Chapter 57: Chaos
"The Senate shall immediately cease their despicable shenanigans and come to a proper discussion!"
"Take seriously the voices of citizens who were crushed by debt!"
In its original history, the people that Catilina attracted mainly were veterans and fallen peasants.
Those who remained unable to pay their debts would not cooperate with Catilina.
However, things are a little different now.
Catilina's supporters wanted to attract as many people as possible to make their voices heard.
Justus, a member of the fallen equites, took the lead in this work.
He was very good at instigating and had a sharp mind.
Catilina took Justus's advice and actively sought to absorb the socially disaffected.
Anger is a contagious emotion.
Those who were unhappy with the Senate were quickly recruited into Catilina's camp.
The weight of being an active consul also played a role in attracting people.
Sulla's old henchman, Manlius, also actively stood by Catilina's side, inciting the people.
They declared that they would take care of the homeless once all their debts were canceled and they were debt free.
It was bullshit that had no chance of coming true, but people with partially numb rationality didn't care.
Catilina was no longer able or willing to control the situation.
All he could think was, let's take this as far as it will go.
He attended the Senate meeting to introduce the bill one last time before proposing it to the Concilium Plebis.
The problem is that the bill is even more extreme than before.
"I will annul the debts of all Romans and punish those who have received interest beyond what is prescribed by law; as a penalty, they must return to their debtors the interest they have received so far."
It was a declaration of war to confront the Senate directly.
Silanus's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Are you crazy, Catilina, do you think that makes any sense?"
"It's the Senate's failure to do their job that got us into this mess, and we need to take responsibility for it!"
"Shouldn't we be discussing something reasonable by now?"
"No, the will of the people who already support the bill is clear. There's no room for persuasion after what's happened."
Catilina's passive attitude has changed.
Cato snorted in disbelief at the change in his demeanor.
"You're completely insane. Unless you're plotting to destroy Rome...."
Cicero, who didn't get along with Catilina anyway, stood up from his seat as if he'd been waiting for it and poured out his criticisms.
"Why is it entirely the Senate's fault for this situation! This is what happened because you didn't work together properly. It's a situation where an incompetent actor who went to the play without even knowing the right script is blaming the script!"
Catilina's face flushed red.
"Watch your mouth, a newcomer from Arpinum! I am a patrician of the Sergius family and the current consul of Rome. How dare a newcomer insult me!"
"Since you seem to have forgotten already, let me give you the facts: you lost the election to that newcomer two years ago. As a result, I was already serving as a consul last year, and you had to wait another year."
"Ha! Do you really think that you, a brash ruffian from the countryside, have defeated me? Don't you realize that your victory would not have been possible without Verres's self-destruction, and that you have merely been lucky enough to ride the current up to the top!"
Cicero was about to retort immediately but cleared his throat to keep his composure.
He knew that if they fought with equal viciousness, it would hurt both of their reputations.
Unlike Catilina, Cicero, who still has a lot to lose, has decided to show a mature demeanor.
"This kind of emotional bickering isn't going to do anything to resolve the situation, senators. The nonsense bill from the consul isn't even worth debating, but it's clear that frustration is growing. We need to be alert to this situation. It's time for a thoughtful solution rather than a blind tough."
Cicero's appeal sparked a murmur of agreement among other senators.
However, some people disagreed.
Hardliners like Cato loudly argued that it was time to get tougher.
"I beg to differ! The wise and thoughtful Senator Cicero seems to have decided that if we show up tough, we'll only add to the social chaos, and he's got a point. But we can't afford to give the impression that we're being dragged along by the mob. No matter how good our intentions are, we have law and order to follow! We're angry, and we shouldn't be the slightest bit swayed by demands to be heard. In times like these, the more decisive we are, the more the authority of the Senate will be upheld! So here's what I propose. Consul Silanus exercise his veto power immediately. There have been countless threats before, and the Senate has always prevailed. Let us show those who seek to disrupt our order a sign of our resolve that we will not compromise any further!"
