660. Cato the Elder by Plutarch. Cato was proud of his ancestors who were great fighters. So when it was pointed out that he was a novus homo- he replied that his family was new to politics but where courage was concerned his family was very old.
He lived next door to Manius Curius who celebrated three triumphs- yet his house was very modest cottage. Seems to have impact on Cato. When Manius was offered gold by Samnites he replied- I have everything I want here- more honorable to conquer those who possess it.
On a march Cato had servants who carried his supplies- yet often helped them prepare the meal.
Valerius Flaccus was impressed with Cato's ethics and introduced him to politics in Rome.
Cato worked closely with Maximus and Flaccus to oppose Scipio- he was worried about introduction of extravagance.
Plutarch condemns his treatment of slaves and animals. But clearly admires his other qualities. He was very stingy as governor of a province.
His oratory was graceful and powerful. He once urged a crowd not to pass a grain distribution law by saying- It is a hard matter, my fellow citizens, to argue with the belly when it has no ears.
He once said- all other men rule their wives; we rule all other men and our own wives rule us.
On kings he said- the animal known as king is by nature carnivorous.
To a fat equestrian he once said- where can such a body be of service to the state when everything between its gullet and its groins is devoted to its belly?
When he addressed Athenians he insisted on speaking in Latin. The Athenians were amazed at how much Greek it took to express his compressed Latin.
Cato was big on self praise.
He was prosecuted 50 times. Once when he was 86 years old. But at 90 he prosecuted Servius Galba.
He held the Censorship in 184. He was heavily opposed but elected easily. Very strict.
Good father. Never struck his children. His first wife was not of high society. He always made sure unless there was a pressing public problem that he was at home when his baby son was bathed. He taught his own son to read. He wrote his History of Rome to provide his son with something to read to acquaint him with tradition. He watched his language and never bathed with his son. His son performed very well under Paullus at Pydna.
Did not like Carneades or Diogenes who seemed to be teaching young Romans how to be clever with words instead of instructing what was right and wrong. So when they were in Rome on embassy he worked hard to get their problems solved so that they could go home. Plutarch says that he was opposed to philosophy- this is opposed by Cicero and Gruen.
His 2nd wife was very young- even in old age he seems to have had a strong sexual appetite. He enjoyed dinner parties. His last effort was to declare war on Carthage. His experience in the 2nd Punic impressed him deeply. He saw first hand what they could do.
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