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Statius
Cato was a Roman political figure of the first century B.C.E. He fought against Julius Caesar in battle and, rather than compromise his principles by coming to an agreement with his enemies, he committed suicide. Thus, in ancient Roman culture, Cato was regarded as an exemplar of admirable Stoic principles. In Purgatorio, Dante casts Cato as the guardian of the entrance to Purgatory, suggesting that, as a non-Christian, Cato wasn’t held accountable to Christian beliefs against suicide. Cato urges loitering souls to get on with their purgatorial journey.
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Cato Character Timeline in Purgatorio
The timeline below shows where the character Cato appears in Purgatorio. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Canto 1
...Hell to enter Purgatory? Virgil nudges Dante to reverently kneel and explains to the man, Cato, that Beatrice’s prayers led him to guide Dante through the afterlife, even though Dante’s still...
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Cato instructs Virgil to gird Dante with a reed belt and to wash Dante’s face. After...
(full context)
Canto 2
...compose to soothe Dante’s weariness. Casella does, to everyone’s enjoyment. As the group stands still, Cato returns and scolds them all for loitering. The souls scatter like a flock of startled...
(full context)