Cato's impassioned plea changed the sentiment of the senators who had been in favor of Cicero.
'The Senate has always prevail before!'
These words struck a nerve with them.
Certainly, the Senate has never before bent the knee to an external threat.
Marius and Sulla, who seized power and dictated, were also members of the Senate anyway.
Pompeius was also one of those tough senators who left the Senate helpless on several occasions.
The Senate never bowed to outside threats unless the opponent was an aristocrat from the same Senate.
Even the Gracchus brothers, who were the largest threat of all, were unable to get past the walls of the Senate.
With their confidence boosted, the senators immediately urged Silanus to make a final decision.
A shout of 'we should have done this from the beginning' filled the room.
Unable to go against the popular demand, Silanus immediately declared that he would veto the bill.
In response, Catilina vowed to move his bill to the Concilium Plebis.
It was a discussion with nowhere to go and no answers.
Cicero and other cautious senators could only sigh and wish the hell would disappear.
* * *
Caesar sensed something was amiss as the Senate and the Concilium Plebis erupted in chaos.
He was also a debtor with a huge amount of debt, but from the beginning, he didn't think debt relief had anything to do with him.
He was also a member of the Senate and considered an anti-Senate figure.
This allowed him to look at the sequence of events with an objective eye.
'I don't think it was supposed to get this big....'
Sensing that something was amiss, Caesar asked Cicero for details of his agreement with Catilina.
At this point, the truth was already out, so Cicero didn't bother to hide it.
When Caesar heard that Crassus had mediated between him and Catilina, he seemed to sense something.
After thanking Cicero briefly, he headed back to Crassus's mansion.
He was surprised that his daughter Julia hadn't said anything, but he figured it was something that required secrecy.
Upon arrival at the mansion, Caesar was immediately escorted to the taberna.
Marcus greeted Caesar alone after dismissing everyone around him.
Unfortunately, Julia was out of town for work.
"I haven't seen you in a while, not since the banquet to celebrate your election as praetor, have I?"
"Yes. I am indebted to you, first as pontifex maximus and then as praetor, and I came here to thank you again and to catch up. I hope I'm not intruding."
"What do you mean, intrusive? Not at all. Julia would have loved to be here, but it's a shame it'll be a while before she's back."
"I'm glad to see that she doesn't seem to be causing you any trouble. I told her to come to me if she was having a hard time with her marriage, but I haven't heard from her, so I'm sure you're doing a great job."
Marcus, sensing Caesar's intentions, responded with a meaningful comment.
"Julia does more for me than I do for her. I must be the luckiest man in Rome to have found a wife so devoted to her husband."
"As a father, I'm glad you think so highly of my daughter. By the way, Rome has been very noisy lately, is your business unaffected?"
"Of course not. There's no way in hell we're going to pass some crazy bill called debt relief."
"Indeed. But the way things are going, there's bound to be a lot of chaos. From what I hear, the Crassus family has been trying to mediate between Catilina and the Senate."
Marcus doesn't really deny it.
"No good can come of prolonged chaos, and as much as I've tried my best to help, it seems Catilina lacked the skills to handle the situation."
"I tried my best.... I would have thought that someone of your caliber would have been able to give you more effective advice. Am I wrong?"
This time, Marcus would neither confirm nor deny.
He even smiled at him as if to say think what you will.
Caesar narrowed his forehead and blurred his words.
"You can't be serious...."
"The times call for change, but big change inevitably meets resistance, and I don't yet have the power to break through that resistance."
"There is no one in Rome who can wield such power. A dictator, perhaps, but not even a consul."
"Isn't Catilina actually showing us that the bill failed because it was too extreme? Not really. The majority of the current Senate doesn't want any change at all. Even if a moderate compromise had been put forward, it would have been met with huge opposition."
Caesar would agree. Many of the current senators were facing cash flow issues.
And yet, it never occurred to them to reform the financial structure.
