The Divine Comedy · Character
Cato of Utica
Guardian of Purgatory's shore, a symbol of moral freedom.
minor
Also known as Cato
First appearance: Canto I: The Shores of Purgatory
Cato of Utica shows up with force in Canto XIV: The Violent Against God and the Statue of Time. The page is where that presence becomes real.
Mentioned in a simile comparing the burning sand to the desert Cato once crossed.
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In Canto XIV: The Violent Against God and the Statue of Time: Mentioned in a simile comparing the burning sand to the desert Cato once crossed. Later, in Canto I: The Shores of Purgatory: The venerable guardian of…
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See Cato of Utica in Canto I: The Shores of PurgatoryCharacter Web
15 connectionsA slice of how Cato of Utica sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Sinners and Historical Figures
- Protagonist
- Heavenly Guides and Saints
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
In this canto, the dramatic climax occurs when Dante, having been emboldened to ask Virgil to teach him the na…
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Cato of Utica appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- Canto XIV: The Violent Against God and the Statue of Time
- Canto I: The Shores of Purgatory
- Canto II: The Celestial Pilot and Casella
- Endnotes
Chapter companion notes
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See Cato of Utica in Canto I: The Shores of Purgatory