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I. Propositio (Chaps. I.–IV.

chaps1_2

Effrontery of Catiline in appearing in the Senate. Weakness of the consuls in allowing him to live contrasted with the vigorous action of former times in less flagrant cases. Reasons for the delay.

p99_l2

etiam ( et jam), still,

eludet , baffle, i.e. his mad conduct makes fools of the Roman people, as it were, by continuing to escape the just punishment that would suppress it.

quem ad finem : almost equivalent to quamdiu, but implying some shock or crisis ( finem) which must follow.

p99_l3

sese jactabit , insolently display itself

nihil (adv. acc.), not at all .

p99_l4

Palati : one of the strongest positions in the city, commanding the Forum, and so most likely to be seized by the conspirators. The Palatium, an isolated hill, of a rudely quadrangular shape, was the original seat of the city of Rome, from which the city spread gradually over the other hills. In the last years of the Republic, the Palatine became the fashionable place for residences. Here was Cicero's house as well as Catiline's. It was because of its nearness to his house, as well as because of the strength of its position, that Cicero selected this temple for the meeting of the Senate on this occasion. Under the Empire the Palatine became the seat of the imperial residence, and its name, palace, has passed in this sense into most modern languages.

p99_l5

bonorum : the Senate was surrounded by a crowd of equites and other citizens (see sect. 21 , below).

p100_l1

locus : the Senate was assembled, not, as usual, in the Curia Hostilia, but in the Temple of Jupiter Stator, which occupied a commanding position on the brow of the Palatine Hill and faced the Sacred Way. The ruins of this temple were discovered some years ago (see view in text).

horum (with a gesture), i.e. the Senators present.

ora , features; voltus , expression: the phrase is a sort of hendiadys, almost equivalent to expression of their features; § 640 (385); B. 374, 4; G. 698; H. 751,3, N.1 (636, iii, 2); H-B. 631,5.

p100_l2

patere : note the emphatic position.

non : observe the abruptness and force given by omitting the interrog. particle - ne .

constrictam . . . teneri , is held fast bound; § 497 , b (292, c) ; cf. B. 337, 6; G. 238; H.431,1(385, 1, N.); H.-B. 605,5.

p100_l4

proxima , superiore: for what was done on the night of Nov. 6, see sect. 4 ; as to proxima , last night, we meet with nothing but general assertions.

p100_l7

tempora , etc., what a time! what a state of things! ( mores customs of the time.)

p100_l8

immo , nay more: immo here negatives not the fact of the preceding statement ( vivit ), but only its form as not being strong enough; nay is similarly used in English, as in Midsummer-Night's Dream, iii, 2, 313: "To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too."

p100_l11

videmur , etc. think we do enough for (i.e. fulfil our duty to the state).

si . . . vitemus : in the dir. form, satisfacimus si vitamus .

p100_l12

ad mortem : the consuls originally possessed full powers of judgment in criminal cases, including punishment by death. These highest powers of the imperium were suspended within the city by laws which gave the right of appeal to the people (note, p. 110, l. 16 ), but the Senate could revive them in cases of danger by the formula Videant consules ne quid res publica detrimenti capiat, — a proceeding analogous to the proclamation of martial law. This action the Senate had taken Oct.21, nearly three weeks before.

p100_l13

oportebat , apod. of an implied cond.: § 522 , a (311, c); B. 304, 3, a; G. 254, R1; H. 583 (511, I, N.1); H-B. 582, 3, a; the imperf. is used with jam pridem, where in English we might expect the pluperf.; § 471 , b (277, b); B. 260,4; G. 234; H. 535(469,2); H.-B. 485; oportebat alone would mean "you ought [now] to be [but are not]"; with jam pridem it means "you ought to have been long ago and still ought to be."

p100_l14

jam diu : words in brackets are thought to be spurious insertions in the text.

