Biography of Marcus Porcius Cato
"Delenda Carthago"
Year of birth: 234 BcYear of death: 149 Bc
Marcus porcius Cato was born in Tusculum, near Rome, in 234 BC at the age of 17 years fighting as military Tribune, commanded by Fabius Maximus against Hannibal. His passion for the collective interest sees quaestor in Sardinia in 204, aedile in 195 and censor, Consul 199 184. The latter charge, one of the most prestigious among the magistrates of Rome, alongside of censuses is responsible for checking of morality and behaviour, in relation to it, may even reject the candidacy to the Senate or withdraw the charge itself as Senator. Strongly traditionalist, engaged in the defense of morals of the fathers, "pietas", is a bulwark against the spread of Greek culture in Rome, convinced that corrupts young people: "When these people will give us his literary culture will corrupt all, and will do even worse if he will send here your physicians." Acts as a censor with such austerity to remain stuck on me like nickname: being told, in fact, "Censor".
In the battle against the filoelleniste attacks Saeed, who are its supporters, going so far as to radiate from Senate Scipio Africanus. We know from Plutarch that its complaints reach paradoxical excesses when, for example, radia for indignity a Senator because he kisses his wife in the presence of his daughter, or a Knight that he believes unpresentable because too old, or another because obese. Ancient man mold of great moral rigor, Cato describes her youth "... hard and industrious, frugal living, cultivating the fields, hoeing and seeding the stones and stones of Sabina". Famous is its aversion to Carthage and the exhortation to its destruction, "Delenda Carthago", which pronounces in the end of each prayer. Despite the fierce battle against the Greek influences, he acknowledges, however, the importance of Greek rationalism, so much so that in later years he devoted himself to learning the language.
Discoverer of Ennius, who would become one of the fathers of Latin literature, Cato is himself a fruitful and valuable writer: his most important work, the "Origines", now lost, recounts in seven books the history of archaic Italy. But even his prayers, 150 of whom Cicero will learn by heart; the "Praecepta ad filium" and the "Epistolae ad filium," written for the education of his son mark; the "Liber de re militari"; "De agri cultura," Treaty which defends small farm against large estates that should be taking place, only work to come down to us; "Carmen de moribus", and others. He had many admirers, from Cicero to Cornelius Nepos, Livy the aforementioned Plutarch "parallel lives", up to contemporary latinist Luciano Perelli. Marcus porcius Cato died in 149 BC, at the age of 85 years. Three years later, in 146 BC, what had been his obsessive desire is fulfilled with the destruction of Carthage, at the end of the third Punic War where he was champion. According to some historians, the most original figure of Cato in Rome's history remains in the 2nd century.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.