CICERO AGAINST CATILINE

WITH

NOTICES, NOTES AND COMPLETE VOCABULARY.

BY

JOHN HENDERSON, M.A.

TORONTO: THE COPP CLARK COMPANY, LIMITED,

Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-six, by THE COPP CLARK COMPANY, Limited, Toronto, Ontario, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture.

PREFACE.

It has been the aim of the Editor to explain what seemed to him difficulties in the text. There are many points which might have been noted, but which a judicious teacher will supply in the ordinary class work.

References are made to the standard grammars of Zumpt, Madvig, Harkness, Allen and Greenough.

TOP

LIFE OF CICERO.

I.

Birth.

Marcus Tullius Cicero, the greatest name in Roman literature, was born near Arpinum, a town of Latium, January 3rd, B.C. 106. His father, a man of large views and liberal culture, belonged to the equites, and possessed an hereditary estate in the neighbourhood of the town. To give his sons, Marcus and Quintus, that education which could not be obtained at a provincial school, Removes to Rome, B.C. 92. he removed to Rome, where the young Ciceros were placed under the best teachers of the day. Early teachers. From Aelius they learned philosophy; from Archias, the mechanism of verse, though not the inspiration of poetry. Early works. A translation of the Phaenomena and Prognostics of Aratus, and a mythological poem on the fable of Pontius Glaucus were the first fruits of Cicero’s genius. Assumes the toga virilis B.C. 89. On assuming the toga virilis, B.C. 89, Cicero attached himself to the jurist Scaevola, who was then in the zenith of his fame. Serves his first campaign, B.C. 88. In the following year he served a brief campaign in the Social War under Cn. Pompeius Strabo, the father of Pompey the Great. Studies philosophy. Philosophical studies had, however, more attractions for him than arms. Under Philo, the Academic, and Diodotus, the Stoic, he laid the foundation of that Eclecticism which is so observable in his philosophical works. Pleads his first cause pro Quinct. At the age of 25 he pleaded his first cause, and in the following year he defended Sextus Roscius of Ameria, who had been accused of parricide by Chrysogonus, one of Sulla’s favourites. In this cause he acquired the acquittal of his client, but incurred the enmity of the dictator. Goes to Athens, Asia, and Rhodes. With the ostensible object of regaining his health he went to Athens, where he studied philosophy under Antiochus, the Academic, and under Zeno and Phaedrus, both Epicureans. From Athens he travelled through Asia Minor and finally settled for a short time at Rhodes, attending there the lectures of Molo, the rhetorician. Returns home. Returning home, he at once entered on that political career to which his commanding ability destined him, Elected quaestor of Sicily. and was elected quaestor of Sicily. During his term of office he so endeared himself to the inhabitants of the island by his integrity that they selected him as their patron at Rome. Indicts Verres, B.C. 70. In their behalf he subsequently conducted the prosecution against Verres, who was charged with extortion. Elected aedile, 69 B.C. His success in this cause, and his consequent popularity, procured him the office of curule aedile. Praetor, 66 B.C. After the usual interval he was chosen praetor, and, while holding this office, His first political speech. delivered the first of his political harangues, Pro lege Manilia, 65 B.C. in defence of the bill proposed by C. Manilius to invest Pompey with supreme command in the Mithradatic War. Consul, 63 B.C. Two years afterwards he gained the consulship, the goal of his ambition. His consulate is memorable for the bold attempt of Catiline to subvert the government—an attempt which was frustrated by the patriotic zeal of the consul. Unpopularity of Cicero. Cicero had quickly soared to the pinnacle of fame: as quickly did he fall. In crushing the conspiracy of Catiline questionable means had been employed. Causes of Exile. Clodius, his implacable enemy, revived a law exiling all who had been guilty of putting to death Roman citizens without a formal trial before the people. Deserted by the Triumvirs. The Triumvirs, too, were disgusted with the vanity of the man who was constantly reminding the people that he was the “Saviour of Italy” and the “Father of His Country.” Deserted by his friends, and exposed to the hatred of his foes, Goes into exile, 58 B.C. Cicero went to Thessalonica into voluntary exile. The wanton destruction of his villas and the insults offered to his wife and children soon, however, produced a feeling of sympathy for the exiled orator. Recall, 51 B.C. His return to Rome was attended with all the pomp and circumstance of a triumphant general. Henceforth his voice was little heard in the Senate. Elected Augur, 53 B.C. After his return he was appointed to a seat in the College of Augurs. In obtaining this office he had placed himself under obligations to both Pompey and Caesar, and this may account for his neutrality in the civil struggles of the time. Proconsul, 52 B.C. He was subsequently appointed, much against his will, proconsul of Cilicia, where his administration was marked by the same integrity as he had displayed in Sicily. Cicero arrived in Italy from Cilicia on the 4th of January, B.C. 49, just after the breaking out of the civil war between Pompey and Caesar. Sides with Pompey. After some hesitation he decided to take the part of Pompey, but his support was never cordial: it was a source of weakness rather than of strength. Pharsalia, B.C. 48. When the battle of Pharsalia decided the fate of the Roman world, he returned to Brundisium to await the arrival of the victorious Caesar, Pardoned by Caesar. who generously extended a full and frank pardon to the vacillating orator. Cicero from this time withdrew from active public life and devoted himself to philosophy, except during the period immediately preceding his death. Gloom. The loss of his daughter Tullia, the divorce of his wife Terentia, and the unhappy marriage with Publilia darkened the gloom which settled on his declining years. His high exultation on the assassination of Caesar was of only momentary duration, and was succeeded by dark forebodings of Marc Antony’s designs. As soon as the plans of the scheming triumvir were evident, His Philippic Orations. Cicero attacked Antony’s character with all the powers of invective. Again he was the idol of the people and the champion of senatorial rights, but his popularity was only the last gasp of the dying liberties of Rome. Antony, Octavianus, and Lepidus form the second triumvirate. The second triumvirate was formed, and each member of it sacrificed his friends to glut the vengeance of his colleagues; and to appease the brutal Antony, Cicero was sacrificed by Octavianus. Refusing to seek refuge in exile, he determined to die in the land he had saved, Killed at Caieta, B.C. 43. and was slain at Caieta by the emissaries of the bloodthirsty triumvir.