[3] 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.

p100_l15

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.

p100_l16

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 .

p100_l18

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

p100_l19

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 .

p100_l20

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

p100_l22

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.

p100_l23

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

p100_l26

decrevit : translate, to preserve the emphasis, there was once a decree, etc.

ut . . . videret , subst. clause of purp., obj. of decrevit: § 563 (331); B. 295, 4; G. 546; H. 564, i (498); H-B. 502, 3, a.

Opimius : Lucius Opimius was consul B.C. 121, when Caius Gracchus, the younger brother of Tiberius, was attempting to carry through a series of measures far more revolutionary than those of his brother. The Senate took alarm, and entrusted the consul with absolute power. In the tumult that ensued, some 3,000 are said to have lost their lives, including Gracchus and his leading associate, Fulvius.

p100_l27

ne . . . caperet , obj. of videret.

p100_l28

interfectus est (emphat.), i.e. in that case death was promptly inflicted.

p100_l29

patre : Tiberius Gracchus, the elder, one of the most eminent statesmen of his day.

avo : Scipio Africanus, the conqueror of Hannibal.

p101_l1

Mario (dat. after permissa ): this was in Marius' sixth consulship ( B.C. 100). He was secretly in league with the revolutionists, —Saturninus and Servilius Glaucia, corrupt demagogues, unworthy imitators of the noble Gracchi. When it came to the point, however, the courage of Marius failed him: he deserted his accomplices, and joined the Senate in crushing the revolt.

p101_l3

rei publicae : poss. gen., the punishment being looked on as something belonging to the party avenged, and exacted from the other party as a payment due.

p101_l4

remorata est (governing Saturninum, etc.), keep Saturninus and Servilius waiting, i.e. did they have to wait one day, etc.?

vicesimum : strictly speaking, it was now (Nov. 6) the 19th day by Roman reckoning from Oct. 21; cf. § 424 , c (259, c); G. 336, R.1

patimur : for tense, see § 466 (276, a); B. 259, 4; G. 230; H. 532, 2 (467, 2); H.-B. 485.

p101_l5

horum , i.e. the Senate.

p101_l6

hujusce modi , i.e. like those just mentioned; § 146 , a, N.1 (101, footnote); B. 87, footnote 2; G. 104, I, N.1; H. 178, 3 (186, I); H.-B. 138, 2, c.

tabulis : brazen tablets, on which the laws, etc., were inscribed. The edict is said to be shut up in them (until put in force), like a sword hidden in its scabbard.

p101_l8

interfectum esse : § 486 , b and N. (288, d); B. 270, 2, a; G. 280, 2; H-B. 582, 31 a, footnote 2

convenit , perf.: § 522 , a (311, c); B. 304,3, a; G. 254, a.1; H. 583(511, I, N.1); H-B. 582,3, a.

p101_l9

ad deponendam , etc.: § 506 (300); B. 338, 3; G. 432; H. 628, 623 (542, iii, 544, I); H.-B. 384, 3, a.

p101_l10

cupio (emphat.), I am anxious: a concession, opposed by sed, below.

me esse : § 563 , b, I (331, b, N.); B. 331, iv, a; G. 532, R.2; H. 614 (535, ii); H.-B. 586, b.

p101_l11

dissolutum , arbitrary .

p101_l12

ipse : Latin in such cases emphasizes the subject; English, the object; § 298 ,f(195, 1); B. 249, 2; G. 311, 2; H. 509, I (452, I); H-B. 268.

inertiae : § 352 (220); B. 228, 2; G. 378; H. 456 (409, U); H.-B. 342.

p101_l13

castra sunt , etc.: an enumeration of the circumstances which make a mild policy no longer possible.

p101_l14

faucibus , narrow pass, leading north from Etruria, through the Apennines.

conlocata : § 495 (291, b); B. 337, 2; G. 250, a.2; H. 538, 4 (47 I, 6, N.1); H.-B. 320, iii, 248.

