[5] The 'equites' were all those citizens, not senators, who had property to the amount of 400,000 sesterces (£3,200). They were so called from the fact that in earlier times, all who had sufficient property were obliged to serve in the citizen cavalry, but they had long ceased to have any connection with the army. They were now the mercantile class in Rome, having most of the trading operations in their hands, and forming a body intermediate between the aristocracy and the populace.
[6] See Cic. pro Murena, chs. 25, 26. This is often identified with the meeting in the Senate on Oct. 21; but Cicero, after describing his speech and Catilina's answer on this occasion, says expressly 'neque tamen (senatus) satis severe pro rei indignitate decrevit' which he could not have said had they then passed the 'ultimum decretum' (see page 11).
[7] 1. §11.
[8] 1. §7.
[9] On this question see below Note B.
[10] See on 4. §23.
[11] See on 1. §19.
[12] There is some uncertainty about the dates here. Cicero (pro Sulla §52) says the meeting in Laeca's house took place nocte ea quae consecuta est posterum diem Nonarum Novembrium; this (if genuine) fixes it to the night of Nov. 6. At this meeting his assassination was resolved upon. We should naturally suppose that the attempt was made on the morning of Nov. 7; and this agrees with Sallust Cat. 28 and Cic. in Cat. 1. §9 (illa ipsa nocte). But elsewhere (see esp. 1. §1, 1. §8, 2. §13) Cicero seems to distinguish between what had happened on the 'night before last' (superiore or priore nocte), i.e. the meeting in Laeca's house; and 'last night' (proxima nocte), i.e. the attempt on his own life. Hence it seems better to assume that there was an interval of a day between the meeting and the attempted murder.
[13] On the whole question as to the jurisdiction of the Senate and the legality of the execution, see below Note B.