Page:Cicero And The Fall Of The Roman Republic.djvu/118

94 than what claims he has on the commonwealth." To gain this personal favour was the first business of the candidate. To this end he must be constantly in evidence, and habituate the people to his presence; his face and manner must be familiar in their daily surroundings. "I perceived," says Cicero of himself, "that the ears of the Roman People were somewhat dull but their eyes quick and keen; and so I ceased to trouble myself as to what men might hear of me from a distance, but took care that they should see me in person. I lived in public, I frequented the Forum, no one was ever kept from seeing me by my porter or by my slumbers." In apportioning their good-will the electors kept a strict note of what each candidate had done or was prepared to do in the way of amusing them. "The Roman people dislikes private luxury, but it loves public magnificence; it has no liking for sumptuous banquets, but it hates shabbiness and ungracioushess." Cicero tells of one rich man who was always unsuccessful in his candidatures, because he was thought to have shirked the ædileship, and of another of great family and reputation who

and by an unlucky display of philosophic frugality on a great occasion lost his chance of the