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150 THE LIFE OF

SECT. VII.

A. Urb. 704.

Cic. 56.

Cod'.

Serv. Sul-picius Ru-fuS,

M. Clau-dius Mar-CELLUS.^

.THIS year opens to us a new fcene in Cicero’slife, and prefects him in a character, which he hadnever before fuflained , of the Governor of aProvince , and General of an army. Thefepreferments were , of all others , the moft ardentlydefired by the great for the advantages whichthey afforded both of acquiring power , andamaffing wealth : for their command , thoughaccountable to the Roman people, was abfolute anduncontrollable in the Province ; where they keptup the ftate and pride of fovereign Princes, andliad all the neighbouring Kings paying a courtto them , and attending their orders. If theirgenius was turned to arms , and fond of martialglory, they could never want a pretext for war,fince it was eafy to drive the fubjeds into rebel-lion , or the adjoining nations to ads of hoftilityby their oppreffions and injuries , till from thedeftrudion of a number of innocent people, theyhad acquired the Title of Emperor , and with itthe pretenfion to a triumph ; without whichfcarce any Proconful was ever known to returnfrom a remote and frontier - province \ Theiropportunities of raifing money were as immenfeas their power, and bounded only by their ownappetites : the appointments from the treafury,for their equipage, plate , and neceffary furniture,

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