Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis (or Cato the Younger) was a well known and distinguished roman statesman and soldier born in 95 BC, very much a supporter or the roman repulican system.

He was admired for his stubborness, tenacity as well as his unshakeable moral integrity along with his well crafted rhetorics. He was among Caesars most prolific enemies and a firm believer in stoic philosophy. To this end, he led a very frugal private life although he came from great wealth, and trained his body relentlessly.

But this post is not about his many deeds during his life, but his final one.

In 46 BC the roman revolution has led to a civil war when Caesar marched on Rome. The republicans, of which Cato was a prominent supporter, lost a decisive battle against Ceasar in Utica.

Cato, not present at the battle, simply refused to continue living in a world dominated by Ceasar. Even when offered pardon by Ceasar, Catos stoic persona meant he decided to take his own life.

According to Plutarch, Cato attempted to kill himself by stabbing himself with his own sword, but failed to do so due to an injured hand.

Plutarch wrote:

"Cato did not immediately die of the wound; but struggling, fell off the bed, and throwing down a little mathematical table that stood by, made such a noise that the servants, hearing it, cried out. And immediately his son and all his friends came into the chamber, where, seeing him lie weltering in his own blood, great part of his bowels out of his body, but himself still alive and able to look at them, they all stood in horror. The physician went to him, and would have put in his bowels, which were not pierced, and sewed up the wound; but Cato, recovering himself, and understanding the intention, thrust away the physician, plucked out his own bowels, and tearing open the wound, immediately expired."

When Caesar heard that his formidable enemy took his own life, he respectfully commented:

"Cato, I grudge you your death, as you would have grudged me the preservation of your life."