Latin
Lines 1.47-1.49
Greek and Roman Historians, The Conspiracy of Catiline 1.47-49
Not analysed yet
On the next day, the 4th of December, the Senate met again and an informer, Lucius Tarquinius, alleged that Crassus had ordered him to take a message to Catiline urging him not to lose heart. Some did not believe the story; others believed it, but felt it prudent to keep quiet. Some thought that Autronius was behind Tarquinius, others that he had been put up to his story by Cicero. This was Crassus' own version and the allegation provided him with a credible excuse for not attending the meeting of the Senate the following day and declaring his position publicly. The Senate decided that the evidence of Tarquinius was false and that he should be kept in custody until he revealed who was behind him.
Enemies of Caesar also sought to exploit the crisis. Quintus Lutatius Catulus and Gaius Calpurnus Piso attempted to persuade Cicero to implicate Caesar by means of forged evidence, but he would have nothing to do with them. The Gallic envoys and Volturcius were rewarded and the leading conspirators declared public enemies. Meanwhile attempts were being made to gather parties to free the ringleaders. To counter these efforts Cicero posted guards and summoned the Senate for the following day to decide the fate of the conspirators.
Early in the morning of the 5th of December the Senate met in the temple of Concord. All the approaches were guarded by armed men as were the Forum and the adjacent temples. Cicero opened the debate upon the fate of the arrested men. It was his right as consul to take any action required, but he wanted the authority of the Senate behind him. The first speaker was the senior consul-elect, Junius Silanus. He moved that the men already in custody together with Lucius Cassius Longius, Publius Furius, Umbrenus and Quintus Annius, when they were caught, should be put to death. His fellow consul-elect, Lucius Licinius Murena, and fourteen consulares supported his motion, Caesar, as praetor-elect, was then asked to give his view. He acknowledged the guilt of the conspirators and maintained that no punishment could be too harsh for their crimes, but he opposed the death penalty. This opposition sprang from concern for the rule of law and of fear that a dangerous precedent was being established. He proposed that the prisoners be detained in Italian towns which were to be held responsible for their safe custody. Even if it did not win wide support this suggestion raised doubts in en's minds, and in the succeeding speeches a variety of opinions were expressed until Cicero rose to intervene in the debate. In his Fourth Speech Against Catiline he summed up the arguments advanced by the speakers and invited the Senate to come to its decision. He left little doubt where his own feelings lay, but other views were fairly represented. He was concerned that any decision to execute the conspirators should be seen to have the backing of the Senate. It needed little foresight on his part to visualize the capital that his enemies could make out of such a decision, and he did not wish to leave his political flank unnecessarily exposed.