45.] It becomes manifest to us, as we read the history of the time, that the Dictator of the future was gradually entertaining the idea that the old forms of the Republic were rotten, and that any man who intended to exercise power in Rome or within the Roman Empire must obtain it and keep it by illegal means.

He had probably adhered to Catiline's first conspiracy, but only with such moderate adhesion as enabled him to withdraw when he found that his companions were not fit for the work.

It is manifest that he sympathized with the later conspiracy, though it may be doubted whether he himself had ever been a party to it.

When the conspiracy had been crushed by Cicero, he had given his full assent to the crushing of it.

We have seen how loudly he condemned the wickedness of the conspirators in his endeavor to save their lives.