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Cato kills himself rather than accept Caesar's pardon

46 BCE, Utica. An event.

Where and when

46 BCEUtica

2,071 years ago

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, Utica

After Caesar beats the Republicans in Africa, Cato takes his own life at Utica. Plutarch says the first wound was not enough and he tore it open again.

But when Butas had gone out, Cato drew his sword from its sheath and stabbed himself below the breast.

Plutarch, Life of Cato the Younger 70.5Translated by Bernadotte Perrin (1919)Read the full passage (Plutarch, Life of Cato the Younger 70.5, opens scaife.perseus.org)

Background: Cato the Younger, Wikipedia (opens en.wikipedia.org)

Why it matters

By choosing death over Caesar's pardon, Cato made himself a martyr for and a symbol of the Republic. Eulogies by Cicero and Brutus began to present him as a great Stoic philosopher.

Based on Wikipedia: Cato the Younger

he chose to take his own life rather than accept what he saw as Caesar's tyrannical pardon, turning himself into a martyr for and a symbol of the Republic

Cato's death triggered a series of eulogies, of which both Cicero and Brutus were authors, starting to identify Cato as a great Stoic philosopher.

Wikipedia, Cato the Younger (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-19. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. 49 BCE3 years earlier Caesar crosses the Rubicon with his army Same years
  2. 48 BCE2 years earlier Caesar defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Same years
  3. 48–47 BCEabout 2 years earlier Caesar takes Cleopatra's side in Egypt Same years
  4. 46 BCEThis momentCato kills himself rather than accept Caesar's pardon
  5. 46 BCESame year Caesar on Cato's death, as Plutarch tells it Rests on this eventAlso about death
  6. 46 BCESame year Cato's death at Utica, as Plutarch tells it Rests on this eventAlso in Utica
  7. 46 BCESame year Cato's last night, as Plutarch tells it Rests on this eventAlso in Utica
  8. 46 BCESame year Cato's last night, as Plutarch tells it Rests on this eventAlso in UticaAlso about death
  9. 44 BCE, written later2 years later Cicero on Cato's choice to die Rests on this event
  10. 44 BCE2 years later Caesar is stabbed to death in the Senate Same years

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