Works.

The works of Cicero are:—

(1) Orations: Of the eighty speeches composed by him we possess, either entire or in part, fifty-nine. (See list).

(2) Philosophical works.

(3) Correspondence: Comprising thirty-six books, sixteen of which are addressed to Athens, three to his brother Quintus, one to Brutus, and sixteen to his different friends.

(4) Poems: Consisting of the heroic poems, Alcyones, Marcus, Elegy of Tamelastis, and Translations of Homer and Aratus.

II. LIFE OF CATILINE.

Birth.

L. Sergius Catilina was a Roman patrician, born about 108 B.C. From his father he inherited nothing but a noble name. In the turbulent scenes of the Sullan rule, Catiline played a conspicuous part, to which his undoubted ability, his undaunted courage, his iron constitution, his depraved morals, and excessive cruelty notoriously fitted him. His crimes. He commenced his career by slaying, with his own hand, Q. Caecilius, his own brother-in-law, and by torturing to death M. Marius Gratidianus, a kinsman of Cicero. Though his youth was spent in open debauchery, and reckless extravagance, though he made away with his first wife and his son to marry the worthless and profligate Aurelia Orestilla, the guilty crimes of Catiline do not seem to have been any barrier to his advancement to political honors. Offices held. He obtained the praetorship B.C. 68, and in the following year was propraetor of Africa. He returned to Rome B.C. 66 to press his suit for the consulship. The two consuls who had the highest votes were P. Autronius Paetus and P. Cornelius Sulla, both of whom were convicted of bribery, and their election was declared void. Their places were filled by L. Aurelius Cotta and L. Manlius Torquatus. Catiline was prevented from being a candidate in consequence of an impeachment brought against him for mal-administration of his province of Africa by P. Clodius Pulcher, afterwards the implacable enemy of Cicero. First Conspiracy. Autronius and Catiline, exasperated by their disappointment, formed a league with Cn. Calpurnius Piso to murder the consuls on the first of January, to seize the fasces, and to occupy Spain. The plan leaked out, and was postponed till the fifth of February. The scheme, however, failed in consequence of Catiline giving the signal too soon. Resolutions were passed by the Senate condemning the conspiracy, but these were quashed by the intercession of a tribune. Some say that both Caesar and Crassus were involved in this First Conspiracy of Catiline. About this time, Catiline was acquitted of extortion (res repetundae), but the trial rendered him penniless. About the beginning of June, 64 B.C., he began to plot more systematically to carry out his plans for a general revolution. A meeting was called for all those interested in the conspiracy. To this convention, eleven senators, four knights, and many of the noted men from the provincial towns assembled to hear the bold designs of the conspirator. Catiline’s Proposals. Catiline proposed that all debts should be cancelled (novae tabulae), that the wealthy citizens should be proscribed, that offices of honor and emolument should be divided among his friends, and that the leaders of the conspiracy should raise armies in Spain and in Mauretania. Again he was a candidate for the consulship, and again he was doomed to disappointment. Cicero and Antonius were chosen, the latter, however, by only a few centuries over Catiline. This defeat embittered the animosity between the two parties. The conspirator raised large sums of money on his own security and on the credit of his friends, sent arms to various parts of Italy, levied troops in Etruria, and sent Manlius a veteran of Sulla to take command of the newly raised forces. The slaves were to be armed, the buildings of the city set on fire, the citizens indiscriminately massacred, and a reign of terror and bloodshed was to be inaugurated. In the midst of all these schemes, Catiline stood again for the consulship (63 B.C.), and was thwarted by the wariness and exertions of Cicero, who checkmated his schemes at every turn. One of the conspirators was Q. Curius, a man weak and vacillating. The Conspiracy divulged. This man had a mistress, Fulvia, who was the repository of all his secrets. Alarmed at the audacious designs of the conspirators, she imparted her secrets to some of her acquaintances, and through her confidants the matter was betrayed to Cicero. After securing his personal safety, and withdrawing Antonius from the side of Catiline, the consul deferred the consular elections to lay before the Senate the whole conspiracy. First Speech against Catiline. At a meeting of the Senate, October 21st, 63, he told the Senators the danger that threatened the state. Many of those complicated in the conspiracy fled. By virtue of a decretum ultimum, which formula (consules videant, ne quid detrimenti respublica capiat) gave the consuls absolute civil and military power, Catiline was in danger of losing his life. Catiline, who was again a candidate for the consulship for 62 B.C., was rejected. An impeachment of sedition was also brought against him by L. Aemilius Paulus. On the 6th November, Catiline summoned the conspirators to the house of M. Porcius Laeca, and after accusing them of inactivity, he laid before him his plans. Cicero was to be removed, and L. Vargunteius, a senator, and C. Cornelius, a knight, were despatched to carry out the scheme, but were frustrated. Cicero called the Senate on November 8th, and delivered his first speech against Catiline, who, though overwhelmed with guilt, had still the audacity to appear among the senators.

