[96]
With what flattering words Gaius
Papirius1 not long ago insinuated himself into the
favour of the assembly, when he was trying to carry
a law making the people's tribunes eligible for reelection! I spoke against it—but I will not talk of
myself, it will give me more pleasure to talk about
Scipio. Ye gods! What weight and majesty there
was in his speech on that occasion! One would have
said, without hesitation, that he was the leader of
the Roman people, not their comrade.2 But you
both were present; besides, his speech is published.
As a result this “people's law” was rejected by
the people's votes.
[p. 203]
Again—and pardon me for referring to myself—you remember when Lucius Mancinus and Scipio's
brother, Quintus Maximus, were consuls,3 how
popular apparently was the proposed law of Gaius
Licinius Crassus regarding the priestly offices—for
the right to co-opt to vacancies possessed by the
college was being converted into patronage for the
people. (By the way, Crassus was the first man to
begin the practice of facing towards the forum in
addressing the people.4 ) Nevertheless, through my
speech in reply, reverence for the immortal gods
easily prevailed over the plausible oration of Crassus.
And this took place while I was praetor and five
years before I was elected consul. Thus the cause
was won more by its own merit than by the influence
of one holding a very high official rank.
1 See §§ 37 and 41. The bill referred to was proposed by him in 130 B.C., and failed to pass, but at some time after the time of this dialogue (129) was again offered and carried.
2 i.e. merely one of them; he was at the time a private citizen.
3 i.e. in 145 B.C.
4 Plutarch, Vit. Grac. 5, makes C. Gracchus the author of this practice.
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