A vile object justifies vile means.
But there were some at Rome who had it in their hearts really to serve their country, and with whom it was at the same time a matter of conscience that, in serving their country, they would not dishonestly or dishonorably enrich themselves.

There was still a grain of salt left.
But even this could not make itself available for useful purpose without having recourse to tricks such as these! [Sidenote: B.C.75, aetat.

32.] In his proper year Cicero became Quaestor, and had assigned to him by lot the duty of looking after the Western Division of Sicily.

For Sicily, though but one province as regarded general condition, being under one governor with proconsular authority, retained separate modes of government, or, rather, varied forms of subjection to Rome, especially in matters of taxation, according as it had or had not been conquered from the Carthaginians.[87] Cicero was quartered at Lilybaeum, on the west, whereas the other Quaestor was placed at Syracuse, in the east.
There were at that time twenty Quaestors elected annually, some of whom remained in Rome; but most of the number were stationed about the Empire, there being always one as assistant to each Proconsul.

When a Consul took the field with an army, he always had a Quaestor with him.
This had become the case so generally that the Quaestor became, as it were, something between a private secretary and a senior lieutenant to a governor.