The Catilinarian Conspiracy: Sallust and Cicero’s Portrayal of Catiline
Prominent People in the Catilinarian Conspiracy
Catiline
Lucius Catiline was a dissolute patrician and senator gifted with good looks, intelligence, boundless energy, and tremendous personal magnetism. Disaffected with republican government and determined to replace it with a monarchy, Catiline formed a secret society to prepare for a revolution. Many of Rome political leaders, notable among these were Crassus (Pompey’s bitter rival) and Ceasar were aware of and sympathetic with Catiline’s designs (Bonta 2004).
Crassus
Crassus was one of the most influential politicians of his time. Crassus was jealous of Pompey. In order to avoid being overshadowed by Pompey upon his arrival, Crassus attempted to build his his political power during Pompey’s absence in a series of intrigues. Crassus supported Cataline in the consular elections. After the defeat of Cataline in the consular elections, Crassus continued his intrigues. In an attempt to hinder Pompey’s triumphant return to Rome, Crassus tried to get control of all available land, knowing that Pompey on his return would need land for his veterans; thus he would be in a strong bargaining position. Cicero intercepted this scheme, leading Crassus to take no further action (Scullard 1963).
Crassus was supported by Ceasar in all his attempts at power. Crassus was believed to be one of Catiline’s influential allies.
Ceasar
Ceasar was more friendly to Pompey than Crassus was, but he may have found in Crassus a useful steppingstone to advancement. When Crassus’ schemes to achieve power failed, Ceasar came more into the open. As aedile in ^% he had staged magnificent Games, with the financial help of Crassus, and in the next year, when acting as chairman of the quaestio de sicariis, managed to secure the ultimate acquittal of Catiline. In 63, because of Crassus’ money, Ceasar was elected Pontifex Maximus (Scullard 1963).
Both Crassus and Ceasar were hinted by Cicero to be the secret powers behind Catiline. Both these strong allies were rumored to be behind Catiline in concocting the Catilinian Conspiracy, but they had long ago severed any connection. They did not want a revolution and had even provided Cicero with some evidence of Catiline’s plans.
Other Prominent People Involved in the Conspiracy
Manlius
Manlius, a centurion of considerable military experience, led the little army composed of Sylla’s veteran soldiers.
Senators
Catiline’s conspiracy was joined by several senators of profligate lives and desperate fortunes. These senators included:
- Publius Cornelius Lentulus
- Caius Cethegus
- Publius Autronius
- Lucius Cassius Longinus
- Marcus Porcius Lecca
- Publius Sylla
- Servilius Sylla
- Quintus Curius
- Lucius Vargunteius
- Quintus Annius
- Lucius Bestia
These men resolved that a general insurrection should be raised throughout all Italy; that Catiline should put himself at the head of the troops in Etruria; that Rome should be set on fire in many places at once; and that a general massacre should be made of all the Senate, and of all their enemies, of whom none were to be spared but the sons of Pompey, who were to be kept as hostages, and as a check upon their father, who was in command in the East. Lentulus was to be president of their councils, Cassius was to manage the firing of the city, and Cethegus the massacre.
Was Catiline a Desperate Man?
Before the Catilinian Conspiracy, Catheline sought power by normal and legitimate means but his second defeat against Cicero made him desperate. Catiline became a renegade and a desperate patrician senator. He belonged to a house that was impoverished.
Cicero learned of Catiline’s intentions of murdering him and his other competitors for consulship. When Catiline’s plans failed he became desperate. His only hope was an uprising which was supported by Sulla’s veteran soldiers and other senators.
It was after his second defeat that Catine became desperate. According to Taylor and McClurg (1916) after Catline’s second defeat at the polls did he cast the die, when nothing remained to him but a renunciation of all hopes of the consulship and retirement to private life.
Cicero’s Role in The Suppression of the Conspiracy
Cicero played the single most important role in the suppression of Catiline’s Conspiracy. He was the one who unmasked and uprooted the deadly conspiracy which aimed at the destruction of the state and the death of many.
Sallust’s Portrayal of Catiline
Catiline for Sallust is simply the embodiment of the corrupted aristocrat, the type of the aristocracy in the process of dissolution.
