But the one thing dear to him was the Republic--what he thought to be the Republic.

He was neither Marian nor Sullan.

The turbulence in which so much noble blood had flowed--the "crudelis interitus oratorum," the crushing out of the old legalized form of government--was abominable to him.

It was his hope, no doubt his expectation, that these old forms should be restored in all their power.

There seemed to be more probability of this--there was more probability of it--on the side of Sulla than the other.