Comparison of Biography genre and History genre, through analysis of Plutarch's Cato the Censor and Polybius' Book X description of the Career of Scipio the Elder [two exact contemporaries]
Biography: Discussed Plutarch Alexander chapter 1 (classic definition of biography): character rather than grand exploits, private and intimate rather than public and official, artist's sketch rather than photograph, the `revealing anecdote rather than the measured narration of facts year-by-year
Cato a `new man' [definition in Plutarch, Cato] Scipio a patrician aristocrat
Cato a man of moderate means S a millionaire on both sides of family
Cato worked his way up by patronage in courts S inherits a huge clientele of soldiers
Cato a brilliant speaker (150 orations)
Both see military service during the Hannibalic War:
Cato as volunteer Scipio as son of consul
Both face the Barca family (Hasdrubal) Hannibal (Zama 201)
War Heroes: public office
Cato: strict governor of Sicily and Sardinia
strict as governor of Spain (196-195) Scipio virtually ruled Spain 215-207
Cato anti usury (but a moneylender himself) Scipio dispenses booty & patronage on grandest scale
Cato as businessman (farms, ponds, forestry, etc.: Plutarch) canny clever: need to make money because no inherited wealth
or political use, and `principles' forbid exploitation
but cold-hearted: sells slaves when they get too old to work
Scipio & family continue in the imperialism business (Wars in Greece and Asia)
Cato organizes provincial government of Spains (to prevent some aristocrat from doing it and getting rich from the opportunities)
Cato uses the court system to persecute internationalists (Scipios): perversion of justice
Cato's censorship: harasses Scipio into retirement and death
opposed by (snobbish aristocracy) because a new man and excessively `stoic' in principles
Dangerous to system as usual. Cato causes great bitterness and division
Both literary texts analyze virtues and vices: purpose of history and biography both
In Rome (the Thucydidean virtue of incorruptibility does not apply: generosity must take its
place)
Cato's Origines, though history, left out all the aristocratic names of great heroes. Spite.
John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu