[34]
In the presence and sight of
these same consuls, a levy of slaves was held before the tribunal of
Aurelius, under pretence of filling up the guilds, when men were enrolled
according to their streets, and divided into decuries, and stirred up to
violence, and battle, and slaughter, and plunder. It was while these same
men were consuls, that arms were openly carried into the temple of Castor,
and the steps of the temple were pulled up; armed men occupied the forum and
the assemblies of the people; slaughters and stonings of people took place;
there was no senate, no magistrates were left; one man by arms and piratical
violence seized on all the power of all the magistrates not by any power of
his own, but having bribed the two consuls to desert the republic by the
treaty respecting the provinces, he insulted every one, domineered over
every one, made promises to some held down many by terror and fear and
gained over more by hope and promises.
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M. Tullius Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, literally translated by C. D. Yonge, B. A. London. George Bell & Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1891.
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