Purgatorio

by

Dante Alighieri

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Cato Character Analysis

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
Purgatory and the Heavenward Journey Theme Icon
Spiritual Power vs. Earthly Power Theme Icon
...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... (full context)
Purgatory and the Heavenward Journey Theme Icon
Love, Sin, and God Theme Icon
Cato instructs Virgil to gird Dante with a reed belt and to wash Dante’s face. After... (full context)
Canto 2
Purgatory and the Heavenward Journey Theme Icon
Love, Sin, and God Theme Icon
Time Theme Icon
...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)