The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-08-27
A Fanlons Suicide.

In these days murderer or suicide
does not acquire worldly Immortality by
his crime. But in"the good old times"
men often acquired.everlasting renown by
killing Others and sometimes one gained
"an Immortality of fame" by killing
himself.
One of the most famous of the old
time suicides WAS Cato, miscalled the
philosopher. he is sometimes styled
Cato of Utica, because it was at Utica
that he killed himself. He was born
ninety.fve years before Christ, and
showed in his youth the austerity of
character which had distinguished his
illustrious ancestor, Cato the Censor,
who was born two hundred and thirty.
two years B. @. Like all Romans of rank,
he served in the.army and won consider.
able renown in suppressing the insurrec'
tion of the slaves, which was excited and
led by the gladiator sparticus.
Like the ancient Cato, he disdained the
luxuries usually enjoyed by officers of
rank. He refused the rewards for his
valor offered him by his commander,
and appeared upon the march in dress
which differed little from that of a private.
When the liberties OF Rcme we're
threatened by Cesar, he took ser7ice
under Pompey; and after his general was
slain aud Caesar was master of Zone he
thought it unbecoming Roman citizen
to continne to live.
He carried out his suicidal intention
with singular calmness and resolution.
After supping cheerfully with several of
his friends, he went into his room where
he embraced his son with such unusual
tenderness as to awaken the suspicion
that he intended to terminate his life.
He lay down upon his bed and read for
while Plato's Dialogue upon the i'm
mortality of the SOUL" When he had
finished reading, he looked round and
observed that his sword had been taken
away. He called for it; and when his
son and friends rushed into the room in
tears, Cato cried out:
"How long is it since I have lost my
senses and my son is become my keeper
Brave and generous son, why do you
bind your fathers hands, that when
Cesar comes be may find me unable to
defend myself? Do you imagine that
without sword I cannot end my life
Cannot destroy myself by holding my
breath for some moments, or by striking
my head against the wall?"
His son made no reply, but retired
weeping, and the sword was at length
sent into Cato by slave. "Now,"
said be as be drew it, II am my own mas
ter"
When he found himself alone he again
took up his book, and when he had once
more read the dialougue, he lay down
and slept. Toward the dawn of day he
took his sword and pressed the point into
his body little below the chest, indict-
ing al extensive through not fatal
wound. AS he fell he overturned table,
the noise of which gave the alarm.
He was found insensible, welteripg in
his blood.
While the surgeon was dressing the
wound, Cato recovered his conciousness,
thurst the surgeon from him, tore out his
bowels with his hands, and Immediately
expired.
Thus perished Cato, miscalled the
philosopher, in the forty. eighth year Of
his age. a glamour was thrown over his
suicide by the muse of Addison, who in
his tragedy of"Cato" has glorifed the self
muderer with the unfadiDg splendor OF
his poetical genius.