Altogether four speeches were delivered against Catiline. In the final debate as to the sentence, it was decided to put the apprehended conspirators to death. This sentence was carried out against some. Catiline and most fell, however, in the field at Pistoria (62 B.C.), fighting with a valour worthy of a better cause.

III. CHRONOLOGY OF THE CONSPIRACY OF CATILINE.

Date B.C. Consuls. Life of Catiline. Life of Cicero.

68 L. Caecilius Metellus P. Marcus Rex Catiline praetor

67 Calpurnius Piso M. Acilius Glabrio Catiline propraetor of Africa

66 L. Volcatius Tullus M. Aemilius Lepidus Catiline canvasses for the consulship: is accused of extortion by P. Clodius. Catiline defeated in suing for consulship: forms a league with Autronius and Piso. First conspiracy.

65 L. Manlius Torquatus L. Aurelius Cotta Catiline determines to slay the new consuls on the kalends of January: plan discovered and deferred to February: Catiline gives signal too soon and his plans frustrated.

64 L. Julius Caesar C. Marcus Figulus On the kalends of June, Catiline convenes his associates for a second conspiracy. Eleven senators, four knights, and many distinguished men assemble. Catiline again defeated for consulship.

63 M. Tullius Cicero C. Antonius Hybrida Catiline accused by Lucullus of murder. Catiline again candidate for consulship and defeated. Cicero convenes Senate, Oct. 20; lays plans of conspirators before Senate: elections for consuls, which should take place Oct. 21st, deferred.

Oct. 23rd: Catiline accused under Lex Plautia de vi by Lucius Paulus. Oct. 21st: Letters brought by Crassus, threatening danger to the State: the Senate convened in the temple of Concord. The Senate passes decretum ultimum. On 22nd Oct. L. Licinius Murena and D. Junius Silanus elected consuls.

Oct. 27th: Manlius takes up arms in Etruria.

Oct. 28th: Day appointed by Catiline for the murder of the leading senators. (Cat. I., 3).

Nov. 1: Catiline endeavors to take Praeneste by a night attack.

Nov. 6th: Catiline assembles his friends at house of Laeca.

Nov. 7th: Vargunteius and Cornelius attempt to assassinate Cicero. Nov. 8: Cicero invokes the Senate in the temple of Juppiter Stator. First Catilinarian oration delivered.

Nov. 8th: Catiline leaves Rome.

The second Catilinarian oration delivered from the rostra to the people, Nov. 9th.

Nov. 20th: A decree passed declaring Catiline and Manlius public enemies.

Dec. 2nd: The ambassadors of the Allobroges are seized with documents proving conspiracy. Dec. 3rd: The third Catilinarian oration delivered from the rostra to the people. Rewards offered to all who would give information as to the conspiracy.

Dec. 5th: Fourth Catilinarian oration delivered in the temple of Concord. The Senate decrees that the death penalty should be inflicted on the conspirators. Five conspirators put to death.

62 D. Junius Silanus L. Licinius Murena Jan. 5th: Battle of Pistoria: defeat and death of Catiline. Many Senators tried under the law Lex Plautia de vi and exiled.

IV. FIRST ORATION AGAINST CATILINE.

This speech may be divided into three parts:

I. In the introduction Cicero in impassioned language expresses astonishment that Catiline should be so audacious as to come into the Senate while plotting the destruction of his country. The orator reminds Catiline that men less guilty have been slain in the earlier days of the republic, and gives reasons why the penalty of death should be meted out to the arch conspirator (I., II.).

II. In the next part, Cicero gives reasons why Catiline should leave Rome and go to the camp of Manlius:

(a) That his nefarious plot was well known, that his personal character was stained with many crimes, that his public life was abhorred by all, that his native land, though silent, eloquently pleads with Catiline to withdraw (III.-IX.).

(b) That Catiline should depart to the troops raised in Etruria, whither he had sent Manlius to carry on the war, that the great delight of Catiline was to make war on his native land, and to mingle in the society of the conspirators.

(c) That such withdrawal would be more advantageous to the State than the execution of the conspirators, that in the former case his abandoned followers would accompany Catiline, and thus the seeds of the rebellion would be extirpated.

III. The orator promises the co-operation of all patriotic citizens in suppressing the conspiracy after Catiline and his associates had withdrawn. Then beseeching Catiline and the other conspirators to remove from Rome, the orator invokes the aid of Juppiter Stator to save Rome from the nefarious schemes of abandoned men.

