39.41
This
was the man who was a candidate for the censorship, and the nobility tried
now, as they had done all through his life, to crush him. With the exception
of L. Flaccus, who had been his colleague in the consulship, all the
candidates combined to keep him out, not so much because they wanted the
post for themselves, or because they were indignant at the prospect of a
"novus homo" as censor, as because they expected that his censorship would
be strict and severe and damaging to many reputations; most of them had
done him a bad turn and he would be eager to retaliate. Even in his
candidature he assumed a menacing tone and accused his opponents of
trying to prevent his election, because they were afraid of a censor who
would act with impartiality and courage. At the same time he supported the
candidature of L. Valerius, for he considered him the only man with whom
as colleague he could repress the vices of the time and restore the old
standard of morality. His speeches awoke general enthusiasm and the people,
in the teeth of the nobility, not only made him censor but gave him L.
Valerius as his colleague. Close upon the election of censors followed the
departure of the consuls and praetors for their provinces. Q. Naevius,
however, did not leave for Sicily till four months had elapsed, as he was
detained by the task of investigating charges of poisoning. These were gone
into mostly in the boroughs and market towns, a more convenient
arrangement than transferring them to Rome. If we are to believe Valerius
Antias, he sentenced more than 2000 persons. L. Postumius, to whom
Tarentum had been assigned as his province, crushed the wide-spread
conspiracy of the herdsmen, and made a close and careful examination into
the remaining cases connected with the Bacchanalia. Many who had been
summoned to Rome had not put in an appearance or had deserted their
securities and were in hiding in that part of Italy. Some he arrested and sent
to Rome for the senate to deal with, others he convicted and sentenced.
They were all thrown into prison by P. Cornelius.