affair of Catiline. Dion Cassius (37. c. 31) speaks of anonymous
letters about the conspiracy being brought to Crassus and other
nobles; and Plutarch states on the authority of Cicero that Crassus
communicated the letters to Cicero. Dion Cassius in another passage
(37. c. 35) mentions the suspicion against Crassus, and that one of
the prisoners informed against him, "but there were not many to
believe it." If Dion did not believe it, we need not; for he generally
believes anything that is to a man's discredit. Sallustius (_Bellum
Catilin._ c. 48) has given us a statement of the affair, but his own
opinion can scarcely be collected from it. He says, however, that he
had heard Crassus declare that Cicero was the instigator of this
charge. The orations of Cicero which Plutarch refers to are not
extant.]

[Footnote 46: The text is corrupt, though the general meaning is
plain. See the note of Sintonis.]

[Footnote 47: The son of Crassus, who is introduced abruptly in
Plutarch's fashion.]

[Footnote 48: After Cæsar had been prætor in Spain he was elected
consul B.C. 59, with M. Calpurnius Bibulus (see the Life of Cæsar, c.
14). After his consulship Cæsar had the Gauls as his province. The
meeting at Luca (Lucca), which was on the southern limits of Cæsar's
province, took place B.C. 56; and here was formed the coalition which
is sometimes, though improperly, called the first Triumvirate.]

[Footnote 49: The second consulship of Pompeius and Crassus was B.C.
55. Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus was one of the consuls of the
year B.C. 56, during which the elections for the year 55 took place.