TOP

M. TULLII CICERONIS ORATIO IN L. CATILINAM PRIMA. HABITA IN SENATU.

I.— 1. 1Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu 2etiam 3furor iste tuus 4eludet? 5Quem ad finem sese effrenata 6jactabit audacia? 7Nihilne te nocturnum praesidium Palatii, nihil urbis vigiliae, nihil timor populi, nihil concursus bonorum omnium, nihil hic munitissimus habendi senatus locus, nihil horum ora vultusque moverunt. Patere tua consilia non sentis? 8Constrictam omnium horum scientia teneri conjurationem tuam non vides? Quid 9proxima, quid superiore nocte egeris, ubi fueris, quos convocaveris, quid consilii ceperis, quem 10nostrum ignorare arbitraris? 2. O tempora, O mores! senatus haec intellegit, consul videt; hic tamen vivit.1 Vivit? immo vero etiam 2in senatum venit, fit publici consilii particeps, 3notat et designat oculis ad caedem unum quemque nostrum. Nos autem, 4viri fortes, satis facere rei publicae 5videmur, si istius furorem ac tela 6vitemus. 7Ad mortem te, Catilina, duci jussu consulis jam pridem oportebat, 8in te conferri pestem istam, quam tu in nos machinaris. 3. 1An vero vir amplissimus, P. Scipio, pontifex maximus, Ti. Gracchum, mediocriter labefactantem statum rei publicae, privatus interfecit: Catilinam orbem terrae caede atque incendiis vastare cupientem, nos consules perferemus? Nam 2illa nimis antiqua praetereo, quod C. 3Servilius Ahala Sp. Maelium, 4novis rebus studentem, manu sua occidit. 5Fuit, fuit ista quondam in hac re publica virtus, 6ut viri fortes acerbioribus suppliciis civem perniciosum quam acerbissimum hostem coercerent. Habemus 7senatus consultum in te, Catilina, 8vehemens et grave: non deest 9rei publicae consilium neque auctoritas hujus ordinis: 10nos, nos, dico aperte, consules desumus.

II.— 4. Decrevit 1quondam senatus ut L. Opimius consul videret ne quid res publica detrimenti caperet; nox nulla 2intercessit; interfectus est 3propter quasdam seditionum suspiciones C. Gracchus, clarissimo 4patre, avo, majoribus: occisus est cum liberis5 M. Fulvius consularis. 6Simili senatus consulto C. Mario et L. Valerio consulibus est permissa res publica: 7num unum diem postea L. Saturninum tribunum plebis et C. Servilium praetorem mors ac rei publicae poena remorata est? At vero nos 8vicesimum jam diem patimur hebescere 9aciei horum auctoritatis. Habemus enim hujus modi senatus consultum, verum 10inclusum in tabulis tamquam in vagina reconditum,11 quo ex senatus consulto confestim interfectum te esse, Catilina, convenit. Vivis, 12et vivis non ad deponendam sed ad confirmandam audaciam. Cupio, patres conscripti, me esse clementem, cupio in tantis rei publicae periculis me non 13dissolutum videri, sed jam me ipse 14inertiae nequitiaeque condemno. 5. 1Castra sunt in Italia contra populum Romanum in Etruriae faucibus collocata, crescit 2in dies singulos hostium numerus, eorum autem castrorum imperatorem ducemque hostium intra moenia atque 3adeo in senatu videmus intestinam aliquam cotidie perniciem rei publicae molientem. Si te 4jam, Catilina, comprehendi, si interfici jussero, 5credo, erit 6verendum mihi, ne non potius hoc omnes boni serius a me quam quisquam crudelius factum se dicat. Verum ego hoc, quod jam pridem factum esse oportuit, 7certa de causa nondum adducor, ut faciam. Tum denique 8interficiere, cum jam nemo tam improbus, tam perditus, tam 9tui similis inveniri poterit, 10qui id non jure factum esse fateatur. 6. Quam diu 1quisquam erit qui te defendere audeat, vives, sed vives ita, ut 2vivis, multis meis et firmis praesidiis oppressus, ne 3commovere te contra rem publicam possis. Multorum te etiam oculi et aures non sentientem, sicut adhuc 4fecerunt, speculabuntur atque custodient.

III.—5Etenim quid est, Catilina, quod jam amplius 6exspectes, si neque nox tenebris obscurare 7coeptus nefarios neque 8privata domus 9parietibus continere 10voces conjurationis tuae potest? Si 11inlustrantur, si erumpunt omnia? Muta jam 12istam mentem, 13mihi crede! obliviscere caedis atque incendiorum. 14Teneris undique: luce sunt clariora nobis tua consilia omnia; quae jam mecum licet 15recognoscas. 7. 1Meministine me 2ante diem duodecimum Kalendas Novembres dicere in senatu, fore in armis 3certo die, qui dies futurus esset ante diem sextum Kalendas Novembres, C. Manlium, 4audaciae satellitem atque administrum tuae? 5Num me fefellit, Catilina, non modo res tanta, tam atrox, tamque incredibilis, verum id quod multo magis admirandum, dies? Dixi ego idem in senatu, 6caedem te 7optimatium contulisse in ante diem quintum Kalendas Novembres, tum cum multi principes civitatis Roma non tam 8sui conservandi quam tuorum consiliorum 9reprimendorum causa profugerunt. Num infitiari potes te illo die meis praesidiis, mea diligentia circumclusum commovere te contra rem publicam non potuisse, cum te discessu ceterorum nostra tamen, qui remansissemus, caede contentum esse dicebas? 8. 1Quid? cum tu 2te Praeneste Kalendis ipsis Novembribus occupaturum nocturno impetu esse confideres, 3sensistine illam coloniam meo jussu meis 4praesidiis, custodiis vigiliisque esse munitam? 5Nihil agis, nihil moliris, nihil cogitas, quod non ego non modo audiam, sed etiam videam planeque sentiam.