It's common knowledge that vested interests are conservative about reform, but this is especially true when it comes to financial matters.
"So we'll force the issue and add to the chaos.... But will it work? The reforms of the Gracchus brothers also shocked the Senate, but they still didn't see the need for reform."
"The reforms of the Gracchus brothers were too radical; they were intended well, but they completely ignored the basic principles of negotiation. All that was needed was to get the senators to at least consider the reforms."
"I see what you're saying, but as far as I'm concerned, there are two major flaws."
Without another word, Marcus filled Caesar's cup with wine.
Taking the glass, he said.
"First of all, we don't know how the current turmoil will unfold, and it's hard to predict where it will end up. For example, if you try to simply capture and crush the riots, it could turn into a civil war, because they have veterans and former commanders who worked under Sulla."
"Sure. It's hard to put them down without a cause, and it's not like they've reached the point where we need to mobilize an army yet."
"And the most fundamental problem is this. We have to come up with reforms that are acceptable to both creditors and debtors, and at the same time fix the problem now. You can imagine how hard that is."
In Caesar's mind, this was not a problem that could be solved in the short term.
It took a lot of time and research to create a precise bill.
Even the most genius Caesar would have been cautious about creating a new system that had never existed before.
But that wasn't the case for Marcus.
"You can't structurally create a bill that satisfies both of them, but if it's something that's somehow acceptable, that's a different story. It's totally possible."
"Is the idea already in your head?"
"I already have a rough concept. It's just a matter of tweaking and reviewing the details to fit the current situation in Rome."
He had a finance degree and was always looking for ways to gain additional knowledge.
Of course, he didn't want to adopt the complex laws and institutions of the modern world.
If you bring in something too modern, it's unlikely to work, so you need to adapt it to the current state of the art.
Caesar shook his head in disbelief and asked.
"You.... Did you plan all this from the time you lent Catilina the money, to use this confusion as leverage against him?"
It was the same reaction as Julia's not long ago.
Marcus shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't need to know.
"Excuse me? What are you talking about? I've only lent Catilina money to minimize the chaos in Rome, and there's no telling what he might do if he can't even get the election right, and I've done my best to advise him, but it hasn't worked out, but I can't stand idly by, so I'm working on a solution."
Marcus never said that he predicted this mess or that he led it.
Thinking back to their conversation so far, Caesar let out a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! I like you very much, I've got one hell of a son-in-law."
"Me too, because every time I talk to you, I feel like I have a good wife and a good father-in-law."
Caesar nodded his head in approval.
Once again, it was clear that he had made the right decision in sending Julia to Marcus rather than Pompeius.
"You'd like to see a little more chaos to make your reforms easier to accept, wouldn't you?"
"Maybe, but I have no intention of getting involved, although I might get involved in cleaning up the mess."
"Oh, don't worry. I was just trying to figure out how to repay you for lending me the campaign money. Consider it a payment for interest and accept my favor."
"If you give a favor, it should be appreciated."
The two exchanged an unreadable smile.
The two have been talking nonstop ever since.
It was about the current political situation, Cicero and Cato, the future leading figures in the Senate, and Pompeius, who would return to Rome in a year.
He wanted him to wait and see Julia, but Caesar returned to his residence after receiving a satisfactory answer.
A cool breeze blew past Marcus's side as he walked outside and saw him off.
He was happy to wait and see what Caesar had in store for him.
* * *
Caesar was quick to back up his words with action.
The next day's Senate meeting was marked from the start by a barrage of criticism and accusations against Catilina.
The senators criticized Silanus and Cicero for hastily making a pact with Catilina.
They lamented the fact that someone as incompetent as Catilina had risen to the highest levels of power.
This is where Caesar asked to speak.
He argued that Catilina was by no means incompetent. Instead, he presented a conspiracy theory that this was all part of a plan.
