Intended attempts at various points had been
baffled by Cicero's precautions. At last, finding that the people remained
quiet, Catiline called a meeting of his friends one stormy night at the
beginning of November, and it was agreed that two of the party should go
the next morning at dawn to Cicero's house, demand to see him on important
business, and kill him in his bed. Curius, who was present, immediately
furnished Cicero with an account of what had passed. When his morning
visitors arrived they were told that they could not be admitted; and a
summons was sent round to the senators to assemble immediately at the
Temple of Jupiter Stator, one of the strongest positions in the city.[13]
The audacious Catiline attended, and took his usual seat; every one shrank
from him, and he was left alone on the bench. Then Cicero rose. In the
Senate, where to speak was the first duty of man, he was in his proper
element, and had abundant courage. He addressed himself personally to the
principal conspirator. He exposed, if exposure be the fitting word when
half the persons present knew as much as he could tell them, the history
of Catiline's proceedings. He described in detail the meeting of the past
evening, looking round perhaps in the faces of the senators who he was
aware had been present at it. He spoke of the visit designed to himself in
the morning, which had been baffled by his precautions.
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