IV.—Recognosce mecum 6tandem 7noctem illam superiorem: 8jam intelliges multo me vigilare acrius ad salutem quam te ad perniciem rei publicae. 9Dico te 10priore nocte venisse 11inter falcarios—non agam obscure 12in M. Laecae domum: convenisse eodem 13complures ejusdem 14amentiae scelerisque socios. Num negare audes? quid taces? 15convincam, si negas: video enim esse hic in senatu quosdam, qui tecum una fuerunt. 9. O di immortales! 1ubinam gentium sumus! quam rem publicam habemus? in qua urbe vivimus? 2Hic, hic sunt in nostro numero, 3patres conscripti, 4in hoc orbis terrae sanctissimo gravissimoque consilio, 5qui de nostro omnium interitu, qui de hujus urbis atque adeo de orbis terrarum exitio cogitent. Hosce ego video et de re publica 6sententiam rogo, et quos ferro trucidari oportebat, eos nondum voce 7vulnero. Fuisti 8igitur apud Laecam illa nocte, Catilina; 9distribuisti partes Italiae; 10statuisti quo quemque proficisci placeret, 11delegisti quos Romae relinqueres, quos tecum educeres, 12discripsisti urbis partes ad incendia, confirmasti te ipsum jam esse exiturum, dixisti 13paullulum tibi esse 14etiam tum morae, quod ego viverem. Reperti sunt 15duo equites Romani, 16qui te ista cura liberarent et sese illa ipsa nocte paulo ante lucem me in meo 17lectulo interfecturos esse pollicerentur. 10. Haec ego omnia, 1vixdum etiam coetu vestro dimisso, comperi, domum meam majoribus praesidiis munivi atque firmavi, exclusi eos, quos tu ad me 2salutatum 3mane miseras, cum illi ipsi venissent, quos ego jam multis ac summis viris ad me 4id temporis venturos praedixeram.

V.— 11. 1Quae cum ita sint, Catilina, 2perge quo coepisti, egredere aliquando ex urbe: patent portae: proficiscere. Nimium diu te imperatorem tua illa Manliana castra desiderant. Educ tecum etiam omnes tuos, 3si minus, quam plurimos: purga urbem. Magno me metu liberabis, 4dum modo inter me atque te murus intersit. Nobiscum versari jam diutius non potes: 5non feram, non patiar, non sinam. 6Magna dis immortalibus habenda est atque huic ipsi Jovi Statori, antiquissimo custodi hujus urbis, gratia, 7quod hanc tam taetram, tam horribilem tamque infestam rei publicae pestem totiens jam effugimus. 8Non est saepius in uno homine summa salus periclitanda re, publicae. Quam diu mihi, 9consuli designato, Catilinai insidiatus es, non publico me praesidio, sed privata diligentia defendi. Cum proximis comitiis consularibus me consulem 10in campo et 11competitores tuos interficere voluisti, 12compressi conatus tuos nefarios amicorum praesidio et copiis, nullo tumultu publice concitato: denique, 13quotienscumque me petisti, per me tibi obstiti, 14quamquam videbam 15perniciem meam cum magna calamitate rei publicae esse conjunctam. 12. 1Nunc jam aperte rem publicam universam petis: templa deorum immortalium, tecta urbis, vitam omnium civium, Italiam 2denique totam ad exitium ac vastitatem vocas. 3Quare quoniam id, quod est primum et quod hujus imperii disciplinaeque majorum proprium est, facere nondum audeo, faciam id, quod est 4ad severitatem lenius et ad communem salutem utilius. Nam si te interfici jussero, residebit in re publica 5reliqua conjuratorum manus: 6sin tu, quod te jam dudum hortor, exieris, 7exhaurietur ex urbe tuorum comitum magna et perniciosa sentina rei publicae. 13. Quid est, Catilina? num dubitas id 1imperante me facere, quod jam tua sponte 2faciebas? Exire ex urbe jubet 3consul hostem. Interrogas me: 4num in exilium? non jubeo, sed, si 5me consulis, suadeo.

