ts for
money. They went out to govern provinces, showed themselves horribly
cruel and greedy, and then came home to be acquitted by men who had done
or hoped to do the very same things themselves. People listened to
Catiline when he spoke against such doings, without remembering that he
was just as bad himself. He had too, just the reputation for strength
and courage that was likely to make him popular. He had never been a
soldier, but he was known to be very brave, and he had a remarkable
power of enduring cold and hunger and hardships of every kind. On the
strength of the favor which he thus gained, he stood again for the
consulship. In anticipation of being elected, he gathered a number of
men about him, unsuccessful and discontented like himself, and unfolded
his plans. All debts were to be wiped out, and wealthy citizens were to
be put to death and their property to be divided. It was hoped that the
consuls at home, and two at least of the armies in the provinces, would
support the movement. The first failure was that Catiline was not
elected consul, Cicero being chosen unanimously, with Antonius, who had
a small majority over Catiline, for his colleague. Enraged at his want
of success, the latter now proceeded to greater lengths than ever. He
actually raised troops in various parts of Italy, but especially in
Etruria, which one Manlius, an old officer in Sulla's army, commanded.
He then again became a candidate for the consulship, resolving first to
get rid of Cicero, who, he found, met and thwarted him at every turn.
Happily for Rome these designs were discovered through the weakness of
one of his associates. This man told the secret to a lady, with whom he
was in love, and the lady, dismayed at the boldness and wickedness of
the plan, communicated all she knew to Cicero.

Not knowing that he was thus betrayed, Catiline set about ridding
himself of his great antagonist. Nor did the task seem difficult. The
hours both of business and of pleasure in Rome were what we should think
inconveniently early. Thus a Roman noble or statesman would receive in
the first hours of the morning the calls of ceremony or friendship which
it is our custom to pay in the afternoon. It would sometimes happen that
early visitors would find the great man not yet risen. In these cases he
would often receive them in bed. This was probably the habit of Cicero,
a courteous, kindly man, always anxious to be popular, and therefore
easy of acce