catonically

[Alan Baragona]

The only dictionary I can find with this word is the Second Edition of
Webster's New International (it's not in the Third or any current versions).
There it means "In the manner of Cato; specif. by suicide (referring to Cato
of Utica)."

"Catonic" and the more commonly listed "Catonian" are defined as "Of or
pertaining to or resembling Cato, esp. Cato the Elder or Cato of Utica, both
remarkable for austerity of life and manners."

So we've got two different meanings and two different Catos.

However, since Cato the Elder was famous for his "repeated injunctions, or
warnings, or predictions" about Carthage, there's no reason "Catonian" can't
refer to that aspect of his character, in addition to his austerity, and
there's no reason "catonically" would have to refer only to the other Cato
or to suicide, either.  Whether Buckley himself is extending the definition
or found it in a dictionary somewhere, I can't say.

Alan B.

At 09:55 AM 4/27/99 -0500, Luanne von Schneidemesser wrote:
>We received this query from our web site.  Can you help?  It is in dics I
>checked but not in Buckley's sense.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Luanne
>
>
>
>>Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 16:41:05 -0400
>>From: Warren Heller <emdee at northnet.org>
>>X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.05 [en]C-NECCK  (Win95; U)
>>To: lvonschn at facstaff.wisc.edu
>>Subject: catonically
>>
>>I have been trying to find this word in a number of dictionaries - to no
>>avail.
>>According to William F. Buckley, Jr., it means "with repeated
>>injunctions, or
>>warnings, or predictions." CAN YOU HELP ME?
>>
>>Warren Heller, M.D.
>>
>>
>