After hearing that the Senate was thinking about executing him and his army, Catiline fled Rome. Cicero claimed that Catilene leaving was a conspiracy and identified Catiline’s forces as a rebellion which might cause the death of the republic. Cicero, who purported Rome’s gods were acting through him, reported that Catiline would be back with an army to try to take Rome, but they would not succeed because it was made up of shiftless types.

Knowing that some Romans would not be happy, Cicero still wanted the Senate to kill the conspirators without trial to make an example. However, the Senate could not decide on what to do with them. Cicero cleverly used his good reputation to get the people on his side and insisted that Jupiter was speaking through him. He asked them to only remember his reputable character.

When Cicero talked to the citizens, he did not specifically call for the conspirators’ execution, but invoked the gods, the people, and even the slaves to bring down the rebellion. Cicero told them what they do now would be remembered later when others try to challenge Rome. Fearing for their lives, most of Catiline’s army dispersed. Later, five conspirators were executed for the rebellion, which caused the rest of Catiline’s troops to flee. 

Cicero’s rhetoric had five main principles. Sovereignty: the gods of Rome; Authority: the consuls who need to save Rome; Law: the rule of the Senate; Sanctions: death for rebellion; and Succession: the continuation of the Roman Republic. 

After the rebellion, Julius Caesar came to power, effectively ending the Roman Republic that Cicero had fought so tenaciously to save. Caesar’s death broke up the republic and Emperor Mark Anthony had Cicero murdered in 42 BC. At later hearings, people often used Cicero’s rhetoric to convince the Senate or the emperor.