CATILINE (Lucius SERGIUS CAtILINA), Roman statesman: b. about 108 n.c.; d, Pistoia 5 Jan. 62 ac. Of patrician birth, but prior, he ' attached himself to the cause of Sulla, had some share in his success, and still more in his proscriptions. Murder, rapine and conflagra tion were the first deeds and pleasurs of Jiis youth. He appears to have served in the army with reputation. Sallust, who has written the history of his describes him as having a constituuun thdt could support hunger, cold, and want of sleep, to almost any limit; with a spirit bold, cunning, fruitful in re sources• lusting after the wealth of others, prodigal of his own; a man of fiery limited judgment. Such was his art, that, whik poisoning the minds of the li.oman youth, he gained the friendship and esteem bf the severe Cato. Equally well qualified to deceive the good, to' intimidate the weak and to infuse his own boldness into his associates, he evaded two accusations brought against him by Clodius for criminal intercourse with a vestal, and for monstrous extortions, of which he had been guilty while proconsul in Africa. A confede racy having been formed of many young men of high birth and daring character, who saw no other means of extricating themselves from their enormous debts than by obtaining the highest offices of the state, Catiline was placed at their head. This eminence he owed chiefly to his connection with the old soldiers of Sulla, by means of whom he kept in awe the towns near Rome, and even Rome itself. At the same time he numbered among his adherents not the worst and lowest of the populace, but also , many of the patricians and men of consular rank. Everything favored the audacious scheme. Pompey was pursuing the victories ' which Lucullus had prepared for him; and the latter was but a feeble supporter of the patriots in the Senate, who wished him, but in vain, to' put himself at their head. Crassus,, who had' delivered Italy from the gladiators, was noW striving after power and riches, and counte-il nanced the "groWing inffitenee of tatiline as a ' his own aggrandizement. Canar, who . was laboring to revive the party of Marius, spared Catiline, and perhaps even encouraged him. Only two Romans remained determined to uphold their falling country— Cato and Cicero; the latter of whom alone possessed the qualifications necessary for the task. The con spirators were now planning the elevation of Catiline and one of his accomplices to the con sulship, by which they hoped 'to obtain sion of the public treasures and the property of the citizens under various pretexts, and espe dally by means of proscription. Cicero had the courage to stand candidate for the consulship; neither insults nor threats, nor even riots and attempts to assassinate him, deterred him from his purpose; and being supported by the rich. citizens, he gained his election, 65 ac. All that the party of Catiline could accomplish was the election of Antonins, one of their accomplices, as colleague of Cicero: This failure, however, did not deprive Catiline of the hope of gaining: the consulship the following year. For purpose he revived the kind of terrorism by' which he had laid the foundation of his power. ) Meanwhile, he had lost some of the most im-' portant members of his conspiracy. Antony' had been prevailed upon or compelled by Cicero to remain neutral. Caesar and Crassus had resolved to da the same. Pik) had been killed in, Spain. Italy, however, was destitute of troops. The veterans of Sulla only waited the•. signal to take up arms. The signal was now given by Catiline. The centurion Manlius ar peared among them, and formed a camp in Etruria. Cicero was on the watch: a form-,
nate accident disclosed to him the counsels of the conspirators. One of
Curius, was on intimate terms with a woman of doubtful repu- • tation, Fulvia by name, and had acquainted' her with their plans. Through this woman Cicero learned that L. Vargunteius, a senator, and C. Cornelius, a knight, had undertaken toassassi nate him at his house. On the day which they had Axed for the execution of their plan, they found 'the doors barred and guarded. Still Cicero delayed to make public the circum stances of a conspiracy, the progress and • resources of which he wished first to ascertain. He contented himself with warning his fellow citizens, in general terms, of the impentling danger. But when the insurrection of Manlius was made known, be obtained from the Senate the decree, only promulgated on occasions of ' the utmost importance, that "the consuls should take care that the republic receive no detri ment.* It was exceedingly difficult to seize the ' person of one 'who had soldiers at his' command both in and out of Rome; still more difficult. would it be to prove his guilt before
who were accomplices with him, or at least were willing to make use of his plans to serve their own interest. Cicero had to choose between two evils — a revolution within the city, or a civil war: he preferred the latter. • Catiline had the boldness to take his seat in the Senate known as he was to be the enemy of the Roman state. Cicero then 'rose and
eyed that bold oration against him, beginning, Quo usque tandem abutere, Cohan°, patientia nOstral ("How long, then, Catiline, wilt thou abuse our patience
) Assuming a confidence he did not possess, he attempted a reply, but
words were instantly drowned by the cries of *Parricide!* and ((Traitor P which rose on all hands. Now fully conscious that his plans were discovered, he rushed from the assembly with threats and curses on his lips, and left Rome at dead of night. The conspirators who remained, Lentulus Sura, Cethegus and other infamous senators, engaged to head the insurrection in Rome as soon as Catiline appeared at the gates. According to Cicero and Sallust, it was the intention of the conspirators to set the city on fire, and massacre the inhabitants. Lentulus, Cethegus and the other conspirators, in the meanwhile, were carrying on their criminal plots. They applied to the ambassadors of the Allobroges to transfer the war to the
of Italy itself. These, however, revealed the plot, and their disclosures led to others still more important. The correspondence of the conspirators with their leader was intercepted. As the circumstances of the case did not allow of a minute observance of forms in the pro ceedings against the conspirators, the laws relating thereto were disregarded, as had been done in former instances of less pressing danger. Ciesar spoke against immediate execu tion, but Cicero and Cato prevailed. Five of the conspirators were put to death. Caius An tonius was then appointed to march
Catiline, but on the pretext of ill health, gave the command to his lieutenant, Petreius. He succeeded in enclosing Catiline, who, seeing no way of escape, resolved to die sword in hand. His followers imitated his example. The battle was fought with bitter desperation. The in surgents all fell on the spot which their leader had assigned them, and Catiline at their head. Consult Sallust,