Marcus Porcius M. f. M. n. Cato was the father of Cato the Younger. His promising political career was cut short by his sudden death, early in the first century BC. Family Cato was the son of Marcus Porcius Cato Salonianus, the son of Cato the Elder by his second wife, Salonia. Cato Salonianus was born in 154 BC, and lived to obtain the praetorship, but then died in office, leaving two sons, Marcus and Lucius. When Marcus was grown, he married Livia, daughter of Marcus Livius Drusus, consul in 112 BC. Livia had previously been married to Quintus Servilius Caepio, and had three children: Gnaeus, Servilia, who married Marcus Junius Brutus, and Servilia Minor, wife of Lucius Licinius Lucullus. Since Caepio died during the Social War, he and Livia must have been divorced. The cause is not known, but it might have been the result of the enmity that developed between Caepio and his brother-in-law, Marcus Livius Drusus, although they had previously been close friends. Cato and Livia had a son, Marcus, born in 95 BC, and a daughter, Porcia. Career Cato was tribune of the plebs in an uncertain year, probably early in the first decade of the first century BC. Broughton assigns his tribunate to 99 BC, in which year the tribunes Cato and Quintus Pompeius Rufus attempted to recall Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus from exile. This bill was opposed by Gaius Marius, a prominent general and rival of Numidicus, and with his support the proposal was vetoed by the tribune Publius Furius. Drumann identifies this Cato as Lucius, the brother of Marcus, but the year of his tribunate is equally uncertain. Cicero relates an anecdote concerning a decision that Cato gave in a civil trial, relating to a vendor's duty to disclose hidden defects to a purchaser. A certain Claudius, having been ordered by the augurs to demolish his house on the Caelian Hill, because it obstructed the auspices, sold the house to the plaintiff, Calpurnius, without mentioning the demand of the augurs. When Calpurnius learned that his house was to be demolished, he brought suit against Claudius for fraud, and Cato rendered a decision in his favour, requiring Claudius to pay him damages.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“All mankind rules its women, and we rule all mankind, but our women rule us.”
— In bitter criticism of the prevalent domination of women (The Classical weekly, Vol. 25–26, 1932, p. 273).
“Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.”
— Sometimes quoted as Carthago delenda est.
“Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est. Quod non opus est, asse carum est.”
— Buy not what you want, but what you have need of; what you do not want is dear at a farthing.
“Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise.”
— Plutarch's Life of Cato Variant: Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise.
“I would much rather have men ask why I have no statue, than why I have one.”
— Attributed to Cato in Plutarch, Parallel Lives 19:4.
“The pursuits of commerce would be as admirable as they are profitable if they were not subject to so great risks: and so, likewise, of banking, if it was always honestly conducted. For our ancestors considered, and so ordained in their laws, that, while the thief should be cast in double damages, the usurer should make four-fold restitution.”
— Introduction: of the dignity of the farmer

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Not who you're looking for? Others named Marcus Porcius Cato: Roman consul in 36 AD · Roman consul in 118 BC · Roman soldier, son of Cato Uticensis (c. 73–42 BC)

Overview

Marcus Porcius M. f. M. n. Cato was the father of Cato the Younger. His promising political career was cut short by his sudden death, early in the first century BC. Family Cato was the son of Marcus Porcius Cato Salonianus, the son of Cato the Elder by his second wife, Salonia. Cato Salonianus was born in 154 BC, and lived to obtain the praetorship, but then died in office, leaving two sons, Marcus and Lucius. When Marcus was grown, he married Livia, daughter of Marcus Livius Drusus, consul in 112 BC. Livia had previously been married to Quintus Servilius Caepio, and had three children: Gnaeus, Servilia, who married Marcus Junius Brutus, and Servilia Minor, wife of Lucius Licinius Lucullus. Since Caepio died during the Social War, he and Livia must have been divorced. The cause is not known, but it might have been the result of the enmity that developed between Caepio and his brother-in-law, Marcus Livius Drusus, although they had previously been close friends. Cato and Livia had a son, Marcus, born in 95 BC, and a daughter, Porcia. Career Cato was tribune of the plebs in an uncertain year, probably early in the first decade of the first century BC. Broughton assigns his tribunate to 99 BC, in which year the tribunes Cato and Quintus Pompeius Rufus attempted to recall Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus from exile. This bill was opposed by Gaius Marius, a prominent general and rival of Numidicus, and with his support the proposal was vetoed by the tribune Publius Furius. Drumann identifies this Cato as Lucius, the brother of Marcus, but the year of his tribunate is equally uncertain. Cicero relates an anecdote concerning a decision that Cato gave in a civil trial, relating to a vendor's duty to disclose hidden defects to a purchaser. A certain Claudius, having been ordered by the augurs to demolish his house on the Caelian Hill, because it obstructed the auspices, sold the house to the plaintiff, Calpurnius, without mentioning the demand of the augurs. When Calpurnius learned that his house was to be demolished, he brought suit against Claudius for fraud, and Cato rendered a decision in his favour, requiring Claudius to pay him damages.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“All mankind rules its women, and we rule all mankind, but our women rule us.”
— In bitter criticism of the prevalent domination of women (The Classical weekly, Vol. 25–26, 1932, p. 273).
“Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.”
— Sometimes quoted as Carthago delenda est.
“Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est. Quod non opus est, asse carum est.”
— Buy not what you want, but what you have need of; what you do not want is dear at a farthing.
“Wise men learn more from fools than fools from the wise.”
— Plutarch's Life of Cato Variant: Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise.
“I would much rather have men ask why I have no statue, than why I have one.”
— Attributed to Cato in Plutarch, Parallel Lives 19:4.
“The pursuits of commerce would be as admirable as they are profitable if they were not subject to so great risks: and so, likewise, of banking, if it was always honestly conducted. For our ancestors considered, and so ordained in their laws, that, while the thief should be cast in double damages, the usurer should make four-fold restitution.”
— Introduction: of the dignity of the farmer

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Marcus Porcius M. f. M. n. Cato was the father of Cato the Younger. His promising political career was cut short by his sudden death, early in the first century BC.