M. Tullius Cicero, De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites, Charles Duke Yonge (Translator), 70

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[70] And I call all the gods, to witness, and especially those who preside over this place and temple, who see into the minds of all those who apply themselves to affairs of state, that I am not doing this at the request of any one, nor because I think to conciliate the favour of Cnaeus Pompeius by taking this side, nor in order, through the greatness of any one else, to seek for myself protection against dangers, or aids in the acquirement of honours; because, as for dangers, we shall easily repel them, as a man ought to do, protected by our own innocence; and as for honours, we shall not gain them by the favour of any men, nor by anything that happens in this place, but by the same laborious course of life which I have hitherto adopted, if your favourable inclination assists me.

De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites. M. Tullius Cicero. Charles Duke Yonge (Translator). London. 1856.

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Current edition Perseus

In Defense of the Proposed Manilian Law (English) (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.)

Editions (1)

De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites Perseus (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 1. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.) — 70 focus

[70] et eos maxime qui huic loco temploque praesident, qui omnium mentis eorum qui ad rem publicam adeunt maxime perspiciunt, me hoc neque rogatu facere cuiusquam, neque quo Cn. Gnaei Pompei gratiam mihi per hanc causam conciliari putem, neque quo mihi ex cuiusquam amplitudine aut praesidia periculis aut adiumenta honoribus quaeram, propterea quod pericula facile, ut hominem praestare oportet, innocentia tecti repellemus, honorem autem neque ab uno neque ex¹ hoc loco sed eadem illa nostra laboriosissima ratione vitae, si vestra voluntas feret, consequemur.

Commentary

Notes on The Manilian Law (Select Orations of Cicero (Allen and Greenough's Edition). Greenough, James Bradstreet; Kittredge, George Lyman, editors. Boston, London: Ginn & Company, 1897.) focus

templo , i.e. the rostra. The term templum was applied to any place consecrated by regular auspices ( augurato). As the public assembly was held augurato, the place of holding it was a consecrated one.

ad rem publicam adeunt , are engaged in public affairs.

neque quo , nor because; § 540 , N.1 (321., a.): B. 286, I, b; G. 541, a.2; H. 588, ii, 2 (516, ii, 2); H-B. 535, 2, b.

honoribus : the term honor is regularly applied to honors conferred by the people, i.e. public offices. These he proposes to earn, not by the arts of a politician, but by fidelity in his profession as an advocate.

pericula relates to the simultates in the next section. It was not possible for him to espouse this democratic measure so earnestly without incurring coolness, at least on the part of the aristocracy.

ut , so far as a man, etc. (cf. our humanly speaking the Lord willing, and the like.)

ab uno , i.e. he expects no reward in the way of public office from Pompey's influence.

ex hoc loco , i.e. by political activity (cf. sect. sect. 1 ).

M. Tullius Cicero De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites 70

Charles Duke Yonge (Translator)

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