CH 63

Chapter  63: The Beginning of Reform >

Catiline could no longer evade the situation and remained silent with his mouth shut.

In front of him, Cicero opened his mouth with a solemn expression, and Marcus’s eyes sparkled with interest.

He was about to witness the famous speech that had been praised for over 2,000 years, Cicero’s impeachment of Catiline.

‘He showed some signs of eloquence at the Verres trial, but… did he really speak so passionately?’

The speeches in Rome were embellished with various rhetoric, but the impeachment of Catiline was even more so.

Marcus secretly wondered if Cicero had exaggerated the speech content when he wrote it down.

The first words of Cicero’s long-awaited speech came out of his mouth.

“O Catiline, how long will you test our patience and tolerance?”

‘He really wrote it down without any exaggeration…’

Marcus felt awkward and turned his head slightly.

Regardless of his feelings, Cicero’s oration captured the attention of everyone around him.

“What have you done so far? What was your motive for plotting a terrible conspiracy to trample on Rome’s tradition, honor, and dignity?

For the past few months, did you not feel anything when you saw the anxious faces of the citizens and the nervous expressions of the guards on the streets?

Even when your horrible plot was clearly exposed, you defended yourself with layers of lies and hypocrisy. Even when you were given a chance to confess and save your honor, you did not give up and harbored a more malicious intention.”

Catiline could not bear Cicero’s gaze and bowed his head.

Cicero clenched his fist and lamented to the sky.

“O, what a miserable time! All the senators have come to know your true nature. But you still do not utter a word of remorse. According to your plan, we should all be dead by tonight. What did you think when you looked at your fellow senators in the sacred senate? Did you not write a death list while weighing our lives with your wicked and cunning eyes?”

The senators’ faces hardened as they recalled the contents of the death list.

Cicero deliberately paused to let their anger rise.

“O great gods who watch over Rome! Why did this great nation, this noble city full of virtuous citizens, have to suffer from such a scoundrel’s threat? But we are sincerely grateful that you saved us from a terrible crisis at the last moment. And we earnestly hope that you will prevent such a heinous criminal from endangering the state’s peace in the future.”

Cicero continued to denounce Catiline’s crimes for more than half an hour.

He traced back to Rome’s early history and linked Catiline to countless examples of criminals.

In Cicero’s mouth, Catiline was reborn as an unparalleled villain and enemy in the world.

Listening to his words, even Marcus began to think that Catiline might be the worst criminal in human history.

Catiline’s followers also began to look at him with doubtful eyes.

It was a scene that showed how much eloquence could shake people’s minds.

After pushing Catiline further for another twenty minutes or so, Cicero concluded his speech with a serious voice.

“So Catiline, admit your guilt and surrender! Do not spill useless blood by resisting in vain. The innocent citizens’ blood should not flow because of your vain ambition.

Are you thinking of a last struggle? Look at the faces of your followers behind you. We sincerely hope that the gods will restore your sanity even at this moment. Drop your weapons, Catiline! What are you hesitating for? Do you not know what the silence of your followers behind you means?”

Even an ordinary person would go crazy if they were criticized unilaterally for more than an hour.

Especially when their rebellion plan failed completely and their soul was half gone.

Catiline tried to refute several times, but he could not say anything.

His original plan was to fight bravely until the end without living miserably if the plan failed.

But looking around, there seemed to be no one who wanted to burn their last will.

They all dropped their weapons and stared blankly at the air with resignation and despair in their eyes.

If he gave a bold attack order here, Catiline would only look ridiculous.

In the end, there was no choice left.

Catiline dropped his weapon on the ground and let out a hollow laugh.

“I lost… do as you please.”

As soon as the leader expressed his surrender, his followers also threw away their weapons as if they had agreed.

More than 1,000 of Catiline’s gang were captured and sent to Rome.

Cicero, who won without a fight, returned triumphantly like a victorious general.

But the person who made the most contribution in this suppression operation was undoubtedly Marcus.

The senators unanimously praised Marcus’s calmness and intelligence and tried to get close to him.

Some of the senators who were close to Crassus congratulated him on having such a reliable son.

Crassus’s face was filled with laughter all the way back to Rome.

He didn’t even care about the money he spent to raise a legion.

It was a legitimate expense for suppressing the rebellion, so he could get it back later. But considering that he owed a debt to the senate, it seemed better not to get it back.

The rebellion suppression ended peacefully, but the matter was not completely over.

There was still a complicated post-processing problem left.

Especially, there was a sharp confrontation over how to deal with Catiline and his gang.

Some argued that they should be tried normally, while others argued that they should be executed immediately by invoking the senate’s final authority.

Both sides had their own logic.

The representative of the side that argued for a trial was Caesar.

He had consistently argued against the illegality of the senate’s final authority since he was young.

His opinion was still unchanged.

