During their censorship, Cethegus disagreed with his colleague about which senator should be elected Princeps Senatus.
Tuditanus had the right of choice and chose Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, while Cethegus wanted the most senior censor Titus Manlius Torquatus to be the Princeps Senatus.
[3] In 204 BC, he was elected consul, possibly to aid his kinsman Scipio, then in Africa.
In 203 BC he was proconsul in Italia Superior, where, in conjunction with the praetor Publius Quintilius Varus, he gained a hard-won victory over Mago Barca, Hannibal's brother, at the Battle of Insubria, which forced him to retreat from Italy.
[citation needed] He had a great reputation as an orator, and is characterised by Ennius as the quintessence of persuasiveness (suadae medulla).