M. Tullius Cicero In Catilinam 1.6

Charles Duke Yonge (Translator)

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In Catilinam. M. Tullius Cicero. Charles Duke Yonge (Translator). London. 1856.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

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

Current edition Perseus

Against L. Catiline (English) (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.)

Editions (1)
In L. Catilinam Perseus (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 1. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.) — 1.6 focus

Commentary

Commentary on First Oration against Catiline (Select Orations of Cicero (Allen and Greenough's Edition). Greenough, James Bradstreet; Kittredge, George Lyman, editors. Boston, London: Ginn & Company, 1897.) focus

an vero properly belongs both to interfecit and perferemus; in English we should connect the two clauses by and. On the force of an, see § 335 , b (211, b); B. 162, 4, a; G. 457, 1 ; H. 380, 3 (353, N.4); H.-B. 236.

vir amplissimus , pontifex maximus: observe how these words strengthen the force of the example.

Ti. Gracchium : Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, a young man of high rank and great purity of character, attempted to carry through some important reforms, particularly touching the tenure of the public lands, B.C. 133. Requiring more time to make his legislation effective, he attempted illegally to secure his own re-election as tribune, when he was attacked and killed by a mob of Senators headed by P. Scipio Nasica.

privatus : at the time referred to, Nasica was only a private citizen of consular rank. He afterwards went into exile, and was made Pontifex Maximus in his absence. The word privatus is rhetorically opposed to

nos consules .

illa , that case, plural for singular as referring to the circumstances of the case.

Ahala : the magister equitum of the famous Cincinnatus; he killed without legal process the eques Maelius, on suspicion that the latter was aiming at royal power ( B.C. 439);

novis rebus (the classic expression for a violent change of government), revolution: dat. after studentem .

fuit (emphat.), there was, etc., implying that it is so no longer; § 598 , d (344 d, 3). Cf. fuit Ilium, Aeneid 2.325 .

habemus (emphat.), i.e. it is not that we lack, etc.

senatus consultum : i.e. the decree conferring dictatorial power on the consuls (see note on sect. 2 , 1.12, above), ut videant consules, etc.

vehemens , severe, as regards Catiline; grave, carrying weight, and so justifying the consuls in any extreme measures.

non deest , etc., it is not that the state lacks wise counsels, etc., but that the consuls are remiss in executing them. 2