Death was never a likelihood. They were in it for the money, not to kill a war hero/senator/nephew of the Dictator.
And this was before he was in massive financial trouble all the time. He was a senator by virtue of being a war hero, but as he was far below the age where he'd start on the cursus honorum (basically elected magistracies) his finances weren't as terrible as they'd become later.
And this was before he was in massive financial trouble all the time. He was a senator by virtue of being a war hero, but as he was far below the age where he'd start on the cursus honorum (basically elected magistracies) his finances weren't as terrible as they'd become later.