All these pieces of evidence speak clearly enough; but, even were it not so, the desperate position of the democracy in presence of the military power—­which since the Gabinio-Manilian laws assumed by its side an attitude more threatening than ever—­renders it almost a certainty that, as usually happens in such cases, it sought a last resource in secret plots and in alliance with anarchy.  The circumstances were very similar to those of the Cinnan times.  While in the east Pompeius occupied a position nearly such as Sulla then did, Crassus and Caesar sought to raise over against him a power in Italy like that which Marius and Cinna had possessed, with the view of employing it if possible better than they had done.  The way to this result lay once more through terrorism and anarchy, and to pave that way Catilina was certainly the fitting man.  Naturally the more reputable leaders of the democracy kept themselves as far as possible in the background, and left to their unclean associates the execution of the unclean work, the political results of which they hoped afterwards to appropriate.  Still more naturally, when the enterprise had failed, the partners of higher position applied every effort to conceal their participation in it.  And at a later period, when the former conspirator had himself become the target of political plots, the veil was for that very reason drawn only the more closely over those darker years in the life of the great man, and even special apologies for him were written with that very object.(21)

Total Destruction of the Democratic Party

For five years Pompeius stood at the head of his armies and fleets in the east; for five years the democracy at home conspired to overthrow him.  The result was discouraging.  With unspeakable exertions they had not merely attained nothing, but had suffered morally as well as materially enormous loss.  Even the coalition of 683 could not but be for democrats of pure water a scandal, although the democracy at that time only coalesced with two distinguished men of the opposite party and bound these to its programme.

But now the democratic party had made common cause with a band of murderers and bankrupts, who were almost all likewise deserters from the camp of the aristocracy; and had at least for the time being accepted their programme, that is to say, the terrorism of Cinna.  The party of material interests, one of the chief elements of the coalition of 683, was thereby estranged from the democracy, and driven into the arms of the Optimates in the first instance, or of any power at all which would and could give protection against anarchy.  Even the multitude of the capital, who, although having no objection to a street-riot, found it inconvenient to have their houses set on fire over their heads, became in some measure alarmed.  It is remarkable that in this very year (691) the full re-establishment of the Sempronian corn-largesses took place, and was effected by the senate on the