M. Tullius Cicero, De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 54

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[54] 18 quae civitas umquam¹ fuit antea, non dico Atheniensium quae satis² late quondam mare tenuisse dicitur, non Carthaginiensium qui permultum classe ac maritimis³ rebus valuerunt, non Rhodiorum quorum usque ad nostram memoriam disciplina navalis et gloria permansit⁴, quae civitas, inquam, antea tam tenuis aut tam parvola⁵ fuit quae non portus suos et agros et aliquam partem regionis atque orae maritimae per se ipsa defenderet? at hercules⁶ aliquot annos continuos ante legem Gabiniam ille populus Romanus⁷, cuius usque ad nostram memoriam nomen invictum in navalibus pugnis permanserit, magna ac multo maxima parte non modo utilitatis sed etiam⁸ dignitatis atque imperi caruit.

De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites. M. Tullius Cicero. ed. Albert Curtis Clark. Oxford. 1908.

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Funding provided by National Endowment For The Humanities (NEH).

Current edition Perseus

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

Translations (1)

In Defense of the Proposed Manilian Law Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.) — 54 focus

[54]
What city ever was there before this time,—I speak not of the city of the Athenians, which is said formerly to have had a sufficiently extensive naval dominion; nor of that of the Carthaginians, who had great power with their fleet and maritime resources; nor of those of the Rhodians, whose naval discipline and naval renown has lasted even to our recollection,—but was there ever any city before this time so insignificant, if it was only a small island, as not to be able by its own power to defend its harbours, and its lands, and some part of its country and maritime coast? But, forsooth, for many years before the Gabinian law was passed, the Roman people, whose name, till within our own memory remained invincible in naval battles, was deprived not only of a great, aye, of much the greatest part of its usefulness, but also of its dignity and dominion.

Notes on the current edition

De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites

1. umquam fuit antea H: antea umquam fuit cett.

2. satis longe H

3. maritimisque δ

4. permansit Lambinus: remansit codd. inquam σ mg., Halm: umquam cett.

5. aut tam parvola scripsi: aut tam parvula insula H: tam parva insula cett.: quae tam parva insula Manutius

6. hercules H: hercule cett.

7. Romanus hrodius H

8. etiam H: om. cett.

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

ex ceteris ordinibus refers to men of humbler rank who were carrying on business in Asia, as well as to Senators who had money invested ( conlocatas) there.

eorum (redundant) limits partim.

humanitatis vestrae : § 343 , c (214, d); B. 198,3; G. 366; H. 439, 3 (401, N.2); H.-B. 340;

sapientiae is in the same construction.

etenim primum introduces the first reason why the losses of private citizens are a matter of public concern; the second reason is introduced by

deinde quod (sect. 19 ).

illud parvi refert , etc., it is of slight consequence that we can afterwards win back in victory: § 417 (252, a); B. 211, 3, a; G. 379, 380; H. 449, 3 (408, iii); H.-B. 427, 2, a.

publica either agrees with vectigalia , or may be taken absolutely, omitting the doubtful word vectigalia.

his , i.e. the publicani.

amissis , lost, i.e. as bidders for the revenues.

redimendi , contracting for the revenues.

M. Tullius Cicero De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites 54

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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