“The final measure is, as the name implies, only justified when used in the final situation. But the current situation is far from urgent.

We must be careful. The senate’s final authority is an extra-legal force that suspends all rights of the Romans. The less often the law is nullified, the better. Especially, if the senate, which should be the model, engages in such extra-legal acts, there is a risk that it will not set an example for future generations.”

Some of the senators who would have opposed Caesar’s words kept quiet.

As he said, if it had been a few days ago, it might have been different, but now it was not a time to call it an emergency.

Some of the conservative senior senators showed agreement with Caesar’s opinion.

But Cato, who did not like this atmosphere, rebutted Caesar’s opinion with a sharp voice.

“Ladies and gentlemen, aren’t you too optimistic about the situation? It is true that Catiline’s rebellion has been suppressed. But not all his supporters have been swept away. There are still many of them in various places in Italy.

Many people still believe that Catiline’s bill was right. Some even say that he was unjustly oppressed by the Senate, and they roam around the city.”

“Is that true?”

“If you don’t believe me, go to the Forum Romanum on the day of the assembly and see for yourself.”

Not all of Catiline’s supporters had participated in the rebellion. Only those who were trustworthy had been summoned.

There were still countless debtors in Rome who wished for Catiline’s return.

They knew that the rebellion was a wrong act, but they wondered what drove him to do it.

Their discontent and anger were great, as they struggled with their debts.

Caesar pointed out this fact and insisted loudly that a fair trial should be done.

“We have to clearly reveal Catiline’s crimes through a trial and make the citizens understand the reason for his punishment. This is a treason case led by a current consul. We have to be more careful than ever in handling this case, considering the turmoil that the citizens are feeling.”

“I disagree! This is the time when we need to show the power of the Senate more than ever. No matter how much he is a consul, if he succumbs to his wicked desires and disrupts the order, he will only face ruin. We have to leave a clear precedent for that!

The reason why there are still some people who show unrest is because Catiline is alive. If Catiline and his rebel leaders are all executed, who will they look up to?”

Both Caesar and Cato had solid arguments.

People usually tend to avoid being too radical.

That’s why many people sympathized with Caesar’s opinion, but there were also many senators who agreed with Cato.

Cato’s argument focused on strengthening the authority and power of the Senate.

Especially, the Senate had successfully suppressed Catiline and gained confidence.

They were tempted by Cato’s suggestion to go further and show their strength.

On the other hand, there were also people like Cicero who couldn’t decide which side to take.

His choice could determine the overall situation, as he was the one who received Catiline’s surrender.

He became an unwilling casting voter.

Cicero couldn’t make a hasty decision because of his severe pressure.

As a jurist, he felt more uncomfortable than anyone else about the illegality of the Senate’s final decree.

But he couldn’t simply oppose it either, because he believed that the Senate should lead Rome.

Without the Senate’s final decree, the Senate would never be able to maintain its position.

After much deliberation, Cicero asked for opinions from people he respected.

His friend Atticus, who ran a publishing company, avoided answering.

Crassus cleverly declared that he would follow the consul’s will as soon as the problem arose.

Cicero regretted that he didn’t do the same, but it was too late now.

He was in a situation where he had to hear from both sides every day to make up his mind.

If he tried to remain neutral now, he would only get scolded.

In the end, after listening to various people’s opinions, Cicero visited Marcus for the last time.

But Marcus didn’t give a clear answer either on this matter.

“I think there are pros and cons. The reason why Caesar and Cato have different opinions is not because of right or wrong, but because of their different positions.”

“That’s true. I think so too.”

“In that case, there is only one thing I can tell you. Don’t try to judge what is right. Instead, think about what position you will take in the future.”

“If I make such a choice, I don’t need to worry. Rome should continue to be a republic led by the Senate. I believe this is an absolute value that I should never waver.”

Marcus nodded his head as if he agreed with Cicero’s words.

He actually preferred that the Senate issued its final decree.

That would make his future plans easier to carry out.

Marcus didn’t express his opinion, but calmly stated one certain fact.

“If it weren’t for the Senate’s final decree, the Senate wouldn’t have been able to stop the Gracchi brothers’ reform. And it will be the same if something similar happens in the future.”

“···You’re right.”

Cicero finally decided his position, which he couldn’t easily choose because of his conscience as a jurist.

The next day at the Senate meeting, Cicero demanded that they invoke their final decree and execute Catiline and his party without trial.

He had no other intention but to do this for the sake of Rome’s order, and he strongly argued for it.

As soon as a senator with Cicero’s influence joined Cato’s side, the trend was quickly decided.

In the end, in 62 BC, the Senate resolved to invoke its final decree with an overwhelming majority.

Catiline, Manlius, and three more people were sentenced to death for leading the rebellion.

The consul Silanus led the executioners to the prison without any trial procedure.