p101_l18

jam , at once.

p101_l19

erit verendum , etc., I shall have to fear, I suppose (ironical), that all good citizens will fail to say (lit. will not say ) that I have acted too late rather than that anybody will say that I have acted too cruelly, i.e. I shall have to fear that I shall be accused of cruelty rather than slackness.

ne non . . . dicat : § 564 (331,f); B. 296, 2, a; G. 550, 2; H. 567, 2 (498, iii, N.2); H.-B. 502, 4.

boni (sc. dicant): here, as usual, the well-intentioned, i.e. those who held the speaker's views.

p101_l21

ego : opposed to omnes boni (1.19, above).

factum esse : § 486 , b and N. (288, d); B. 270, 2, a; G. 280, a.2; H.-B. 582, 3, a, footnote 2.

oportuit : § 522 , a (311, c) ; B. 304, 3, a; G. 597, a.3, a; H. 583 (51 I, I, N.') ; H-B. 582, 3, a.

3_4

Chaps. III., IV.The consul is fully informed. Latest acts of the conspirators

p101_l22

denique , i.e. then, and not before.

p101_l23

jam , at length.

p101_l24

fateatur : for mood, see § 537 , 2 (319, 2); B. 284, 2; G. 631, I; H. 589, ii, 591 (509, 1); H.-B. 521, I.

p101_l26

ita ut vivis , just as you are [now] living.

p101_l27

ne . . . possis : purpose (not result).

p101_l28

etiam , besides the forces on guard.

p101_l29

speculabuntur : probably referring to the spies in the interest of the government, who were in the very heart of the conspiracy.

p102_l1

quid est quod iam amplius , etc., what is there for you to wait for more?

quod exspectes : rel. clause of purpose.

p102_l4

inlustrantur , opposed to obscurare ; erumpunt , to continere .

p102_l7

recognoscas , review, with licet , ut omitted: see § 565 (331, f R.) ; B. 295, 8; G. 553, R.1; H. 564, ii, I (502, I); Cf. H.-B. 502, 3, footnote 1

p102_l8

dicere : for tense, see § 584 , a and N. (336 A, N.1); G. 281, 2, N. H. 618, 2 (537, I); H.-B. 593, b.

p102_l9

futurus esset : subord. clause in md. disc.

p102_l11

num , etc., was I mistaken in, etc. (lit. did the fact escape me).

p102_l13

idem (nom.) has the force of also.

p102_l14

optimatium , i.e. of the Senatorial party.

in ante diem : § 424 , g (259, e); B. 371, 6; G. p.491; H .754, 3 (642, 4); H-B. 668.

p102_l16

sui conservandi . . . causa : § 504 , b, c (298, a, c); B. 339, 5, 338, I, c; G. 428, a.1 and R.2; H. 626, 3 (542, N.1); H.-B. 614. This passage is neatly turned so as to save their self-respect by attributing their flight to that discretion which is the better part of valor.

p102_l19

cum . . . dicebas : we should expect diceres; the imperf. indic. is probably an archaic survival; cf. § 471 , e and N. (277, e and. N.).

p102_l20

tamen : opposed to discessu ("though the rest were gone, yet," etc.).

p102_l21

[8] Praeneste ( Palestrina), an important town of Latium, about twenty miles from Rome, in a very commanding situation. Its possession would have given Catiline a valuable military post. Praeneste had been a chief stronghold of the Marian party in the Civil War, and Sulla had punished it by establishing a military colony there (hence coloniam ).

p102_l23

sensistine , did you not find? - ne here nonne: § 332 , c and N. (210, d and N.); G. 454, N.5; H.-B. 231,1, N.1.

p102_l24

praesidiis , the garrison manning the walls; custodus, sentinels at the gates; vigilus, watchmen (i.e. night-guard).

agis , etc.: notice the climax.

noctem illam superiorem , that night, night before last, i.e. Nov. 6; priore (1.29, below) refers to the same night.

