M. Tullius Cicero, De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 57

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[57] quo mihi etiam indignius videtur obtrectatum esse adhuc, Gabinio dicam anne Pompeio an utrique, id quod est verius, ne legaretur A. Aulus Gabinius Cn. Gnaeo Pompeio expetenti ac postulanti. Vtrum ille qui postulat ad tantum bellum legatum¹ quem velit idoneus non est qui impetret, cum ceteri ad expilandos socios diripiendasque provincias quos voluerunt² legatos eduxerint, an ipse cuius lege salus ac dignitas populo Romano atque omnibus gentibus constituta est expers esse debet eius imperatoris³ atque eius⁴ exercitus qui consilio ac periculo illius⁵ est constitutus? an C.

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.) — 57 focus

[57] And on this account the endeavour to detract, shall I say from Gabinius, or from Pompeius, or (what would be truer still) from both? appears to me particularly unworthy; being done in order that Aulus Gabinius might not be appointed lieutenant to Cnaeus Pompeius, though he requested and begged it. Is he who begs for a particular lieutenant in so important a war unworthy to obtain any one whom he desires, when all other generals have taken whatever lieutenants they chose, to assist them in pillaging the allies and plundering the provinces? or ought he, by whose law safety and dignity has been given to the Roman people, and to all nations, to be prevented from sharing in the glory of that commander and that army, which exists through his wisdom and was appointed at his risk?

Notes on the current edition

De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites

1. ad tantum bellum leg. HE: leg. ad tantum bellum T δ

2. voluerint H

3. eius imperatoris scripsi

4. victoriae atque eius imper. H: eius gloriae atque imper. ET: gloriae eius imper. δ

5. ac periculo illius H: ipsius ac periculo 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

obtrectatum esse : the subject of obtrectatum esse is the wish of the opponents to defeat the proposed measure (the appointment of Gabinius as lieutenant); as this wish, if successful, would be (like the affirmative measure) a determination, it is expressed by a purpose clause, ne legaretur .

adhuc : this opposition began in connection with the Gabinian Law and is still continued in connection with the Manilian.

quid liceat , i.e. how far they can safely go.

considerabunt , i.e. before they set themselves against the manifest will of the people.

socius : not as legatus, but simply as partner in his former honor and credit. This association of Gabinius with Pompey is used as an argument for giving him the office of legatus now.

M. Tullius Cicero De Imperio Cn. Pompei Ad Quirites 57

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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