On this occasion Cicero for the first time came actively
in collision with Caesar. His language contrasted remarkably with the tone
of his speeches against Verres and for the Manilian law. It was adroit,
for he charged Marius with having shared the guilt, if guilt there had
been, in the death of those men; but the burden of what he said was to
defend enthusiastically the conservative aristocracy, and to censure with
all his bitterness the democratic reformers. Rabirius was acquitted,
perhaps justly. It was a hard thing to revive the memory of a political
crime which had been shared by the whole patrician order after so long an
interval. But Cicero had shown his new colors; no help, it was evident,
was thenceforward to be expected from him in the direction of reform. The
popular party replied in a singular manner. The office of Pontifex Maximus
was the most coveted of all the honors to which a Roman citizen could
aspire. It was held for life, it was splendidly endowed, and there still
hung about the pontificate the traditionary dignity attaching to the chief
of the once sincerely believed Roman religion. Like other objects of
ambition, the nomination had fallen, with the growth of democracy, to the
people, but the position had always been held by some member of the old
aristocracy; and Sylla, to secure them in the possession of it, had
reverted to the ancient constitution, and had restored to the Sacred
College the privilege of choosing their head.
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