p102_l29

quam te : § 581 , N.2 (336, a, I, R.); H. 643, I (524, 1.1); H.-B. 535, I, c.

p102_l30

inter falcarios , i.e. to the street of the scythe-makers.

non agam obscure , i.e. I will speak out and be more definite.

in domum : § 428 , k (258, b, N.3); G. 337, a.3; H-B. 454, 3.

p103_l1

eodem , at the same place (lit. to the same place, according to the Latin idiom).

p103_l4

[9] gentium : § 346 , a, 4(216, a, 4); B. 201, 2; G. 372, N.3; H. 443 (397, 4); H.-B. 346.

p103_l5

quam rem republicam , what sort of state?

p103_l6

hic , hic , here, right here.

patres [et] conscripti : the formal designation of the Senators; patres were the patrician members of the Senate, conscripti were the plebeians enrolled in that originally patrician body. The conjunction is regularly omitted (as often in such combinations). Observe that the stock English translation conscript fathers is inexact.

p103_l8

qui : the antecedent is the understood subject of sunt .

atque adeo , and in fact

p103_l9

cogitent : § 535 , a (320, a); B. 283, 2; G. 631, 2; H. 591, 1 (503, 1); H-B. 521, I.

p103_l11

oportebat : see sect. 2 and note.

voce volnero : the alliteration is intentional and may easily be imitated in English, — wound with a word.

igitur (resumptive), then (i.e. as I said ).

p103_l13

quemque , each (of the conspirators).

placeret , indir. quest.

p103_l14

relinqueres , educeres, delib. subj. in an indir. quest.: § 575 , b (334, b); B. 302; G. 265; H. 559, 4 (484, v); H.-B. 503.

p103_l16

morae : partitive gen.

viverem : subj. in subord. clause in indir. disc.

p103_l17

equites : these were C. Cornelius and L. Vargunteius.

p103_l19

[10] omnia . . . comperi : Cicero's contemporaries made sport of him for using this phrase so often in the case of the conspirators.

p103_l22

salutatum : supine; § 509 (302); B. 340, I ; G. 435; H. 633 (546); H.-B. 618. All prominent citizens were accustomed to hold a kind of morning reception (cf. "the king's levee") to which their friends and dependents came to bid them good morning and to escort them to the Forum.

cum . . . venissent : best translated by when, etc.

p103_l23

id temporis , at that very time: §§ 346 , a, 3, 397, a (216, a, 3, 240, b); B. 201, 2, 185, 2; G. 336, N.2, 369; H. 416, 2, 442 (378, 2, 397, 3); H.-B. 346, 388, b.

p103_l24

praedixeram : Cicero had thus put on record, as it were, the fact that he was acquainted with the details of the Conspiracy. 103.27

desiderant , hove been wanting: § 466 (276, a); B. 259, 4; G. 230; H. 532, 2 (467, 2); H-B. 485.

p103_l28

si minus (sc. omnes), if not

Commentary on First Oration against Catiline. James Bradstreet Greenough. ed. James Bradstreet Greenough, ed. George Lyman Kittredge. Boston. 1897.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

In L. Catilinam Perseus (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 1. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.) — 1.1 focus

[1] 1 quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos¹ eludet? quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia? nihilne te nocturnum praesidium Palati, nihil urbis vigiliae, nihil timor populi, nihil concursus bonorum omnium, nihil hic munitissimus habendi senatus locus, nihil horum ora voltusque moverunt? patere tua consilia non sentis, constrictam iam horum omnium scientia teneri coniurationem tuam² non vides? quid proxima, quid superiore nocte egeris, ubi fueris, quos convocaveris, quid consili ceperis quem nostrum ignorare arbitraris?