Sallust introduced Catiline as a man of noble birth, and of eminent mental and personal endowments; but of a vicious and depraved disposition. His delight, from his youth, had been civil commotions, bloodshed, robbery, and sedition; and in such scenes he had spent his early years. His constitution could endure hunger, want of sleep, and cold, to a degree surpassing belief. His mind was daring, subtle, and versatile, capable of pretending or dissembling whatever he wished. He was covetous of other men’s property, and prodigal of his own. He had abundance of eloquence, though but little wisdom. His insatiable ambition was always pursuing objects extravagant, romantic and unattainable.
Sallust agreed that Catiline was corrupt and ambitious and that he was a criminal and a threat to the state. However, his portrait of Catiline went deeper than that. He saw Catiline, as an embodiment of the condition of the state and government during his time. For him, the dissipation and corruption of the impoverished aristocrat Catiline were matched by the social and political disorder of the times. Though Catiline was introduced as an utterly corrupt reprobate whose guilt in never in question, Sallust occasionally allowed a certain nobility to emerge. Sallust wished to take the debate beyond the personal iniquity of Catiline to examine the weakness in the state that allowed such a rebellion to arise and grow (Mellor 1999).
Concordia Ordinum
Concordia Ordinum, also known as ‘harmony of the orders’ refers to the union of opposing parties, particularly the senate and the knights. It was an alliance of interest and sentiment to combat the forces of dissolution represented by the army-commanders and their political agents.
Sallust’s Description of Sempronia
Sallust characterized Sempronia as a political adventuress. Sempronia was described by Sallust as not only alert and elegant but a manager of intrigue, active and audacious (Syme 1986, p. 26). Sallust’s portrait of Sempronia, who lent her mansion for meeting of conspirators described her as bold and shameless, with nothing to deter her from crime. Not only brains and resolution, Sempronia had wit and charm, with all the accomplishments of a polished education (Syme, 1986, pp. 198-199).
Sallust presented a detailed report on Sempronia. According to Sallust, Cataline won the support of women who had financed their expensive lisfestyles by prostitution, but had fallen into debt when age restricted their activities. Catiline calculated through them he could win the support of their slaves, set fire to the city, and win over or kill their husbands. These women included Sempronia – the only whom Sallust named. Well born, well favored, well read, well versed in the courtesan’s craft, she knew nothing of modesty or chastity. Under the pressure of extravagance she had committed wrongful acts of masculine audacity; she had broken her word, repudiated her debts, been party to murder. Yet she did not lack talent: she wrote poetry, told jokes, used language which was modest, tender or wanton, and displayed much with and charm (Bauman 1992).
Cicero’s Description of Catiline
For Cicero, Cateline is a perennial enemy. Cicero endeavored to show both Cateline was a public enemy. Cicero represented Catiline as a strange mixture of virtues and vices. Catiline was shown to be attractive, and dangerously effective, but alo repellent to those who have the maturity to see through him (Sharock and Ash 2002).
In conclusion, both Cicero and Sallust viewed Catiline as a dangerous man, who surrounded himself with evil personages and corrupted youth. He was described by both as a criminal and an enemy of the people. However, both acknowledged that Catiline was a very talented and intelligent man, who possessed the qualities of an excellent general. Cicero’s description of Catiline was colored by his desire to protect the state and the citizens. He therefore endeavored to emphasize the evil qualities of Catiline. Sallust on the other hand, looked at Cataline as an embodiment of the condition of the state, a picture of the political life during his time. He looks both at the bad and the good sides of Catiline and emphasized on the problems of the State during his time.
References
Bauman, R A 1992, Women and Politics in Ancient Rome, Routledge, London.
Bonta, S 2004, ‘Cicero, Catiline, and Conspiracy: Vying for Control, Lucius Catiline Conspired to Become Rome’s Monarch, While Cicero Worked to Expose and Thwart His Plans and Keep Rome’s Republic Alive’, The New American, vol. 20, no. 25, pp. 35+.
Mellor, R 1999, The Roman Historians, Routledge, London.
Sculland, H H 1963, From the Gracchi to Nero: A History of Rome from 133 B.C. to A.D. 68, University Paperbacks, London.
Sharrock, A and Ash, E 2002, Fifty Key Classical Authors, Routledge, London.
Syme, R 1986, The Augustan Aristocracy, Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Taylor, H 1916, Cicero: A Sketch of His Life and Works, A. C. McClurg, Chicago.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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