Page:Cicero And The Fall Of The Roman Republic.djvu/199

62 B.C.] Republic as the devices of wicked men breaking into the system, whereas the system was in truth largely responsible for the mischief. He assumed that the traditional powers and methods recognised in the constitution of Rome were absolute and immutable, and that all his combinations must be within the lines thus prescribed for him. These limitations precluded any of those radical reforms which alone could have permanently saved Rome from her fatal revolution. But as a temporary expedient, staving off the evil day for that generation at least, and giving time for the Republic to work out its problems and re-model its institutions, Cicero's policy seems to have been far superior to that of any other statesman of his time. If the great disaster of the military despotism was to be avoided, it was necessary that Senate and Knights should compose their differences once for all and show a united front to the enemy. Still more necessary was it, that Pompey should be attached to the constitution, and diverted from any alliance with the revolutionary party. To accomplish this, Cicero was for frankly conceding to Pompey the exceptional position which he claimed as the first man in the State, and was quite content himself to act as Pompey's lieutenant and coadjutor.

For the success of any such combination, it was needful that all the parties with which he had to work should have shared Cicero's insight into the dangers of the time and his willingness to make sacrifices to meet them. But Cicero failed in his efforts to bring this conviction home to his conternporaries. Nobles alike and men of business preferred