CATO, MARCUS PORCIUS, surnamed the Younger or Uticensis (from Utica, the place of his death), the great-grand son 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. After some time spent in the study of stoicism, his favor ite philosophy, and in diligent prepara tion for the duties of official life, he was elected qumstor for 65 B. C.; and acting on the principles which he had prescribed to himself, corrected various abuses which had been sanctioned by his prede cessors. As the supporter of Cicero, in 63 B. c., in all his measures for suppress ing the Catilinarian conspiracy, he de cided by his speech, on the 5th of Decem ber, the motion that the conspirators should be put to death. Along with the senatorial party he strenuously opposed the coalition of Cwsar, Pompey, and Crassus, in 60 B. C., but the supporters
of the triumvirate dexterously removed him from the scene of action by confer ring upon him an appointment which called him first to Cyprus, and after ward to Byzantium. When praetor, in 54 R. C., he was exposed to the outrages of the mob, in consequence of his endeavors to put a stop to the bribery and corrup tion which prevailed. On the commence ment 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, great hardships in marching across the 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 CTsar. When that conqueror came before the place Cato retired to his chamber, and after reading Plato's "Phx do, or Dialogue on the Immortality of the Soul," fell upon his sword, 45 B. C.