VI.—Quid est enim, Catilina, 6quod te jam in hac urbe delectare possit? In qua nemo est 7extra ista conjurationem perditorum hominum qui te non metuat, nemo qui non oderit. 8Quae nota domesticae turpitudinis non inusta vitae tuae est? 9Quod privatarum rerum dedecus non haeret in fama? 10Quae libido ab oculis, quod facinus a manibus unquam tuis, quod flagitium a toto corpore abfuit? 11Cui tu adulescentulo, quem corruptelarum illecebris irretisses, non aut ad audaciam ferrum aut ad libidinem facem praetulisti? 14. 1Quid vero? 2Nuper, cum morte superioris uxoris novis nuptiis domum vacuefecisses, nonne etiam alio incredibili scelere hoc scelus cumulasti? Quod ego praetermitto et facile 3patior sileri, ne in hac civitate 4tanti facinoris immanitas, aut exstitisse aut non vindicata esse videatur. Praetermitto ruinas fortunarum tuarum, 5quas omnes impendere tibi proximis Idibus senties: ad illa venio, quae non ad privatam ignominiam vitiorum tuorum, non ad domesticam tuam difficultatem ac turpitudinem, sed ad summam rem publicam atque 6ad omnium nostrum vitam salutemque pertinent. 15. Potestne tibi haec lux, Catilina, aut hujus caeli spiritus esse jucundus, 1cum scias esse horum 2neminem qui nesciat, te 3pridie Kalendas Januarias 4Lepido et Tullo Consulibus stetisse in 5comitio cum telo? Manum consulum et principum civitatis interficiendorum causa paravisse 6sceleri ac furori tuo non mentem aliquam aut timorem tuum, sed fortunam populi Romani obstitisse? Ac jam illa omitto—7neque enim sunt aut obscura aut non multa commissa postea:—quotiens tu me 8designatum, quotiens consulem interficere voluisti! quot ego tuas 9petitiones 10ita conjectas, ut vitari posse non viderentur, parva quadam declinatione et, ut aiunt, corpore effugi! nihil adsequeris, neque tamen conari ac velle desistis. 16. Quotiens 1tibi jam extorta est sica ista de manibus! quotiens 2excidit aliquo casu et elapsa est! 3quae quidem quibus abs te initiata sacris ac devota sit, nescio, quod eam necesse putas esse in consulis corpore defigere.

VII.—Nunc vero quae 4tua est ista vita? Sic enim jam tecum loquar, non ut odio permotus esse videar, quo debeo, 5sed ut misericordia, quae tibi 6nulla debetur. Venisti 7paulo ante in senatum. Quis te ex hac tanta 8frequentia, tot ex tuis amicis ac necessariis salutavit? Si hoc 9post hominum memoriam contigit nemini, 10vocis exspectas contumeliam, cum sis gravissimo judicio taciturnitatis oppressus? 11Quid? Quod 12adventu tuo 13ista subsellia vacuefacta sunt, quod omnes consulares, 14qui tibi persaepe ad caedem constituti fuerunt, simul atque adsedisti, partem istam subselliorum 15nudam atque inanem reliquerunt, quo 16tandem animo hoc tibi ferendum putas? 17. 1Servi 2mehercule mei si me 3isto pacto metuerent, ut te metuunt omnes cives tui, domum meam relinquendam putarem: tu tibi 4urbem nom arbitraris? Etsi me meis civibus 5injuria suspectum tam graviter atque 6offensum viderem, carere me aspectu civium quam 7infestis oculis omnium conspici mallem: tu cum conscientia scelerum tuorum 8agnoscas odium omnium justum et jam diu tibi debitum, 9dubitas, quorum 10mentes sensusque vulneras, eorum aspectum praesentiamque vitare? Si te parentes timerent atque odissent tui nec eos ulla ratione placare posses, ut opinor, ab eorum oculis 11aliquo concederes: 12nunc te patria 13quae communis est parens omnium nostrum, odit ac metuit et jam diu nihil te judicat nisi de parricidio suo cogitare: hujus tu neque auctoritatem 14verebere nec judicium sequere nec vim pertimesces? 18. 1Quae tecum, Catilina, sic agit et quodam modo tacita loquitur: 2‘Nullum jam aliquot annis facinus exstitit nisi per te, nullum flagitium sine te: tibi uni multorum civium 3neces, tibi vexatio direptioque 4sociorum impunita fuit ac libera: 5tu non solum ad negligendas leges et quaestiones, verum etiam ad evertendas perfringendasque valuisti. Superiora illa, quamquam ferenda non fuerunt, tamen ut potui, tuli: nunc vero me totam esse in metu propter unum te, quidquid increpuerit Catilinam timeri, nullum videri contra me consilium iniri posse, quod a tuo scelere abhorreat, 6non est ferendum. Quamobrem discede atque hunc mihi timorem eripe, si est verus, 7ne opprimar, sin falsus, ut tandem aliquando timere desinam.’

