His Election To the Aedileship
Subsequently, when his elder brother Lucius was a
note
candidate for the Aedileship, which is about the most honourable office open to a "young" man at Rome: it being the
custom for two patricians to be appointed, and there being
many candidates, for some time he did not venture to stand
for the same office as his brother. But as the
day of election drew near, judging from the
demeanour of the people that his brother would note
easily obtain the office, and observing that his own popularity
with the multitude was very great, he made up his mind that the
only hope of his brother's success was that they should combine
their candidatures. He therefore resolved to act as follows:
His mother was going round to the temples and sacrificing
to the gods in behalf of his brother, and was altogether in a
state of eager expectation as to the result. She was the only
parent whose wishes he had to consult; for his father was
then on his voyage to Iberia, having been appointed to command
in the war there. He therefore said to her that he had seen
the same dream twice: for he thought that he was coming home
from the Forum after being elected Aedile with his brother,
and that she met them at the door and threw her arms round
them and kissed them. His mother with true womanly feeling
exclaimed, "Oh, that I might see that day!" He replied, "Do
you wish us to try"? Upon her assenting, under the idea
that he would not venture, but was only jesting on the spur
of the moment (for of course he was quite a young man), he
-- 5 --
begged her to prepare him at once a white toga, such as it is
the custom for candidates for office to wear.
