M. Tullius Cicero, In Catilinam, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 4.2

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[2] ego sum ille consul, patres conscripti, cui non forum in quo omnis aequitas continetur, non campus consularibus auspiciis consecratus, non curia, summum auxilium omnium gentium, non domus, commune perfugium, non lectus ad quietem datus, non denique haec sedes honoris¹ umquam vacua mortis periculo atque insidiis fuit. ego multa tacui, multa pertuli, multa concessi, multa meo quodam dolore in vestro timore sanavi. nunc si hunc exitum consulatus mei di immortales esse voluerunt ut vos populumque Romanum ex caede miserrima², coniuges liberosque vestros virginesque Vestalis ex acerbissima vexatione, templa atque delubra, hanc pulcherrimam patriam omnium nostrum ex foedissima flamma, totam Italiam ex bello et vastitate eriperem, quaecumque mihi uni proponetur³ fortuna subeatur. etenim si P. P ublius Lentulus suum nomen inductus a vatibus fatale ad perniciem rei publicae fore putavit, cur ego non laeter meum consulatum ad salutem populi Romani prope fatalem exstitisse?

In Catilinam. 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

In L. Catilinam (Latin) (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 1. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.)

Translations (1)

Against L. Catiline Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.) — 4.2 focus

[2]
I am that consul, O conscript fathers, to whom neither the forum in which all justice is contained, nor the Campus Martius, ¹ consecrated to the consular assemblies, nor the senate house, the chief assistance of all nations, nor my own home, the common refuge of all men, nor my bed devoted to rest, in short, not even this seat of honour, this curule chair has ever been free from the danger of death, or from plots and treachery. I have been silent about many things, I have borne much, I have conceded much, I have remedied many things with some pain to myself amid the alarm of you all. Now if the immortal gods have determined that there shall be this end to my consulship that I should snatch you, O conscript fathers, and the Roman people from miserable slaughter, your wives and children and the vestal virgins from most bitter distress, the temples and shrines of the gods and this most lovely country of all of us, from impious flames, all Italy from war and devastation, then whatever fortune is laid up for me by myself it shall be borne. If, indeed, Publius Lentulus, being led on by soothsayers believed that his name was connected by destiny with the destruction of the republic, why should not I rejoice that my consulship has taken place almost by the express appointment of fate for the preservation of the republic?

Notes on the current edition

In Catilinam

1. honoris sella (id est sella t) curulis add. codd.: del. Muretus

2. miserrima AV αβ: miseria cett.

3. proponeretur a

Commentary

Commentary on Fourth 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

ego sum ille consul , I am a consul (i.e. that kind of consul).

aequitas : in the Forum was the tribunal of the praetor who administered justice between citizens.

campus : see note on Cat. 1, sect. 11 ( p. 104, l. 7 ).

auspicus : the taking of the auspices always preceded the election.

auxilium : the Roman Senate, having the management of foreign affairs, was at this time a great court of appeal for subject or friendly nations.

sedes lionoris , i.e. the sella curulis or seat used by the curule magistrates: viz. interrex, dictator, magister equitum, consul, praetor censor, and curule aedile. It was like a modern camp-stool without back or sides, with crossed legs of ivory, so that it could be folded up and carried with the magistrate wherever he went. The bracketed words sella curalis are doubtless an explanatory marginal note.

fuit : we should expect the subj. of characteristic, but the indic. is used (as often) to emphasize the fact.

at . . . eriperem (l.15, below): subst. clause of result, in appos. with exitum (l.10).

foedissima , horrible, with the added idea of polluting things sacred.

sabeatur , hortatory subjunctive.

fatale : see Cat. 3, sect. 9 (p.130).

laeter : § 444 (268); B. 277; G. 466; H. 559, 4 (484, v); H-B. 513, I: apodosis, see § 515 , a (306, a); G. 595; H. 586 (508, 4); H-B. 582, I.

M. Tullius Cicero In Catilinam 4.2

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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