaving Metellus to proceed to pass his bill in peace. Yet all was not yet lost and the worthier citizens rallied and once more poured into the forum with angry cries and Metellus, expecting them to be armed and as violent as he, and not possessing Cato's fortitude or even an ounce of courage thought all was up and fled the city in the utmost disgrace. After this Cato, coming back, yet further demonstrated his virtue by forbidding that Metellus should be deposed from his office or disgraced, and thereby showing such self-restraint that even his enemies admired him.

Cato's Speech
Once, when a certain Gaius Trebonius proposed that great armies and provinces should be allotted to Pompey the Great and Crassus (that year's consuls), Cato realized that if this should come to pass Rome would lose all semblance of a democracy, and he obtained with great difficulty two hours to speak upon the subject to the citizens. He began by outlining the evil consequences of having two such powerful men possessing such great armies and went on to reason and extort his hearers not to let this happen. Trebonius, growing uneasy at the influence Cato was having, sent a sergeant to pull him down from the platform, but even then, Cato, raising his voice, still found many to hear him. Then the sergeant hauled Cato out of the forum, but once let go of he returned and continued his speech, and after this happened several times Trebonius grew so infuriated that he ordered Cato's imprisonment. However, as the noble Roman was led off he continued to make his speech and cry out to the citizens not to abandon him, and they didn't, but followed in a great crowd and very sorrowfully. At this Trebonius grew afraid and released Cato - the proposal, for that day at least, being postponed.

Conclusion
The life of Cato cannot be admired without the knowledge of how he died, because the luster of his actions is somewhat dimmed by the fact that he committed suicide - here is the full story. When Caesar marched upon Rome with the intention of destroying the democracy and making himself king, all the senators and better citizens, with Pompey - Caesar's rival - at their head, fled Italy and went to Greece, where Caesar presently found them out and defeated them in a great battle. Cato was with this party, and after Pompey's death he became the obvious successor, and the only man left that was really capable enough to restore democracy to Rome. Although he had intended that if Caesar should win, he would retire from public affairs and live in a remote place as far away from tyranny as possible, he now changed his mind and decided not to abandon the tattered remains of Pompey's army without a leader. His efforts to continue the war were unsuccessful however, and he found himself being closely besieged by Caesar in the city of Utica without any prospect of help or hope - it was in this position that he determined on taking his life, not because he feared death at the hands of Caesar, indeed, everyone knew that Caesar craved to have Cato at his mercy only to set him free and thereby gain repute by pardoning such a famous man, but because after living a life in continual opposition to tyrants he would not, even at the last, help to give them the least credit (i.e. by pardoning him).
Let not this make us think ill of the acts he performed, but rather of the cause which he so zealously campaigned for. For it seems that Cato's cause - the preservation of the Roman Republic - was not worth the trouble which he went through for it, but all the same we must still admire the unswerving dedication of Cato who, once he had decided upon a thing followed it through, with the utmost honour and dignity to the very end.

many more are the deeds of Cato, and they can all be read in Plutarch's excellent life of Cato the Younger which can be read online at the following address:
http://www.constitution.org/rom/y_cato.htm