Catiline opened his mouth wide and protested when he heard Silanus’s announcement that he would execute him now.

“This is absurd! I am a consul of Rome. Even if the assembly and the Senate suspended my authority, I have the right to a trial! You are committing an illegal act right now!”

Manlius also raised his voice with bloodshot eyes.

“We are citizens of Rome! How dare you execute us without a trial!”

They shouted as hard as they could, holding onto the bars, but their words were nothing but empty echoes.

Silanus said that the rebels had no right to leave a will and executed them immediately.

Catiline’s life, which had been turbulent, ended miserably in a narrow prison.

It was a pathetic end that no one could imagine for a famous nobleman and a consul of Rome.

The Senate immediately announced Catiline’s execution to the whole of Rome.

Rome was shocked by this astonishing news of executing a current consul without trial.

The debtors who were full of discontent could no longer speak out against the overwhelming response of the Senate.

Some people said that this was too much at the assembly, but none of the tribunes officially raised an issue.

The Senate’s final decree was a symbol of terror for the tribunes.

They didn’t dare to step forward, fearing that they might follow the fate of the Gracchi brothers.

Catiline’s followers also began to scatter and disappear, as they lost their leader.

The Senate was completely intoxicated with victory.

Cato and Cicero were praised as the heroes of the Senate, while Caesar suffered from tremendous criticism.

But the intellectuals of the Senate knew well that the problem was not completely solved.

They had only suppressed the people’s discontent with overwhelming fear and authority.

It might cover up the problem temporarily, but it might happen again in a few years.

But the privileged class was satisfied with just catching their breath for now.

The debtors swallowed their tears again, lamenting their despair that was greater than their anger.

Most people thought, as they always did, that Rome would not change in the future.

But there was at least one person who didn’t think so.

It was Marcus.

He sensed that the time was ripe and started to act right away.

※※※※

Marcus had been attending the youth group that defended the republic, which Cicero had introduced to him.

He didn’t want to be friends with them.

He needed to be friends with them.

He also had a conviction that he would use their backgrounds someday, as they were all young nobles.

Now was the time.

Marcus asked for cooperation from the youths under the pretext of protecting the republic.

His reputation was already high among the nobles, as he had helped suppress Catiline’s rebellion.

“Of course we have to help you if it’s for the future of the republic.”

Brutus immediately agreed to cooperate.

Gaius Scribonius Curio, who had recently been spotlighted as an excellent orator, also joined Marcus.

His father was a fervent republican and a close friend of Cicero and Cato.

With these helpers, Marcus announced that he would hold a rally in the Forum Romanum under his family name.

The youths who attended the group to protect the republic also willingly lent their family names.

Even though they had not yet entered the Senate, their names as noble families were worth a lot.

And they were all expected to be future leaders of the Senate.

The Senate naturally paid attention.

They claimed that Rome’s turmoil was not over yet, and that they had to correct this problem as soon as possible.

Crassus also boosted their confidence by guaranteeing that they would present an innovative solution.

“The elders should listen to the opinions of the young people who have a will.”

Cicero also fully supported Marcus from behind.

Meanwhile, some rumor mongers spread that a measure to relieve the debtors’ burden would be announced.

As things went on like this, the scale of the rally grew enormously.

At this point, it was no different from holding an assembly.

The debtors who had given up half-heartedly hoped for a ray of hope and waited for the day of the rally.

The creditors were not too anxious either.

They believed that Crassus’s family, who represented the equestrian class, would not propose an absurd policy.

Finally, the day of the rally came.

Most of the senators, all of the tribunes, and countless citizens gathered in the Forum Romanum.

“There are so many people.”

Marcus looked around the square from the podium and smiled with satisfaction.

Crassus also showed his joy without hiding it next to him.

“After today, your name and our family will make a mark in Rome’s history. I’m proud of you.”

“It’s not just my own power. If it weren’t for your help, my idea would have been nothing but a fantasy. Brutus, Curio, and Cassius also helped me in their own ways. And I learned a lot from Justus’s opinion, who had been watching Catiline all along.”

“I just adjusted your plan a little bit to suit Rome’s reality. The others also barely touched it. No matter what anyone says, you are the main character of this stage.”

Marcus knew that very well too.

He had brought in people around him because he couldn’t push it alone as it was too big a matter.

So he used young noble families to increase the weight, and gained trust with Crassus’s guarantee.

The only thing left was to convince the people who gathered here.

He took a deep breath and slowly moved his steps.

The noisy crowd’s cheering sound hit his ears.

At the same time, the sound of his pounding heart gave him a pleasant thrill.

Marcus renewed his determination for a short moment.

As this moment passed, his name would be deeply engraved in the minds of not only the nobles, but also all the citizens of Rome.

The young man who had been hiding in the shadows finally made his name known to the world.

This was the moment.