As long as he might remain the darling of the people, as he was at that moment, he would no doubt be safe; but it was not given to any one to be for long the darling of the Roman people.

Cicero had become so by using an eloquence to which the Romans were peculiarly susceptible; but though they loved sweet tongues, long purses went farther with them.
Since Cicero's Consulship he had done nothing to offend the people, except to remain occasionally out of their sight; but he had lost the brilliancy of his popularity, and he was aware that it was so.
In discussing popularity in Rome we have to remember of what elements it was formed.

We hear that this or that man was potent at some special time by the assistance coming to him from the popular voice.

There was in Rome a vast population of idle men, who had been trained by their city life to look to the fact of their citizenship for their support, and who did, in truth, live on their citizenship.

Of "panem et circenses" we have all heard, and know that eleemosynary bread and the public amusements of the day supplied the material and aesthetic wants of many Romans.