was Quintus Hortensius Hortalus, whom we have already seen as a leader of the bar; Servilius Isauricus who did good service in Cilicia in the years 78-76; Metellus Pius who at the head of an army in Spain displayed a moderate soldier-like capacity, though he was overshadowed by his younger and more vigorous colleague Pompey; Servius Sulpicius Rufus, a young man of amiable character and blameless life, who was already becoming famous as the most learned lawyer in Rome; Quintus Lutatius Catulus, a distinguished and respected nobleman already past middle age, and lastly one man of more brilliant parts, Lucius Licinius Lucullus. Lucullus after his consulship in 74 B.C. was entrusted with the command against Mithridates of Pontus, who had again resolved to try the fortune of war with the Roman People, and who was now supported by the powerful king of Armenia. In this war Lucullus showed a boldness and skill which we may almost call military genius, but this was marred by a carelessness of disposition and an incapacity for dealing with men, which effectually prevented his becoming a great statesman.
A more interesting personality than all these was just rising into notice. Marcus Porcius Cato, a descendant of the famous censor, was the youngest of the four great men whose fortunes were involved in the fall of the Roman Republic; he was born in the year 96 B.C.,[1] ten years after Cicero and Pompey,
- ↑ The date commonly given is 95, but we know that he was quæstor when Catulus was censor (Plutarch, Cato Minor, 16, 4), i.e., in 65 B.C., and he must therefore have passed thirty at the beginning of that year.
