Catiline's conspiracy

[P.Clodius]

"After Pompey was sent to take command in the wars against the pirates and Mithridates, the popular party lost ground and the oligarchy became more powerful. They secured a virtual monopoly of public offices, provincial commands, and all other privileges. Living in security and prosperous ease, they had nothing to fear for themselves,..." Sallust

 

The higher up the ladder one wished to go the greater the competition. Catiline had essentially painted himself into a corner by accruing large debts in his unsuccessful campaigns for high office, unsuccessful because he chose the popular route. The fact that there were substantial amounts of individuals who flocked to his banner near the end game is an indication of the level of dissatisfaction in Italy.

[ASCLEPIADES]

"After Pompey was sent to take command in the wars against the pirates and Mithridates, the popular party lost ground and the oligarchy became more powerful. They secured a virtual monopoly of public offices, provincial commands, and all other privileges. Living in security and prosperous ease, they had nothing to fear for themselves,..." Sallust

 

The higher up the ladder one wished to go the greater the competition. Catiline had essentially painted himself into a corner by accruing large debts in his unsuccessful campaigns for high office, unsuccessful because he chose the popular route. The fact that there were substantial amounts of individuals who flocked to his banner near the end game is an indication of the level of dissatisfaction in Italy.

Salve, PC.

We agree on the social interpretation of your quotation; however, Caius Sallustius Crispus never used in his Bellum Catalinae the Ciceronian names for the Roman factions or "parties", ie. Optimates and Populares.

 

You're quoting from Cp. XXXIX, sec. I-II:

 

Sed postquam Cn. Pompeius ad bellum maritumum atque Mithridaticum missus est, plebis opes inminutae, paucorum potentia crevit. Ei magistratus provincias aliaque omnia tenere; ipsi innoxii, florentes, sine metu aetatem agere ceterosque iudiciis terrere, quo plebem in magistratu placidius tractarent..

 

(and in Loeb's translation at Lacus Curtius

 

When, however, Gnaeus Pompeius had been dispatched to wage war against the pirates and against Mithridates, the power of the commons was lessened, while that of the few increased. These possessed the magistracies, the provinces and everything else; being themselves rich and secure against attack, they lived without fear and by resort to the courts terrified the others, in order that while they themselves were in office they might manage the people with less friction".

 

Judging by the overall context, I think Sallustius was talking about Roman social divisions, not the political factions.

 

Even if C. Sallustius attributted Catalina's conspiracy to moral decadence, it's clear he was well aware of its social and economic causes; just check ibid, Cp. XIV, sec. II-III:

 

Nam quicumque inpudicus, adulter, ganeo, manu, ventre, pene bona patria laceraverat quique alienum aes grande conflaverat, quo flagitium aut facinus redimeret ... postremo omnes, quos flagitium, egestas, conscius animus exagitabat, ii Catilinae proxumi familiaresque erant.

 

"For whatever wanton, glutton, or gamester had wasted his patrimony in play, feasting, or debauchery; anyone who had contracted an immense debt that he might buy immunity from disgrace or crime ... finally, all who were hounded by disgrace, poverty, or an evil conscience

[ASCLEPIADES]

Could Catiline realy have pulled it off even if Cicero was not having a eagle eye on him? Cicero finally managed to convince the state that the situation was serious enough to issue an S.C.U but in reality how great a threat was it?

Regarding this thread

Edited July 24, 2008 by ASCLEPIADES

[M. Porcius Cato]

Catiline had essentially painted himself into a corner by accruing large debts in his unsuccessful campaigns for high office, unsuccessful because he chose the popular route.

 

Not really. Catiline, an arch-Sullan who had fed on the blood of Marian populares, only switched to the popular route after his career had stalled. This fact is quite clear in Catiline's letter to his old friend Catulus, lion of the Senate conservatives.

 

To turn a phrase, populism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.