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A more signal instance of honour than this had never befallen Cotta; who
noble in truth, but through luxury indigent, and, for the baseness of his
crimes, detestable, was by the dignity of this amends equalled in
character to the most venerable reputation and virtues of Arruntius.
About the same time died Lucius Piso, the Pontiff; and, by a felicity,
then rare in so much splendour and elevation, died by the course of
nature. The author he never himself was of any servile motion, and ever
wise in moderating such motions from others, where necessity enforced his
assent. That his father had sustained the sublime office of Censor, I have
before remembered: he himself lived to fourscore years, and for his
warlike feats in Thrace, had obtained the glory of triumph. But from hence
arose his most distinguished glory, that being created Governor of Rome, a
jurisdiction newly instituted, and the more difficult, as not yet settled
into public reverence, he tempered it wonderfully and possessed it long.
For, of old, to supply the absence of the Kings, and afterwards of the
Consuls, that the city might not remain without a ruler, a temporary
Magistrate was appointed to administer justice, and watch over exigencies:
and it is said that by Romulus was deputed Denter Romulius; Numa Marcius,
by Tullus Hostilius; and by Tarquin the Proud, Spurius Lucretius.
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