---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the…"
description: "\"He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any other point whatever, without adding these words, \"And, in my opinion Carthage should be destro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg"
---

#  He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any…

![“He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any other point whatever, without adding these words, "And, in my opinion Carthage should be destroyed." ["Delenda est Carthago."]” quote by Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg)

> “He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any other point whatever, without adding these words, "And, in my opinion Carthage should be destroyed." \["Delenda est Carthago."\]”

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Cato consistently linked any discussion to his belief that Carthage must be destroyed, showing a single‑issue focus.

**In simple terms:** Cato always turned topics to Carthage’s destruction.

Key Takeaway

Beware of letting one agenda dominate all decisions.

Themes

politics principles obsession strategy history

Mood

critical reflective

Type

historical political cautionary

When to use this quote

- legislative debates
- policy formulation
- strategic planning
- public persuasion

Key Concepts

single‑issue bias political rhetoric decision making

Questions to Reflect On

- How does a single focus affect balanced judgment?
- When is it useful to keep a consistent stance?

A Different Perspective

His fixation could blind him to other important matters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Carthage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carthage/) [Cato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cato/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/)

## Related quotes

> [Moreover, I consider that Carthage should be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-elder/moreover-i-consider-that-carthage-should-be-destroyed/)

[Cato the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-elder/)

> [Furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-elder/furthermore-i-think-carthage-must-be-destroyed/)

[Cato the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-elder/)

> [Cato requested old men not to add the disgrace of wickedness to old age, which was accompanied with many other evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/cato-requested-old-men-not-to-add-the-disgrace-of-wickedness-to-old/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Cato used to assert that wise men profited more by fools than fools by wise men; for that wise men avoided the faults of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/cato-used-to-assert-that-wise-men-profited-more-by-fools-than-fools/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [He (Cato) used to say that in all his life he never repented but of three things. The first was that he had trusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/he-cato-used-to-say-that-in-all-his-life-he-never-repented-but-of/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Someone praising a man for his foolhardy bravery, Cato, the elder, said, ''There is a wide difference between true courage and a mere contempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/someone-praising-a-man-for-his-foolhardy-bravery-cato-the-elder-said/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [God has given to man no sharper spur to victory than contempt of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal/god-has-given-to-man-no-sharper-spur-to-victory-than-contempt-of-death/)

[Hannibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal/)

> [If you want to live in Tennessee, God bless you, I wish for you a long life and starry evenings. But that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/if-you-want-to-live-in-tennessee-god-bless-you-i-wish-for-you-a-long/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [A small number of temples was protected by the fears, the venality, the taste, or the prudence of the civil and ecclesiastical governors. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-small-number-of-temples-was-protected-by-the-fears-the-venality-the/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [It seems that, after nineteen centuries of extraordinary glorification, the small Host for which so many cathedrals have sprung up, the small Host that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/it-seems-that-after-nineteen-centuries-of-extraordinary-glorification/)

[Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/)

> [“it is a fine sunny day and great matters loom across the horizon of history. Carthage in my rearview mirror, I blend into Time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-is-a-fine-sunny-day-and-great-matters-loom-across-the-horizon-of/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [Violence never settles anything should be debated by the ghosts of Hitler and Stalin, with the city fathers of Carthage as referees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/violence-never-settles-anything-should-be-debated-by-the-ghosts-of/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [In all times and in all places--in Constantinople, northwestern Zambia, Victorian England, Sparta, Arabia, . . . medieval France,Babylonia, . . . Carthage, Mahenjo-Daro,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-j-kaplan/in-all-times-and-in-all-places-in-constantinople-northwestern-zambia/)

[Louise J. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-j-kaplan/)

> [“For centuries after obtaining power during the reign of Constantine, Christians went on a censorship rampage that led to the virtual illiteracy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-murdock/for-centuries-after-obtaining-power-during-the-reign-of-constantine/)

[D.M. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-m-murdock/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

