"If that Hierosolymarian candidate for popularity does not keep his word with me, I shall be delighted.

If that be his return for my speeches on his behalf"-- the Anteponatur omnibus Pompeius, for instance--"I will play him such a turn of another kind that he shall remember it."[255] He begins to know what the "Triumvirate" is doing with the Republic, but has not yet brought himself to suspect the blow that is to fall on himself.

"They are going along very gayly," he says, "and do not make as much noise as one would have expected."[256] If Cato had been more on the alert, things would not have gone so quickly; but the dishonesty of others, who have allowed all the laws to be ignored, has been worse than Cato.

If we used to feel that the Senate took too much on itself, what shall we say when that power has been transferred, not to the people, but to three utterly unscrupulous men?
"They can make whom they will Consuls, whom they will Tribunes--so that they may hide the very goitre of Vatinius under a priest's robe." For himself, Cicero says, he will be contented to remain with his books, if only Clodius will allow him; if not, he will defend himself.[257] As for his country, he has done more for his country than has even been desired of him; and he thinks it to be better to leave the helm in the hands of pilots, however incompetent, than himself to steer when passengers are so thankless.

Then we find that he robs poor Tullia of her promised pleasure at the games, because it will be beneath his dignity to appear at them.