Cicero   

praetors to allow ten days at least to the accused; and the tribunes
of the people, having called him before the people and accused him,
he, desiring to be heard, said, that as he had always treated the
accused with equity and humanity, as far as the law allowed, so he
thought it hard to deny the same to Manilius, and that he had studiously
appointed that day of which alone, as praetor, he was master, and
that it was not the part of those that were desirous to help him to
cast the judgment of his cause upon another praetor. These things
being said made a wonderful change in the people, and commending him
much for it they desired that he himself would undertake the defence
of Manilius; which he willingly consented to, and that principally
for the sake of Pompey, who was absent. And, accordingly, taking his
place before the people again, he delivered a bold invective upon
the oligarchical party and on those who were jealous of Pompey.
Yet he was preferred to the consulship no less by the nobles than
the common people, for the good of the city; and both parties jointly
assisted his promotion, upon the following reasons. The change of
government made by Sylla, which at first seemed a senseless one by
time and usage had now come to be considered by the people no unsatisfactory
settlement. But there were some that endeavoured to alter and subvert
the whole present state of affairs, not from any good motives, but
for their own private gain; and Pompey being at this time employed
in the wars with the kings of Pontus and Armenia, there was no sufficient
force at Rome to suppress any attempts at a revolution. These people
had for their head a man of bold, daring, and restless character,
Lucius Catiline, who was accused, besides other great offences, of
deflowering his virgin daughter, and killing his own brother; for
which latter crime, fearing to be prosecuted at law, he persuaded
Sylla to set him down, as though he were yet alive, amongst those
that were to be put to death by proscription. This man the profligate
citizens choosing for their captain, gave faith to one another, amongst
other pledges, by sacrificing a man, and eating of his flesh; and
a great part of the young men of the city were corrupted by him, he
providing for every one pleasures, drink, and women, and profusely
supplying the expense of these debauches. Etruria, moreover, had all
been excited to revolt, as well as a great part of Gaul within the
Alps. But Rome itself was in the most dangerous inclination to change
on account of the unequal distribution of wealth and property, those
of highest rank and greatest spirit having impoverished themselves
by shows, entertainments, ambition of offices, and sumptuous buildings,
and the riches of the city having thus fallen into the hands of mean
and low-born persons. So that there wanted but a slight impetus to
set all in motion, it being in the power of every daring man to overturn
a sickly commonwealth.
Catiline, however, being desirous of procuring a strong position to
carry out his designs, stood for the consulship, and had great hopes
of success, thinking he should be appointed with Caius Antonius as
his colleague, who was a man fit to lead neither in a good cause nor
in a bad one, but might be a valuable accession to another's power.
These things the greatest part of the good and honest citizens apprehending,
put Cicero upon standing for the consulship; whom the people readily
receiving Catiline was put by, so that he and Caius Antonius were
chosen, although amongst the competitors he was the only man descended
from a father of the equestrian and not of the senatorial order.
Though the designs of Catiline were not yet publicly known, yet considerable
preliminary troubles immediately followed upon Cicero's entrance upon
the consulship. For, on the one side, those who were disqualified
by the laws of Sylla from holding any public offices, being neither
inconsiderable in power nor in number, came forward as candidates
and caressed the people for them; speaking many things truly and justly
against the tyranny of Sylla, only that they disturbed the government
at an improper and unseasonable time; on the other hand, the tribunes
of the people proposed laws to the same purpose, constituting a commission
of ten persons, with unlimited powers, in whom as supreme governors