Page "Catiline" Paragraph 21

The failure of the conspiracy in Rome was a massive blow to Catiline.

Upon hearing of the death of Lentulus and the others, many men deserted his army, reducing the size from about 10, 000 to a mere 3, 000.

He and his ill-equipped army began to march towards Gaul and then back towards Rome several times in vain attempts to avoid a battle.

Inevitably, Catiline was forced to fight when Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer with three legions in the north blocked his escape.

So, he chose to engage Antonius Hybrida ’ s army near Pistoria ( now Pistoia ) hoping that he would lose the battle and dishearten the other Republican armies.

Catiline also hoped that perhaps he would have an easier time battling Antonius who, he assumed, would fight less determinedly, as he had once been allied with Catiline.

Catiline may have still believed that Antonius Hybrida was conspiring with him, which may have been true as Antonius Hybrida claimed to be ill on the day of the battle.

Nevertheless, Catiline himself bravely fought as a soldier on the front lines of the battle.

Once he saw that there was no hope of victory, he threw himself into the thick of the fray.

When the corpses were counted, all Catiline ’ s soldiers were found with frontal wounds, and his corpse was found far in front of his own lines.