File:The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century - a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and (14578813079).jpg

Identifier: storyofgreatestn02elli (find matches)
Title: The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century : a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and a pronouncing vocabulary of each nation
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Ellis, Edward Sylvester, 1840-1916 Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis), 1870-1942
Subjects: World history
Publisher: New York : F.R. Niglutsch
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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The military faction was made up of the old officers of Sulla, who, having
squandered the fortunes gained by plunder under him, were now waiting for
some revolution that would allow them to regain what they had lost. They
were adventurers and soldiers of fortune who knew not the meaning of patriot-
ism or unselfishness, but were ready to cast their swords on the side that offeredt
he surest gain. Their leader was Catiline, formerly one of the ablest and
most cruel of Sullas officers. He was eight years older than Caesar. His full
name was Lucius Sergius Catilina. He was descended from an impoverished
patrician family and seemed to be intended by nature for a successful master of
crime; his body was capable of bearing any amount of fatigue and hardship,
and he had no moral scruples whatever. No crime can be conceived which he
would not willingly commit to further his own ends. Naturally his adherents
were mainly debauched young patricians and broken-down military men, who
differed from him only in the degree of ability.
Bearing these distinctions in mind, let us trace the events that follow. In
B.C. 68, Catiline was elected praetor; the next year governor of Africa, and in
the following year he wished to stand for the consulship, but was disqualified
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THE BANQUET OF CRASSUS
Rome—Conspiracy of Catiline 365

because of charges of maladministration in his province. Catiline was bur-
dened by enormous debts, and, with his moral recklessness, he saw his only
hope in setting a revolution on foot, trusting to his skill to place himself on top
in the overturning of the government. He, therefore, entered into a conspiracy
with a number of young nobles, as abandoned as himself, but the plot was re-
vealed to Cicero by the mistress of one of the conspirators. The first blow was
to have been Cicero's assassination in the Campus Martins, but he was kept
informed of every step in the conspiracy, and with little trouble frustrated the
design. Defeat for the moment did not affect the diabolical purpose of Catiline.
He called his confederates together on the night of November 6 (b.c. 63), and
explained to them the new plan he had formed for the assassination of Cicero;
for bringing up the Tuscan army which he had seduced from its allegiance, and
which was under Manlius at the encampment of Fsesulae ; for setting fire to
Rome and slaying all such senators and citizens as they disliked..

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