VIII.— 19. Haec si tecum, ut dixi, patria loquatur, nonne 1impetrare debeat, etiam si vim adhibere non possit? 2Quid? Quod tu te ipse 3in custodiam dedisti? Quod vitandae suspicionis causa 4apud M’. Lepidum te habitare velle dixisti? A quo non receptus etiam ad me venire ausus es, atque ut domi meae te adservarem rogasti. Cum a me quoque id responsum tulisses, me nullo modo posse 5isdem parietibus tuto esse tecum, qui magno in periculo essem quod isdem moenibus contineremur, ad 6Q. Metellum praetorem venisti: a quo repudiatus ad sodalem tuum, 7virum optimum, M. Metellum demigrasti, quem tu 8videlicet et ad custodiendum diligentissimum et ad suspicandum sagacissimum et 9ad vindicandum fortissimum fore putasti. Sed quam longe videtur a carcere atque vinculis abesse debere, 10qui se ipse jam dignum custodia judicarit? 20. 1Quae cum ita sint, dubitas, si 2emori aequo animo non potes, abire in aliquas terras et vitam istam, multis suppliciis justis debitisque ereptam, fugae solitudinique mandare? 3Refer, inquis, ad senatum; id enim postulas, et, si hic ordo 4sibi placere decreverit te ire in exilium, obtemperaturum te esse dicis. Non referam, id quod 5abhorret a meis moribus, et tamen faciam ut intelligas, quid hi de te sentiant. Egredere ex urbe, Catilina, libera rem publicam metu in exilium, 6si hunc vocem exspectas, proficiscere. Quid est, Catilina? Ecquid attendis, ecquid animadvertis horum silentium? 7Patiuntur, tacent. 8Quid exspectas auctoritatem loquentium, quorum voluntatem tacitorum perspicis? 21. At si hoc idem 1huic adulescenti optimo, P. Sestio, si fortissimo vero M. Marcello dixissem, jam mihi consuli hoc ipso in templo jure optimo senatus 2vim et manus intulisset. De te autem, Catilina, cum 3quiescunt, probant, cum patiuntur, decernunt, cum tacent, clamant: neque hi solum, quorum auctoritas est videlicet cara, vita vilissima, sed etiam equites Romani honestissimi atque optimi viri, ceterique fortissimi 4cives, qui stant circum senatum, quorum tu et frequentiam videre et studia perspicere et voces paulo ante exaudire potuisti. Quorum ego vix abs te jam diu manus ac tela contineo, eosdem facile adducam ut te haec, quae jam pridem vastare studes, relinquentem usque ad portas 5prosequantur.

IX.— 22. 1Quamquam quid loquor? 2Te ut ulla res frangat? Tu ut te unquam corrigas? Tu ut ullam fugam meditere? Tu ut exilium cogites? Utinam tibi istam mentem di immortales 3duint! Etsi video, si mea voce perterritus ire in exilium 4animum induxeris, 5quanta tempestas invidiae nobis, si minus in praesens tempus, recenti memoria scelerum tuorum, at in posteritatem impendeat. 6Sed est tanti, dum modo ista sit privata calamitas, et a rei publicae periculis sejungatur. Sed tu 7ut vitiis commoveare, ut legum poenas pertimescas, ut temporibus rei publicae cedas, non est postulandum. Neque enim is es, Catilina, ut te aut pudor unquam a turpitudine aut metus a periculo aut ratio a furore revocaverit. 23. Quam ob rem, ut saepe jam dixi, proficiscere, ac, si mihi inimico, ut praedicas, tuo 1conflare vis invidiam, 2recta perge in exilium; 3vix feram sermones hominum, si id feceris, vix molem istius invidiae, si in exilium jussu consulis ieris, sustinebo. 4Sin autem servire meae laudi et gloriae mavis, egredere cum importuna sceleratorum manu. Confer te ad Manlium, concita perditos cives, secerne te a bonis, infer patriae bellum, 5exsulta impio latrocinio, ut a me non ejectus ad alienos, sed invitatus ad tuos esse videaris. 24. 1Quamquam quid ego te invitem, a quo jam sciam esse praemissos, 2qui tibi ad Forum Aurelium praestolarentur armati? Cui sciam 3pactam et constitutam cum Manlio diem. A quo etiam 4aquilam illam argenteam, quam tibi ac tuis omnibus perniciosam esse confido ac funestam futuram, 5cui domi tuae sacrarium scelerum tuorum constitutum fuit, sciam esse praemissam? 6Tu ut illa diutius carere possis, quam venerari ad caedem proficisens solebas, a cujus 7altaribus saepe istam impiam dexteram ad necem civium transtulisti.

X.— 25. Ibis tandem aliquando, quo te jam pridem ista 1cupiditas effrenata ac furiosa rapiebat. Neque enim tibi haec res adfert dolorem, sed 2quandam incredibilem voluptatem. 3Ad hanc te amentiam natura peperit, voluntas exercuit, fortuna servavit. Nunquam tu 4non modo 5otium, sed ne bellum quidem, nisi 6nefarium concupisti. 7Nanctus es ex perditis atque ab omni non modo fortuna, verum etiam spe derelictis 8conflatam, improborum manum. 26. 1Hic tu qua laetitia perfruere! quibus gaudiis exsultabis! quanta in voluptate bacchabere, cum in tanto numero tuorum neque audies virum bonum quemquam neque videbis. 2Ad hujus vitae studium meditati illi sunt qui feruntur labores tui, jacere humi, non solum 3ad obsidendum stuprum, verum etiam 4ad facinus obeundum, vigilare non solum insidiantem somno maritorum, verum etiam bonis 5otiosorum. 6Habes, ubi ostentes, illam tuam praeclaram patientiam famis, frigoris, inopiae verum omnium, 7quibus te brevi tempore conectum senties. 27. 1Tantum profeci tum, 2cum te a consulatu reppuli, ut 3exsul potius tentare quam consul vexare rem publicam posses atque ut id, quod est abs te scelerate susceptum, latrocinium potius quam bellum nominaretur.

