Optimates and Populares

A little taste of the next post:


 . . . duo genera semper in hac civitate fuerunt eorum qui versari in re publica atque in ea se excellentius gerere studuerunt; quibus ex generibus alteri se popularis, alteri optimates et haveri et esse voluerunt. qui ea quae faciebant quaeque dicebant multitudini iucunda volebant esse, populares, qui autem ita se gerebant ut sua consilia optimo cuique probarent, optimates habebantur.



There are always two groups in this city who are eager to be involved in public affairs and in this to distinguish themselves. Of these groups one is anxious to be the populares and the other, the optimates. Those who wish to make what they are saying and doing pleasing to the masses are populares, while those who manage their policies so that the best citizens might approve of them are the optimates.



- Cicero, Pro Sestio 96