Lucius Quintius, what the hell?

>[Cato](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Patrizio_Torlonia.jpg) named, as chief of the senate, his friend and colleague Lucius Valerius Flaccus, and expelled, among many others, Lucius Quintius, who had been consul seven years before, and (which was greater honour to him than the consulship) brother to that Titus Flaminius who overthrew King Philip. The reason he had for his expulsion was this. Lucius, it seems took along with him in all his commands a youth whom he had kept as his companion from the flower of his age, and to whom he gave as much power and respect as to the chiefest of his friends and relations. >Now it happened that Lucius being consular governor of one of the provinces, the youth setting himself down by him, as he used to do, among other flatteries with which he played upon him, when he was in his cups told him he loved him so dearly that, “though there was a show of gladiators to be seen at Rome, and I,” he said, “had never beheld one in my life, and though I, as it were, longed to see a man killed, yet I made all possible haste to come to you.” >Upon this Lucius, returning his fondness, replied “Do not be melancholy on that account; I can remedy that.” Ordering therefore, forthwith, one of those condemned to die to be brought to the feast, together with the headsman and axe, he asked the youth if he wished to see him executed. The boy answering that he did, Lucius commanded the executioner to cut off his neck. _____________________________ **tl;dr:** Lucius Quintius had a young boy companion that he loved intensely (when in Rome, I guess?). One day they were drinking, and the boy said something along the lines of, ‘you know, I’ve never seen anyone get killed before. By golly, would I just love to.’ Valerius is like, ‘I can fix that.’ So they go to dinner and he has a convict executed in front of him. Even in the day, this was frowned upon, and he was later booted from office. _____________________________ **Source:** Plutarch, John Dryden, and Arthur Hugh Clough. "Marcus Cato." *Plutarch's Lives*. New York: Modern Library, 2001. 470. Print. _____________________________ **Further Reading:** [Marcus Porcius Cato / Cato Major (Cato the Elder) / Cato Censorius (Cato the Censor) / Cato Sapiens (Cato the Wise) / Cato Priscus (Cato the Ancient)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Elder) Lucius Valerius Flaccus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Valerius_Flaccus_(consul_195_BC)