CICERO. 63 nobody, except only Pompey's children, intending to seize and keep them as pledges of his reconciliation with Pom- pey. For there was then a common and strong report that Pompey was on his way homeward from his great expedition. The night apjiointed for the design was one of the Saturnalia ; swords, flax, and sulphur they carried and hid in the house of Cethegus ; and joroviding one hundred men, and dividing the city into as many parts, they had allotted to every one singly his proper place, so that in a moment many kindling the fire, the city might be in a flame all together. Others were appointed to stop up the aqueducts, and to kill those who should en- deavor to carry water to put it out. Whilst these plans were preparing, it happened there were two ambassadors from the Allobroges staying in Rome ; a nation at that time in a distressed condition, and very uneasy under the Roman government. These Lentulus and his party judging useful instruments to move and seduce Gaul to revolt, admitted into the conspiracy, and they gave them letters to their own magistrates, and letters to Catiline ; in those they promised liberty, in these they exhorted Catiline to set all slaves free, and to bring them along with him to Rome. They sent also to accompany them to Catiline, one Titus, a native of Croton, w^ho was to carry those letters to him. These counsels of inconsidering men, who conversed together, over wine and with women, Cicero watched with sober industry and forethought, and with most admirable sagacity, having several emissaries abroad, who observed and traced with him all that was done, and keeping also a secret correspondence with many who pretended to join in the conspiracy. He thus knew all the discourse which passed betwixt them and the strangers ; and lying in wait for them by night, he took the Crotonian with his
