Quintilian grew rich by the practice of his profession, from which he ultimately retired. Iuv. 7, 186,
‘Hos inter sumptus sestertia Quintiliano,
ut multum, duo sufficient; res nulla minoris
constabit patri, quam filius. “Unde igitur tot
Quintilianus habet saltus?”’
Quint. ii. 12, 12, ‘quando et praecipiendi munus iam pridem deprecati sumus et in foro quoque dicendi, quia honestissimum finem putamus, desinere dum desideraremur.’
After his retirement Quintilian was appointed tutor of Domitian’s grandnephews, sons of his niece Flavia Domitilla and his cousin Flavius Clemens.
Quint. iv. prooem. 2, ‘Cum mihi Domitianus Augustus sororis suae nepotum delegaverit curam.’
Through the influence of Clemens, he obtained the consulship.
Auson. grat. act. p. 23 (Schenkl), ‘Quintilianus consularia per Clementem ornamenta sortitus honestamenta potius videtur quam insignia potestatis habuisse.’
Cf. Iuv. 7, 197,
‘Si Fortuna volet, fies de rhetore consul;
si volet haec eadem, fies de consule rhetor.’
His gratitude led him into fulsome flattery of Domitian.