Download RRP Rachel Rushing - 2010

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Rachel Rushing
Ms. Bergen, Mrs. Downer, Mrs. Ibrahim
English 10 – 6, Latin II – 3, World History – M/W/F
10 November 2010
Cato the Elder vs. Scipio Africanus
When uncovering the ancient mysteries Rome left behind, it is important to remember the
people who influenced these peculiar events and happenings. There are several political and
military leaders who were important to the development of Roman history. Cato the Elder and
Scipio Africanus, for instance, are two fine specimens of some of Rome’s greatest leaders, and
they happen to have been archrivals. Cato had earned respect from his people because he was
old-fashioned, hard-working, and cared about his homeland. Scipio was admired by others for
his ingenious battle strategies and brave character. Cato, despite his political and oratorical
skills, was often relentless in his punishment and disciplined his fellow citizens in an overbearing
manner. Scipio was a military genius and a visionary who encouraged change, which Rome
greatly needed. Though Cato was a well-rounded politician, Scipio contributed more to Roman
society through his achievements and the changes he made as a political leader.
Though he didn’t defeat one of the greatest enemies Rome ever knew, Marcus Porcius
Cato was a natural-born leader. At age seventeen, Cato served his country in the army and
helped fight in campaigns. The time he spent defending his country helped prove his loyalty to
Rome. After four years of service, he returned to his house in Sabine, where he kept up his own
farm. Having grown up in a family with no political background, Cato was used to manual labor
and continued it as an adult. Still a young man, Cato quickly gained respect from his neighbors
because of his trustworthy disposition and simple lifestyle. One of his neighbors happened to be
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a man of great power, and Cato’s “…incisive oratory, combined with his rugged honesty, simple
living, and dogged perseverance, attracted the attention of his noble neighbor L. Valerius
Flaccus, consul in 195” (Scullard 187). Flaccus encouraged Cato to pursue a career in politics
after noticing his genuine, hard work. The support that Cato was given by Flaccus went to good
use, and “Cato’s rise henceforth was speedy, thanks no doubt to the political and financial help
of his aristocratic patron” (Scullard 187). Because of this, Cato was then able to establish a
reputation for himself as a trustworthy Roman citizen. He soon gained power, going from a
novus homo, or a new man in politics, to a political leader in less time than most, as Romans
were hesitant when it came to change.
After working in the political field for a while, Cato was also given military
responsibilities. He started out by serving under Scipio, assisting him with his finances and
helping to command sections of his army. Later, Cato was considered an experienced field
commander and his achievements were essential to the successes of Rome, such as in the battle
at Thermopylae (Masson 69). Though he had more well-known achievements in the political
arena, he was renowned for his military expertise.
Cato was also praised for his speeches and literary works, of which there were many. In
an attempt to preserve Roman culture, he was one of the first to write public works in Latin, a
language primarily used by the lower-class, uneducated Romans. Despite the negative
connotation associated with the language, Cato was acclaimed by the people of Rome and they
seemed to regard him as their supporter. Being a political figure, he had the power to enforce the
laws as he saw fit, which he did happily, and this continued to prove his strong ethics. However,
he became very strict about moral obligations and what he believed was best for the community,
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often giving out severe punishments for trivial offenses, so the people maintained a respectful
fear of him. But for the most part, he was kept in high esteem.
Scipio, like Cato, held the respect of his peers. He was born only a couple of years
before Cato, yet he had accomplished much more in the same amount of time. Having had
family in the political field, he used his advantages accordingly. With his power, he led the
Roman army to victory on numerous occasions and even defeated Hannibal, one of Africa’s
greatest generals and one of the biggest threats to Rome at the time. His leadership was almost
flawless, and until Cato brought down his reputation with libelous speeches, he was wellrespected and liked by most everyone.
Before he became a military hero, it is said that Scipio gained his reputation for bravery
by saving his father from a difficult situation. His father had placed young Scipio with a strong
body of cavalry to keep him safe, but was then put in harm’s path himself. At this time,
“...Scipio saw his father wounded and cut off by the enemy, [and] failing to get those with him to
go to the rescue, he charged forward alone; the others followed and the elder Scipio was saved”
(Scullard 29). Other sources deny that Scipio was the one who saved his father, but the only
evidence is the story itself. Regardless of its verity, the adventure earned Scipio new respect
from his superiors, and he quickly rose to great heights.
