terrerent, eoque magis properaret ad urbem accedere, quo et ceterorum
animos reficeret et illi facilius e periculo eriperentur. Sed ubi
Tarquinius Crassum nominavit, hominem nobilem, maximis divitiis, summa
potentia, alii rem incredibilem rati, pars tametsi verum existimabant,
tamen quia in tali tempore[233] tanta vis hominis magis leniunda quam
exagitanda videbatur, plerique Crasso ex negotiis privatis obnoxii
conclamant indicem falsum esse, deque ea re postulant uti referatur.[234]
Itaque consulente Cicerone frequens senatus decernit, Tarquinii indicium
falsum videri, eumque in vinculis retinendum, neque amplius
potestatem[235] faciundam, nisi de eo indicaret, cujus consilio tantam
rem esset mentitus. Erant eo tempore, qui aestimarent, indicium illud a
P. Autronio machinatum, quo facilius appellato Crasso per societatem
periculi reliquos illius potentia tegeret. Alii Tarquinium a Cicerone
immissum ajebant, ne Crassus more suo suscepto malorum patrocinio rem
publicam conturbaret. Ipsum Crassum ego postea praedicantem [236] audivi,
tantam illam contumeliam sibi a Cicerone impositam.

[230] Such transitions from the historical infinitive to the present or
imperfect, and _vice versa_, are not uncommon in Sallust. See
chapters 18, 23, 56, 58.
[231] _Erant_; according to the style of Cicero, it would be _essent_.
See Zumpt, S 565.
[232] For _deprehensio Lentuli et aliorum_, which would be more in
accordance with the usage of modern languages.
[233] _In tali tempore_. See Zumpt, S 475, note.
[234] They demanded that the consul should bring forward the matter, as
to whether the statement of Tarquinius was to be believed, in order
that the votes might be taken upon it. For without a special
_relatio_ by the magistrate authorised to make it (commonly the
presiding consul, but sometimes also a tribune of the people), no