Catilina stood once more, his face flushing red.

"You say this is not against the mos maiorum?! What Rome are you from, Valerius Calisus? Certainly not the one governed by the same Senate we stand in!

"Every time both Consuls have been deployed into the field of battle, it was an emergency. And for those who don't seem to understand the definition of emergency, it stands as such: two consuls were deployed when Hannibal marched up and down Italy. Two consuls were deployed when Favonius Pola's forces were threatening to cross into Italia. Two consuls were NOT deployed when the Helvetii invaded Gallia Transalpina. Two consuls were NOT deployed when Sertorius the Younger rebelled. Two consuls were NOT deployed when Spartacus rampaged southern Italia.

"There is no emergency. We are not being invaded, fellow Senators. There is no reason to send both Consuls into the field of battle. Much less send our last remaining Consul to a war with a surplus of commanders already!

"I beg the Senate to see the reason behind this, and to not give in to the ignorant calls we hear from Lucius Julius and Valerius Calisus."


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L. Servilivs Casca
Praetor, SPQR