Marcus Porcius Cato Censorius (Cato the Elder) (234 - 149 BC) (jan 1, 234 BC – jan 1, 149 BC)
Description:
Born in Tusculum (near Rome); a novus homo; served as consul in 195 BC and as censor in 184 BC; fought in the Second Punic War at the Battle of the Metaurus River; he is the chief character of Cicero’s De Senectute; he was governor of Spain, spent time in Greece in military service
Considered the “Father of Latin prose.” - Rome’s first prose writer
Wrote Ad Filium. A letter to his son.
Wrote De Re Militari. About civil law.
Wrote Carmen de Moribus. A prose work on behavior, and a collection of sayings.
Wrote Praecepta. A work that he wrote for his son.
Wrote Origines. (see synopsis) - history in seven books dealing with beginnings of Italian civilization and early Roman history. only name mentioned was the Hannibal’s one elephant that survived the trek over the alps - first history written in Latin
Wrote De Agri Cultura (De Re Rustica). (see synopsis) - a handbook on agriculture which declares cabbage to be an excellent and versatile crop. prose, first (surviving) latin prose
Cato made over 150 speeches.
Commonly ended his speeches by saying Carthago delenda est! (“Carthage must be destroyed!”), because he thought Carthage flourishing was a threat to Rome’s survival
Added to timeline:
Latin Lit
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