NO. fl.
A DEKENOE QV OATAJ.1NE.
125
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i
A
Cataline (list distinguished himself as a
valient Lieutenant in the army of Sulla.
Wo arc told that lie indulged in cruelty
and debauchery, lie did there no more
than the majority of soldiers at that day,
who were noted for their base morals.
His lot was cast in a time when Rome
was murmuring under the conflicts of
the various factious, led by men who eyed
each other with a bitter jealousy engon
dercd during the convulsions in which
these had played an active part but twenty
years before. The "groat Pompoy" was
absent in the East with an army, while
Senate and magistrates at home occupied
their time in trivial quarrels, indiilerent
to the great interest of the Common
wealth. "Tho Stnto Is wouk as duct:
Homo's brokun, helpless, heartsick! Ignor
ance ttltS
Above liar, liko n vulture o'er a corpse
Soon to bo tasted. Time and dull decay
Havo let tho waters 'round her pillars foot
And it must full. Her boosted strength's a
Khost,
Fearful to dastards; yet to tronchant swords,
Time at) tho punning air. A single blow
In thin diseased and crumbling fume of Komo
Would break your chains liko stubble !"
Outahnc.
Catalinc was an active citizen and held
many ofllces, and we have no record but
that he fulfilled his qutestorsliip and pne
torship properly; but upon his return
from tho pro-pnutorship of Africa, in 05
B. C, he was accused of extortion, by one
P. Clndius Pulcher, who was himself
guilty of nefarious methods of procuring
money in Gaul, as well as in Rome, itself.
This must have been a mero political
move to prevent Cataline from being a
candidate for the coming consulship, by
casting such a stigma on iiis nnine that
the Senate should bo induced to rule him
out Although ho was triumphantly ac
quitted, it was too late for him to obtain
his much coveted position ; while the very
men who wore elected to the consulships
that year, P. Cornelius Sulla and P. Auton
iusPietus, were themselves soon convicted
of bribery, and their places filled by Cottu
and Torquatus. So it scorns that Pul
chcr's attack on Cataline was not so
much on the ground of right and justice,
as of personal hatred, for his candidates
proved themselves as unlit for tho office
as he represented Cataline to bo. Pul
cher was evidently a vacillating individu
al, for soon afterwards lie became a bitter
enemy to Cicoro, himself; probably with
an object in view.
Cataline, however, not disheartened,
was again candidate for tho consulship in
fl!J B. C, but rumors of a plot against the
Republic, in which ho was said to bo in
terested, were spread on tho eve of olec
tion, and injured his chances, llo had
strong support from many friends, for wo
read that he was defeated by a very small
majority.
Catalinc now became thoroughly exas
perated, and resolved to overthrow tho
domineering rule of Rome; using dospor
alo measures if necessary. Had Cataline's
broad plans remained undiscovered., had
no base traitor whispered tho great secret
in his mistress1 ear, had but the first
blow been struck,- tho people, dissatisfied
with existing state of affairs, would have
rallied by thousands around t lie standard
of the deliver, and been officered by one
of Rome's most noblo citizens. Cicsar
would have become dictator, and History
would have been pleased to record the
triumph as a glorious rebellion, and Cat
aline as tho deliverer of his country.
As it was, Quinctus Curius either
could not or would not pay the sum de
manded by Fulvia to keep the matter
secret, and so this aristocratic but un
scrupulous woman went to Cicoro, and
for iiis gold, betrayed the cause. Cicero
was thoroughly alarmed, and under tho
hypocritical guise of a juitcr patriai, lie
sought to save his own life by executing
Cataline; and with burning words and
thundering speeches to stir up not only
the Senate but tho people in his favor.
Ho was no longer a more lawyer; lie had
become an unscrupulous politician, deep
in the rings of Rome Wo all know the