M. Tullius Cicero, In Catilinam, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 4.8

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[8] decernatur tamen, si placet. ego enim suscipiam et, ut spero, reperiam qui id quod salutis omnium causa statueritis non putent¹ esse suae dignitatis recusare. adiungit gravem poenam municipiis², si quis eorum vincula ruperit; horribilis custodias circumdat et dignas³ scelere hominum perditorum; sancit ne quis eorum poenam quos condemnat aut per senatum aut per populum levare possit⁴; eripit etiam spem quae sola hominem in miseriis consolari solet. bona praeterea publicari iubet; vitam solam relinquit nefariis hominibus: quam si eripuisset, multas uno dolore animi atque corporis miserias⁵ et omnis scelerum poenas ademisset. itaque ut aliqua in vita formido improbis esset proposita⁶, apud inferos eius modi quaedam illi antiqui supplicia impiis constituta esse voluerunt, quod videlicet intellegebant his remotis non esse mortem ipsam pertimescendam.

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.) — 4.8 focus

[8]
Let it, however, be so decreed if you like. For I will undertake, and, as I hope, I shall find one who will not think it suitable to his dignity to refuse what you decide on for the sake of the universal safety. He imposes besides a severe punishment on the burgesses of the municipal town if any of the prisoners escape; he surrounds them with the most terrible guard, and with everything worthy of the wickedness of abandoned men. And he proposes to establish a decree that no one shall be able to alleviate the punishment of those whom he is condemning by a vote of either the senate or the people. He takes away even hope, which alone can comfort men in their miseries; besides this, he votes that their goods should be confiscated; he leaves life alone to these infamous men, and if he had taken that away; he would have relieved them by one pang of many tortures of mind and body, and of all the punishment of their crimes. Therefore, that there might be some dread in life to the wicked, men of old have believed that there were some punishments of that sort appointed for the wicked in the shades below; because in truth they perceived that if this were taken away death itself would not be terrible.

Notes on the current edition

In Catilinam

1. putent Ernesti: putet codd.

2. municipibus t

3. dignas i, Lambinus: digna cett.

4. possit levare αβ, Zielinski

5. miserias supplevi: aerumnas Halm: om. codd. (animi atque corporis multos uno dolore h: multos una dolores animi atque corporis Kayser: multos uno dolore dolores etc. Graevius)

6. proposita Müller: posita codd.

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

statueritis : subj. of integral part.

dignitatis : § 343 , c (214, d) ; cf. B. 198, 3; G. 366, R.1; H 439, 3 (401, N.2); cf. H.-B. 340.

adjungit , he [Caesar] adds to his proposal.

ruperit : § 592 , 2 (341, c) ; cf. B. 323; G. 366; H. 439 (401); H.-B. 536, a.

sancit , ordains (under penalties).

per senatum , by an executive decree; per populum, by a law.

uno , Sc. dolore.

itaque , etc.: an artful way of making the punishment of death seem less cruel; since death is a relief, these myths, says Cicero, have been invented to give it terror.

eis remotis : equiv. to a fut. protasis; § 521 , a (310, a); G. 593,2 ; H. 638, 2 (549, 2); H.-B. 578, 6. 5

M. Tullius Cicero In Catilinam 4.8

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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