chment by P. Clodius Pulcher having disqualified him
as a candidate for the consulship, he formed a conspiracy, in which he
was joined by young men of all classes, even Crassus and Caesar,
according to rumour, being implicated. The new consuls were to be
murdered on the 1st of January; but the plot--the execution of which
was deferred till the 5th of February--failed in consequence of the
impatience of Catiline, who gave the signal too hastily. Soon after,
Catiline, having bribed both judges and accuser, was acquitted in the
trial for extortion. His scheme was forthwith immensely widened. The
city was to be fired, and those who opposed the revolution were to be
slain; all debts were to be cancelled; and there was to be a
proscription of all the wealthy citizens. Among the conspirators were
many men of the first rank and influence. Arms and money were collected,
soldiers were enlisted, and the assistance of the slaves was sought. But
Catiline's hopes were again disappointed; once more he failed to obtain
the consulship (64); and, moreover, it soon became apparent that one of
the new consuls, Cicero, was mysteriously able to thwart all the schemes
of the conspirators. He was, in fact, informed of every detail, through
Fulvia, the mistress of Curius, one of the plotters, who was himself
soon persuaded to turn informer. The other consul, C. Antonius, in whom
Catiline hoped to find a supporter, was won over and got out of the way
by Cicero, who resigned the province of Macedonia in his favour. Before
the next _comitia consularia_ assembled, the orator had given so
impressive a warning of the danger which was impending, that Catiline
was once more rejected (63), and the consuls were invested with absolute
authority. Catiline now resolved upon open war; preparations were set on
foot throughout Italy, especially in Etruria, where the standard of
revolt was raised by the centurion C. Manlius (or Mallius), one of
Sulla's veterans. A plan to murder Cicero in his own house on the
morning of the 7th of November was frustrated. On the next day Cicero
attacked Catiline so vigorously in the senate (in his first Catilinarian
oration) that he fled to his army in Etruria. Next day Cicero awoke the
terror of the people by a second oration delivered in the forum, in
consequence of which Catiline and Manlius were declared public enemies,
and the consul Antonius was despatched with an army against them.
Meanwhile the imprudence of the conspirat