"Think about it. Consul Catilina was constantly giving him supporters the attitude that he was asking them to doubt him. Furthermore, he hasn't offered any solutions, even though he's the one who should be in a hurry; in fact, he's even seemed to shift all the blame to the Senate. Why do you think that is? I can only assume that he had this situation in mind from the beginning."
The senators were shocked by the unexpected perspective.
The thin-eared Pulcher nodded in agreement.
"Come to think of it... I did have my suspicions that Catalina had something else up his sleeves."
"Many of you may doubt whether there is any benefit to be gained by stirring up such confusion, but Catilina has nothing to lose, for he has already gained the position of governor of the Eastern provinces by pretending to submit to the will of the Senate. Even if this measure is not passed, he will pay his debts by raking in money from the rich Eastern provinces, and the anger of the people is directed at the Senate, not at Catilina."
"But after this much pretense with the Senate, I don't think it's going to be possible for him to get into politics after this, is it?"
"It was only a matter of time before he was removed from the Senate after an incident like this, because what senator is going to trust someone who campaigns on debt relief to get elected?"
Although Catilina immediately protested that he was framed, the tide of the Senate had already turned in Caesar's favor.
Even Cicero and Cato cast doubtful glances at Catilina.
They don't fully believe Caesar because they don't think Catilina is capable of such a scheme.
However, if all of this is Catilina's plot, there is a lot of truth to it.
"Think about it. How on earth did the rumors of the Senate and Catilina's secret pact spread so quickly, but if you think it was all just a set-up, that question is quickly answered."
"This is a frame-up! Why would I.... when I could easily make it to the Eastern Province if I remained still?"
"If it became public knowledge that Catilina, who had accomplished nothing, was going to go to the Eastern provinces, there would be a recipe for trouble anyway, so he struck first. Then he stirred up the masses so that the anger would be directed at the Senate and not at him, which actually worked, didn't it?"
Catilina tried to make additional arguments, but no one listened to him.
Caesar's reasoning was plausible, but more importantly, it stirred up the senators' anger.
The wrath of the Senate will be justified if only Catilina becomes the most unstoppable force in the world.
It was a sight to behold as the senators stood up and declared that Caesar was right.
Feeling deceived by Catilina, the Senate no longer hesitated.
Consul Silanus proclaimed that there was no way the Concilium Plebis would pass the bill, but he would not recognize it even if it did.
He added that they'd do whatever it took.
It was an indication that he would trigger the Senatus Consultum Ultimum if the Concilium Plebis approved debt relief.
With overwhelming applause, the Senate supported Silanus' declaration.
Catilina's bill was immediately rejected.
Nevertheless, Catilina continued to introduce more radical legislation at the behest of his supporters.
But the consul Silanus and the tribunes, who the Senate influenced, exercised tribunal veto power.
It didn't stop there. The Senate made it clear that no legislation would be passed until the end of Catilina's term.
Now that the Senate faction and the Concilium Plebis had joined, the law could not pass.
Protests and violence did not deter the Senate.
In fact, they responded to that violence with even more violence.
Catilina's supporters despaired.
And desperation naturally drives people to extremes.
Now completely in Catilina's circle, Justus came up with the worst idea.
"Since it has come to this, isn't there no choice but to kill those who stand in the way of the passage of the law?"
Not long ago, this would have been met with a loud yell of "Don't be ridiculous," but no one argued.
It also meant that Catilina's rage and murderousness had reached their limit.
Catilina's feelings were no different.
Having been falsely accused and isolated, his hatred for the Senate continued to grow in his heart.
Cicero vowed that as soon as Catilina's term was over, he would bring charges against him and prevent him from serving as governor.
Cato summoned all of the censors and advocated that Catilina should be stripped of his seat in the Senate.
At the end of his term, Catilina was neither politically nor physically safe.
The desire to overturn the whole thing was simmering.
And then the words came out of Catilina's mouth.
"Yeah.... As long as we don't get caught, why not?"
It was the moment when the hopeless horde, stuck in the middle of nowhere, began to run amok.
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