## More by Plutarch

> [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [The generous mind adds dignity to every act, and nothing misbecomes it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/the-generous-mind-adds-dignity-to-every-act-and-nothing-misbecomes-it/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Painting is silent poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/painting-is-silent-poetry/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [King Agis said, "The Lacedæmonians are not wont to ask how many, but where the enemy are."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/king-agis-said-the-laced-monians-are-not-wont-to-ask-how-many-but/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Alexander wept when he heard from Anaxarchus that there was an infinite number of worlds; and his friends asking him if any accident had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/alexander-wept-when-he-heard-from-anaxarchus-that-there-was-an/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Proper listening is the foundation of proper living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/proper-listening-is-the-foundation-of-proper-living/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/painting-is-silent-poetry-and-poetry-is-painting-that-speaks/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Speech is like cloth of Arras opened and put abroad, whereby the imagery doth appear in figure; whereas in thoughts they lie but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/speech-is-like-cloth-of-arras-opened-and-put-abroad-whereby-the/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [There were two brothers called Both and Either; perceiving Either was a good, understanding, busy fellow, and Both a silly fellow and good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/there-were-two-brothers-called-both-and-either-perceiving-either-was/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [Why does pouring Oil on the Sea make it Clear and Calm? Is it that the winds, slipping the smooth oil, have no force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/why-does-pouring-oil-on-the-sea-make-it-clear-and-calm-is-it-that-the/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [This excerpt is presented as reproduced by Copernicus in the preface to De Revolutionibus: "Some think that the earth remains at rest. But Philolaus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/this-excerpt-is-presented-as-reproduced-by-copernicus-in-the-preface/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-part-of-a-good-man-to-do-great-and-noble-deeds-though-he-risk/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [I am whatever was, or is, or will be; and my veil no mortal ever took up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/i-am-whatever-was-or-is-or-will-be-and-my-veil-no-mortal-ever-took-up/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [The pilot cannot mitigate the billows or calm the winds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/the-pilot-cannot-mitigate-the-billows-or-calm-the-winds/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [“In Springtime, O Dionysos, To thy holy temple come, To Elis with thy Graces, Rushing with thy bull-foot, come, Noble Bull, Noble Bull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/in-springtime-o-dionysos-to-thy-holy-temple-come-to-elis-with-thy/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

[Explore all 451 Plutarch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

## More Carthage quotes

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [In all times and in all places--in Constantinople, northwestern Zambia, Victorian England, Sparta, Arabia, . . . medieval France,Babylonia, . . . Carthage, Mahenjo-Daro,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-j-kaplan/in-all-times-and-in-all-places-in-constantinople-northwestern-zambia/)

[Louise J. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-j-kaplan/)

> [Violence never settles anything should be debated by the ghosts of Hitler and Stalin, with the city fathers of Carthage as referees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/violence-never-settles-anything-should-be-debated-by-the-ghosts-of/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [“it is a fine sunny day and great matters loom across the horizon of history. Carthage in my rearview mirror, I blend into Time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-is-a-fine-sunny-day-and-great-matters-loom-across-the-horizon-of/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [If you want to live in Tennessee, God bless you, I wish for you a long life and starry evenings. But that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/if-you-want-to-live-in-tennessee-god-bless-you-i-wish-for-you-a-long/)

[Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/)

> [God has given to man no sharper spur to victory than contempt of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal/god-has-given-to-man-no-sharper-spur-to-victory-than-contempt-of-death/)

[Hannibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal/)

> [A small number of temples was protected by the fears, the venality, the taste, or the prudence of the civil and ecclesiastical governors. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-small-number-of-temples-was-protected-by-the-fears-the-venality-the/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [It seems that, after nineteen centuries of extraordinary glorification, the small Host for which so many cathedrals have sprung up, the small Host that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/it-seems-that-after-nineteen-centuries-of-extraordinary-glorification/)

[Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/)

> [Furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-elder/furthermore-i-think-carthage-must-be-destroyed/)

[Cato the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-elder/)

> [Moreover, I consider that Carthage should be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-elder/moreover-i-consider-that-carthage-should-be-destroyed/)

[Cato the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-elder/)

> [“For centuries after obtaining power during the reign of Constantine, Christians went on a censorship rampage that led to the virtual illiteracy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-m-murdock/for-centuries-after-obtaining-power-during-the-reign-of-constantine/)

[D.M. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-m-murdock/)

> [Don't tell me violence doesn't solve anything. Look at Carthage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/don-t-tell-me-violence-doesn-t-solve-anything-look-at-carthage/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [During his fifteen years in Italy, Hannibal never had enough elephants to suit him. Most of the original group succumbed to the climate, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/during-his-fifteen-years-in-italy-hannibal-never-had-enough-elephants/)

[Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/)

> [Our own country furnishes antiquities as ancient and durable, and as useful, as any; rocks at least as well covered with lichens,and a soil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-own-country-furnishes-antiquities-as-ancient-and-durable-and-as/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“According to Menander’s history, as preserved by Josephus, Hiram began his reign 155 years before the founding of Carthage, and according to the Greek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/according-to-menander-s-history-as-preserved-by-josephus-hiram-began/)

[Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/)

[Browse all 20 Carthage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carthage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any other point whatever, without adding these words, \"And, in my opinion Carthage should be destroyed.\" [\"Delenda est Carthago.\"]",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Plutarch"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-senate-upon-any-other-point/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Carthage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-senate-upon-any-other-point/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/plutarch-597_carthage_he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-se_2423198.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“He (Cato) never gave his opinion in the Senate upon any other point whatever, without adding these words…” — Plutarch",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Plutarch",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "He (Cato) never gave his opinion...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-senate-upon-any-other-point/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/he-cato-never-gave-his-opinion-in-the-senate-upon-any-other-point/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```