XI.—Nunc ut a me, patres conscripti, quandam prope justam patriae querimoniam 4detester ac deprecer, percipite, 5quaeso, diligenter quae dicam, et ea penitus animis vestris mentibusque mandate. Etenim si mecum patria, quae mihi vita mea multo carior est, si cuncta Italia, si omnis res publica sic 6loquatur; ‘M. Tulli, quid agis? 7Tune eum, quem esse hostem comperisti, quem ducem belli futurum vides, quem exspectari imperatorem in castris hostium sentis, auctorem sceleris, principem conjurationis, 8evocatorem servorum et civium perditorum, exire patiere, ut abs te non 9emissus ex urbe, sed immisus in urbem videatur? Nonne 10hunc in vincula duci, non ad mortem rapi, non summo supplicio 11mactari imperabis? 28. Quid 1tandem te impedit? Mosne majorum? 2At persaepe etiam privati in hac re publica perniciosos cives morte multarunt. 3An leges, quae de civium Romanorum supplicio 4rogatae sunt? At nunquam in hac urbe, qui a re publica defecerunt, civium jura tenuerunt. An invidiam posteritatis times? 5Praeclaram vero populo Romano refers gratiam, qui te, 6hominem per te cognitum, nulla commendatione majorum tam mature ad summum imperium per omnes honorum gradus extulit, si 7propter invidiam aut alicujus periculi metum salutem civium tuorum neglegis. 29. Sed si quis est invidiae metus, 1num est vehementius severitatis ac fortitudinis invidia quam inertiae ac nequitiae pertimescenda? An cum bello vastabitur Italia, vexabuntur urbes, tecta ardebunt, tum te non existimas invidiae incendio conflagraturum?’

XII.—His ego sanctissimis rei publicae vocibus et eorum hominum, qui hoc idem sentiunt, mentibus pauca respondebo. Ego, si hoc optimum 2factu 3judicarem, patres conscripti, Catilinam morte multari, 4unius usuram horae 5gladiatori isti, ad vivendum non dedissem. 6Etenim si 7summi viri et clarissimi cives Saturnini et Gracchorum et Flacci et superiorum complurium sanguine non modo se non contaminarunt, sed etiam 8honestarunt, certe verendum mihi non erat, ne quid hoc parricida civium interfecto invidiae mihi in posteritatem redundaret. Quodsi ea mihi maxime impenderet, tamen hoc animo fui semper, ut invidiam virtute partam gloriam, non invidiam putarem. 30. 1Quamquam nonnulli sunt in hoc ordine, 2qui aut ea quae imminent non videant, aut quae vident dissimulent: 3qui spem Catilinae mollibus sententiis aluerunt conjurationemque nascentem non credendo corroboraverunt; quorum auctoritatem secuti multi, non solum improbi, verum etiam imperiti, 4si in hunc animadvertissem, crudeliter et regie factum esse dicerent. Nunc intellego, si iste, quo intendit, in Manliana castra 5pervenerit, neminem tam stultum fore qui non videat conjurationem esse factam, neminem tam improbum qui non fateatur. Hoc autem uno interfecto intellego hanc rei publicae pestem 6paulisper reprimi, non in perpetuum comprimi posse. Quodsi 7se ejecerit secumque suos eduxerit et eodem 8ceteros undique collectos naufragos adgregaverit, exstinguetur atque delebitur non modo haec 9tam adulta rei publicae pestis, verum etiam stirps ac semen malorum omnium.

XIII.— 31. Etenim 1jam diu, patres conscripti, in his periculis conjurationis insidiisque versamur, sed nescio quo pacto 2omnium scelerum ac veteris furoris et audaciae maturitas in nostri consulatus tempus erupit. Quodsi 3ex tanto latrocinio iste unus tolletur, videbimur fortasse ad breve quoddam tempus cura et metu esse relevati, periculum autem residebit et erit inclusum penitus in venis atque 4in visceribus rei publicae. Ut saepe homines aegri morbo gravi, 5cum aestu febrique jactantur, si aquam gelidam 6biberunt, primo relevari videntur, deinde multo gravius vehementiusque adflictantur, sic hic morbus, 7qui est in re publica, relevatus istius poena, 8vehementius vivis reliquis ingravescet. 32. Quare secedant improbi, secernant se a bonis, unum in locum congregentur, muro denique, id quod saepe jam dixi, discernantur a nobis: desinant insidiari domi suae consuli, circumstare tribunal 1praetoris urbani, 2obsidere cum gladiis curiam, 3malleolos et faces ad inflammandam urbem comparare: sit denique inscriptum in fronte unius cujusque, 4quid de re publica sentiat. Polliceor vobis hoc, patres conscripti, tantam in nobis consulibus fore diligentiam, tantam in vobis auctoritatem, tantam in equitibus Romanis virtutem, tantam in omnibus bonis consensionem, ut Catilinae profectione 5omnia patefacta, inlustrata, oppressa vindicata esse videatis. 33. 1Hisce ominibus, Catilina, 2cum summa rei publicae salute, cum tua peste ac pernicie cumque eorum exitio, qui se tecum omni scelere parricidioque junxerunt, proficiscere ad impium bellum ac nefarium. Tum, 3tu, Juppiter, qui isdem quibus haec urbs 4auspiciis a Romulo es constitutus, quem 5Statorem hujus urbis atque imperii vere nominamus, hunc et hujus socios a tuis aris ceterisque templis, a tectis urbis ac moenibus a vita fortunisque civium 6arcebis, et homines bonorum inimicos, hostes patriae, latrones Italiae, scelerum foedere inter se ac nefaria societate conjunctos, aeternis suppliciis vivos mortuosque mactabis.

TOP

NOTES.