Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Pro S. Roscio Amerino
Pro S. Roscio Amerino
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IKTRODUCTIOM. 3<br />
latter by me.ans of spies kept himself informed ot all its<br />
movements, and at the close of 63 b.c. suddenly arrested<br />
the leading conspirators. A few days later he had them<br />
executed (although as Roman citizens they were exempt<br />
from such punishment), and the remainder, attempting to<br />
carry out their plans by force of arms, were defeated at<br />
Pistoria, in Northern Etruria, where Catilina fell. The<br />
surviving conspirators fled to the provinces, and in particular<br />
to Greece. For his services on this occasion Cicero<br />
roceived extraordinary marks of honour, incliiding the title<br />
of Pater Patriae.<br />
In 60 B.c. the Democratic Party found leaders in Caesar,<br />
Pompeius (recently returned triumphant from the war in<br />
Asia), and Crassus ; these formed the coalition known as the<br />
First Triumvirate. They determined to get rid of Cicero,<br />
who was too gocd an Optimate to please them ; and they<br />
employed for the purpose P. Clodius, an unprincipled Democrat,<br />
and a Tribune of the year 58 b.c. Clodius drew<br />
attention to the illegality of the execution of the Catilina-<br />
rians, overawed both Senate and Consuls by the violence of<br />
his attitude and the presence of his armed partisans, and<br />
ultimately compelkd Cicero to go into banishment. In the<br />
next year Pompeius quarrelled with Clodius, and to spite<br />
him procured the recall of Cicero (57 B.c), who, his political<br />
activity being crippled by the Triumvirate, dovoted his eloquence<br />
to the defence of his friends, In 56 B.c. he delivered<br />
his speech <strong>Pro</strong> Sestio, in 54 B.c. the <strong>Pro</strong> Plancio, and in<br />
52 B.c. the <strong>Pro</strong> Milone. In 55 B.c. he was admitted to the<br />
College of Augiu'S ; and in 51 B.c. he acted as Governor of<br />
the province of Cihcia, where he conducted with success<br />
some small mihtary operations.<br />
About this time Pompeius came over from the side of<br />
Caesar to that of the Senate; and accordingly, when<br />
Caesar marched upon Home 49 B.c, Cicero, after some<br />
liesitation, joined Pompeius ; but subsequently, after the<br />
1 fittle of Pharsalia in 48 b.c, he was reconciled to Caesar.<br />
After the death of Caesar, 44 b.c, an open rupture ensued<br />
between him and Antonius, and Cicero gave vent to his<br />
anger and indignation in the famous Philippic Orations,<br />
fourteen speeches, the finest aud most renowned of which is