It is easy to see why Cato was probably jealous of Scipio. If Cato had been born into a
political family as Scipio was, he may have risen to even greater heights. However, there
seemed to have been reasons beyond family background for their less than amiable feelings
toward one another. It is said by some that upon meeting, they immediately took a dislike to each
other. This is highly unlikely, as neither had a reason initially to hate one another. It seems that
“most scholars have rightly concluded that the whole episode is a fabrication designed to extend
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the animosity between Cato and Scipio back to their first (known) public encounter…” (Ruebel
163). However, there were several collateral reasons that could have caused tension rather
quickly between the two. Cato and Scipio were about the same age, fought through the same
battles, lived in the same area, and ruled over the same people, yet Scipio had much more
success. And to make matters worse, their personalities were polar opposites. Striving to
maintain the status quo, Cato refused to take part in anything having to do with Greek culture,
though his fellow citizens often tried to compile many Greek customs with their own. Scipio, on
the other hand, promoted Greek culture and welcomed it into his own life. Cato simply did not
understand his reasoning and felt Scipio was, in a sense, betraying his Roman heritage. This
“…probably reflects the cause of his hostility. Cato could not understand Scipio’s culture and
love of a Greek way of life, nor perhaps did he appreciate so well the art of timing the relaxation
or stiffening of military discipline” (Scullard 187). Because he was not able to understand him,
Cato began to distrust Scipio and eventually learned to hate him. Cato brought up points in
argument, such as saying that Scipio was acting like a master of a festival rather than the
commander of an army, in order to denigrate him.
Cato the Elder, who was known for despising Greek culture, constantly worried about
preserving the Roman Empire. He often stated that allowing Greek culture to influence Rome
would result in its downfall, and he tried to convey this uneasiness in his speeches. And even
after the defeat of Hannibal and the taking over of Carthage, Cato insisted that Carthage should
be completely and utterly destroyed, for fear of its uprising and its apparent ability to resurface to
prosperity. Thus, Cato proceeded to exaggerate the threat Carthage posed, and he ended every
public speech he made, regardless of its content, with the phrase “Carthago delenda est!” By
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repeating this on numerous occasions, Cato incited fear and a lust for war in the Roman citizens,
and shortly after his death, the Romans engaged in the Third Punic War.
Scipio Africanus, who had defeated the great Hannibal, was not nearly so worried about
the comeback of Carthage, and he seemed to believe that Rome could take care of herself. Since
the war did help Rome to remain in power, it could arguably be seen as a positive experience.
However, the war was not exactly a delay to the fall of the Roman Republic; on the contrary, it
seemed to quicken its coming about. Taking this into consideration, it seems as though Cato did
not really help Rome, but hinder her.
Thanks to some of Cato’s more dramatic (and sometimes hypocritical) claims, Scipio
earned a reputation of being irresponsible and brutal. While some accusations may have held
some amount of truth behind them, the majority were exaggerated or distorted forms of the truth.
But since Cato was an experienced speaker, his claims against Scipio were taken seriously and
influenced the people greatly on how they viewed Scipio. They began to believe he was
someone that Rome shouldn’t rely on so heavily, though it was really Cato that the Romans
should have been wary of.
It is apparent, though, that Cato did somewhat regret dirtying the name of Scipio
Africanus, because when his motives were publicly questioned, he became embarrassed of the
deeds he had done and stepped down from his position in Roman politics. He was still civil to
the heirs of Scipio, and evidently did not hold bitter feelings. In the dialogue of Cato the Elder:
On Old Age, which takes place between Cato and Publius Scipio Africanus Minor, who was the
adopted grandson of Scipio Africanus, he even went so far as to call him and the other guests
“my friends” (Cicero). This suggests that Cato perhaps forgave Scipio before his death, or that
he never truly hated Scipio in the first place, which is important to take into account when
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considering Cato’s motives. Cato did seem to have good intentions, but it is only fair to hold
him accountable for what he actually did. He did put his country before everything else, and he
made sure there were no major threats. But Scipio, unlike Cato, was not hasty when giving
orders for the Roman army. Cato (arguably) caused the Third Punic War to get rid of a potential
threat, and instead quickened the Roman Empire’s demise. Scipio was clever and dependable,
leading his people from one victory to the next. He encouraged change, which is exactly what
the Romans needed. These, among other qualities, made him a better leader than Cato the Elder
ever was.
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Works Cited
Cicero, Marcus T. "M. Tullius Cicero, Cato the Elder: on Old Age, section 1." Perseus Digital
Library. Ed. William A. Falconer. Web. 6 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0039>.
Masson, Georgina. Ancient Rome, from Romulus to Augustus. New York: Viking Press, 1974.
Print.
Ruebel, James S. "Cato and Scipio Africanus." The Classical World 71.3 (1977): 161-73.
JSTOR. Classical Association of the Atlantic States. Print.
Scullard, H. H. Scipio Africanus: Soldier and Politician. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP, 1970. Print.
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Since accurate sources from the time are not always possible to differentiate from the fictional
works of emerging authors, it is hard to know for sure every feat Scipio is thought to have
achieved is not a figment of someone’s imagination. Some scholars explain why it is likely
that Scipio at least partook in the major events he is known for in the passage, “But why was
Scipio as well known at this time as Livy and Polybius suggest? It is unlikely that his bravery…
was by itself still the reason for his fame. If, however, he had indeed… [the assumption] makes
more sense” (Gabriel 14). It is safe to assume that Scipio is rightfully known for his
achievements.
Gabriel, Richard A. Scipio Africanus: Rome's Greatest General. Washington, D.C.: Potomac,
2008. Print.