Kungani uCato ayecabanga ukuthi iCarthage kumelwe ibhujiswe?
Context:Nakuba iRoma yaphumelela ezimpini ezimbili zokuqala zePunic, njengoba yayilwela ukubusa nezwe lasePunic laseCarthage eNyakatho Afrika (manje iTunisia), yabhekana nokululazeka okuningi nokulimala okulimaza kulezi zimpikiswano, ikakhulukazi eMpini yaseCannae ngo-216 BC. Noma kunjalo, iRoma yakwazi ukunqoba iMpi Yesibili YamaPuni ngenxa kaScipio Africanus ngo-201 BC. Ngemva kokunqotshwa kwayo, iCarthage yayingaselona usongo eRoma futhi yancipha yaba yindawo encane elingana nendawo manje eyiNyakatho-mpumalanga yeTunisia.  Kodwa-ke, uCato the Censor wavakashela iCarthage ngo-152 BC njengelungu lenxusa le-senatorial, elalithunyelwe ukulamula ingxabano phakathi kwedolobha lasePunic noMassinissa, inkosi yaseNumidia. UCato, owayengumakadebona eMpini Yesibili YasePunic, washaqiswa ingcebo yaseCarthage, ayecabanga ukuthi iyingozi eRoma. Wabe esebiza ngokungaphezi ukuba libhujiswe futhi waphetha zonke izinkulumo zakhe ngaleli gama, ngisho nalapho impikiswano yayiphathelene nendaba ehluke ngokuphelele. Nokho, iSenate yenqaba ukumlandela, ikakhulukazi uPublius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum, umkhwenyana kaScipio Africanus kanye nosenate onethonya elikhulu kunabo bonke. ICorculum yayiphikisana nempi ukuze kulondolozwe ubunye bamaRoma futhi yathi ukwesaba isitha esivamile kwakudingeka ukuze abantu baqhubeke belawulwa. NjengoCato, waphetha zonke izinkulumo zakhe ngomusho ofanayo, "Kufanele kusindiswe iCarthage" (Carthago servanda est).
UCato wayenomuzwa wokuthi iCarthage yayisibuyele emuva ngokushesha okukhulu ekunqotshweni kwayo ezimpini ezimbili zokuqala zamaPunic, futhi yayiyokhumbula ukunqotshwa kwayo okuyinhlekelele eKannae. Wayecabanga ukuthi ukubhubhisa iCarthage ngokuphelele kuphela okwakuyosusa usongo eyayilusongela eRoma.