That this was so I have shown by quoting the opening words of his speech Pro Lege Manilia.

Proud as he was of the doings of his Consulship, he was still too new to his work to think that thus he could claim to stand first.

Nor did his ambition lead him in that direction.

He desired personal praise rather than personal power.

When in the last Catiline oration to the people he speaks of the great men of the Republic--of the two Scipios, and of Paulus AEmilius and of Marius--he adds the name of Pompey to these names; or gives, rather, to Pompey greater glory than to any of them; "Anteponatur omnibus Pompeius." This was but a few days before Metellus as Tribune had stopped him in his speech--at the instigation, probably, of Caesar, and in furtherance of Pompey's views.