Editing Cato the Elder (section)

====Path to magistracies====
[[File:roman.forum.&.arch.of.septimius.rome.arp.jpg|thumb|right|Part of the Roman Forum. The arch was erected by [[Arch of Septimius Severus|Septimius Severus]].]]

Flaccus was a perceptive politician, who looked for young and emergent men to support him. He had observed Cato's martial spirit and heard his eloquent tongue. He knew how much courage and persuasiveness were valued at Rome. He also knew that distinction achieved on the battlefield opened the way to achievements in the higher civil offices. Flaccus knew too that for a stranger like Cato, the only way to the magisterial honours was success in the [[Roman Forum]].{{refn|group=n|Compare that conception with the opinion stated by [[Montesquieu]] about the subsequent corruption of Rome during the [[Roman Republican civil wars|civil wars]] between [[Gaius Marius]] and [[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]]'s factions: "But, in general, the Romans knew only the art of war, which was the sole ''path to magistracies'' and honours. Thus, the martial virtues remained after all the others were lost."<ref>{{citation |last=Montesquieu |author-link=Montesquieu |title=Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline |at=Ch.&nbsp;X |date=1734 }}.</ref>}} 

For that reason, he suggested to Cato that he shift his ambition to the field of Roman politics. The advice was followed. Invited to the townhouse of Flaccus, and ratified by his support, Cato began to distinguish himself in the forum, and became a candidate for assuming a post in the magistracy.