1.31 to 1.43

November 9: Cicero delivered his Second Catilinarian justifying his action before the People. He talked about how great a victory it was to have Catiline out of Rome. He also assured the public that everything was under control, and that the common people had nothing in common with Catiline and his conspirators. He emphasized that he was on the side of the people and Catiline was not, and said that he (Cicero) had sacrificed his popularity with certain nobles in order to protect the common people from Catiline's plots. (Cicero Cat. 2. 12) Mid-November: Senate declares Catiline and Manlius hostes (public enemies); dates set for amnesty for deserters; consuls assigned to levy army, Antonius directed to crush rebellion. (Sallust Cat. 36. 2-3) Praetor P. Cornelius Lentulus attempts to recruit support of Allobrogian envoys, who betray the negotiations to Cicero. (Sallust Cat. 40-41) November 15: Catiline and his army arrived in Faesulae, where they discovered that they had been declared hostes ,or public enemies. (Sallust) End of November: Disturbances in Gaul, Picenum, Bruttium and Apulia quelled. Toward the end of November a few of Catiline's lieutenants started some small uprisings on the countryside, but they were captured, tried, and imprisoned. Only Catiline's army in Eturia was large enough to march on Rome, but only one quarter of it was armed. He had to wait. (Sallust Cat. 42. 1-3) Also at the end of November, the conspiracy had sought the help of the Allbroges, a tribe from Gaul. Approached for support because they were in financial debt to Rome, the Allbroges agreed to help by creating a diversion in Gaul, but secretly decided that it would be more beneficial to act as spies for the government. (Sallust) Catiline leaves Faesulae with his army to avoid Antonius' approach. (Sallust Cat. 56. 4) December 2: After the Gauls reneged on their offer to aid the conspirators, they contacted the patron of their tribe in Rome, Quintus Fabius Sanga, who notified Cicero immediately. Cicero instructed the Gauls to continue playing along with the conspirators, but to ask for written information on the plot. An envoy was created to meet with Catiline leaving the city on December 2, and two letters were sent from Lentulus. Cicero, learning this, notified two praetors who formed an attack squadron to ambush the posse on the Mulvian bridge that night. As soon as the Gauls realized who the ambushers were, they surrendered themselves and the letters, the necessary evidence. (Cicero &Sallust Cat. 45)