Introduction

Who was Cato? And what was he doing in Utica?

Cato the Younger was a Roman politician, a contemporary of Julius Caesar and Cicero. He was renowned for his integrity and unwavering loyalty to the old virtues of Republican Rome. After his faction in Caesar's civil war was defeated, he committed suicide in the North African city of Utica.

In life, Cato was defeated on the battlefield and in politics. Old Rome and all that he stood for was swept away. Yet centuries after his death, his example continued to inspire. Cato held fast to the values of old Rome all his life in the midst of the worst corruption and decay. These virtues were more general than specific, guidelines rather than directions. Some of them were the prototypes of the civic virtues virtually all nations aspire to today - integrity in office, not taking bribes, not pandering to the public, and putting personal ambition aside for the good of the nation. Others concerned tradition and one's place in society. In his personal life, he also pursued virtue, living simply without unnecessary wealth or luxury. He was also a Stoic, trained to accept loss and tragedy with as little emotion as possible. And of course, he was human, never fully living up to the ideals of old Rome or the iron logic of Stoicism. Yet he did not give in to despair, even if he was facing some of the most famous names in history. Even his suicide defied Caesar, who said "Cato, I grudge you your death, as you would have grudged me the preservation of your life."

Cato lived his ideals, even if sometimes he fell short. His life has inspired Christian theologians, medieval poets, and American revolutionaries. Even George Washington held Cato in higher regard than Caesar. The conflicts that Cato dedicated his life to have long become irrelevant. It was ultimately his character, and not his politics, in particular his integrity and resilience, that inspired so many. We live in a time that Cato would recognize much like his own. The world is changing, and many would have us believe that these changes are inevitable. To those of us who are against this, there's a strong temptation to simply retreat and concede defeat. But even if the march of progress is inevitable, we can still do as Cato - to stay true to what we hold dear, even if the world leaves us behind. This blog will explore what it's like to be on the wrong side of history.