Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1879)
12G lIISTOUIOATi ItKAIHNrt. VOL. VI IT. power of his oloquoncc. Lit the tumble invective which he delivered in the Sen ate on the morning after the secret meet ing of the Oth of November, 03, he so moved his colleagues by the sly words of Ins silvery tongue, Unit even the conspira tors themselves wore silent; tind Catalinc overawed and brow-beitcn fearing to ruin the project by an answer, loft the Senate, and quitted the City for the camp of Manlius. Do not think thai we would exonerate Catalinc from all blame, it is only to show that he was a better man and of nobler impulses than is generally supposed. His support was strong, and upon his arrival in Etruria many enrolled them, solves with him, but the treacherous (lis covery of all plans and preparations in the City had early checked proceedings, and rendered an outburst impossible. How strangely the terrified people wore with him, heart and soul, is shown in the fact that when the Senate offered an am. nesty to all who should quit the rebels, and sue pardon; with great rewards to whomsoever would give information, not a soul could be found so treacherous, and not a single soldier deserted the camp. Cicero neglects to mention this little fact. Catalinc being away, the management of city affairs fell to incompetent men, who were caught in a neatly planned trap of Cicero's, and summarily arrested. On the 5th of December, the Somite met to determine the penalty which the prisoners should suffer, for an attempt at rescue by an excited populace was loured. Thon came the mosi atrocious ant of all. The fiery oratory of an emboldened Cicero, again turned witli its magic the Human will, and tho heroic Statilius Cethegus, Gaturlus and Cieparius, with the high born Sentulus, were strangled that night by the public execiilionei in aloathesome dungeon. This was a palpable violation of the first principles of the Roman Con stitution, for Hint solemnly declares Unit no Roman cilizon should be put to death until sentenced by tho -whole bodv of the people in their camitta. Cicero was pub. licly accused of this crime afterwards by Mctellus Color, in tho Forum, but the acciihor's voice was drowned by the cries of Cicero's clique. "We can exclaim in Cicero's very words in his famous speech against Vcrrcs: "Had any prince, or any stale, committed the same outrage against the privileges of Roman citizens, should we not think wo had sulllcient reason for declaring war against them?" Cataline's last struggles were worthy of a Tell, a L'Oervelure or a Kosciusco. Ho had an army of about five thousand men, many of whom were not fully armed, but were devoted to their cause, to Manlius and to Catalinc. Hemmed in among the mountains by two armies, Catalinc had to risk an engagement and throw his little band upon the enemy, nobly discharging the duty of a general and a most skillful soldier. His eye and hand ranged the the whole field, he brought up new col umns to support those hotly pressed; he withdrew tho wounded and the weary to a place of safety, and supplied their places with eager and fresh troops; he flew from rank to rank with words of cheer for his men, and strove by heroic deeds of daring valor to turn the fortunes of tho day. Rut when he saw his companions slaughtered on all sides, his companies broken and wasted, and his brave Manlius pierced by a deadly spear, he plunged headlong into tho midst of the enemy, and fell piorced by many spears. When found, after tho bat tic. far ahead of his own troops, lie bore, even in his dcatli throes, the triumphant smile of n conqueror and a patriot. C. C. C. HISTORICAL READING. 'I OT WITHSTANDING a person who H. possesses little knowledge of historv is looked upon as a being remarkably ig. norant, few histories are so written as to he attractive to tho general reader. Tils, tory affords interesting reading fo almost