[2] O tempora, o mores! senatus haec intellegit, consul videt; hic tamen vivit. vivit? immo vero etiam in senatum venit, fit publici consili particeps, notat et designat oculis ad caedem unum quemque nostrum. nos autem fortes viri satis facere rei publicae videmur, si istius furorem ac tela vitamus³. ad mortem te, Catilina, duci iussu consulis iam pridem oportebat, in te conferri pestem⁴ quam tu in nos⁵ omnis iam diu⁶ machinaris.

[3] an vero vir amplissimus, P. Scipio, pontifex maximus, Ti. T itum Gracchum mediocriter labefactantem statum rei publicae privatus interfecit: Catilinam⁷ orbem terrae caede atque incendiis vastare cupientem nos consules perferemus⁸? nam illa nimis antiqua praetereo, quod⁹ C. G aius Servilius Ahala Sp. Maelium novis rebus studentem manu sua occidit. fuit, fuit ista quondam in hac re publica virtus ut viri fortes acrioribus suppliciis civem perniciosum quam acerbissimum hostem coercerent. habemus¹⁰ senatus consultum in te, Catilina, vehemens et grave¹¹, non deest rei publicae consilium neque auctoritas huius ordinis: nos, nos, dico aperte, consules desumus.

[4] 2 decrevit quondam senatus uti¹² L. L ucius Opimius consul videret ne quid res publica detrimenti caperet: nox nulla intercessit: interfectus est propter quasdam seditionum suspiciones C. G aius Gracchus, clarissimo patre, avo¹³, maioribus¹⁴, occisus est cum liberis M. M arcus Fulvius consularis. simili senatus consulto C. G aio Mario et L. L ucio Valerio consulibus est permissa res publica: num unum diem postea L. L ucium Saturninum tribunum plebis et C. G aium Servilium praetorem mors ac rei publicae poena remorata est? at vero¹⁵ nos vicesimum iam diem patimur hebescere aciem horum auctoritatis. habemus enim eius¹⁶ modi senatus consultum, verum¹⁷ inclusum in tabulis, tamquam in vagina reconditum, quo ex senatus consulto confestim te interfectum esse¹⁸, Catilina, convenit. vivis, et vivis non ad deponendam, sed ad confirmandam audaciam. cupio, patres conscripti, me esse clementem, cupio in tantis rei publicae periculis non¹⁹ dissolutum videri, sed iam²⁰ me ipse inertiae nequitiaeque condemno.

[5] castra sunt in Italia contra populum Romanum in Etruriae faucibus conlocata, crescit in dies singulos hostium numerus; eorum autem castrorum imperatorem ducemque hostium intra moenia atque adeo in senatu videtis²¹ intestinam aliquam cotidie perniciem rei publicae molientem. si te iam²², Catilina, comprehendi, si interfici iussero, credo, erit verendum mihi ne non hoc potius omnes boni serius a me quam quisquam crudelius factum esse dicat. verum ego hoc quod iam pridem factum esse oportuit certa de causa nondum adducor ut faciam. tum denique interficiere²³, cum iam nemo tam improbus, tam perditus²⁴, tam tui similis inveniri poterit qui id non iure factum esse fateatur.

[6] quam diu quisquam erit qui te defendere audeat, vives, et vives²⁵ ita ut nunc²⁶ vivis, multis meis et firmis praesidiis obsessus²⁷ ne commovere²⁸ te contra rem publicam possis. multorum te etiam oculi et aures non sentientem, sicut adhuc fecerunt, speculabuntur atque custodient.

3 etenim quid est, Catilina, quod iam amplius exspectes, si neque nox tenebris obscurare coetus²⁹ nefarios nec privata domus parietibus continere voces coniurationis tuae³⁰ potest, si inlustrantur³¹, si erumpunt omnia? muta iam istam mentem, mihi crede, obliviscere caedis atque incendiorum. teneris undique; luce sunt clariora nobis tua consilia omnia, quae iam mecum licet recognoscas.

[7] meministine me ante diem xii Kalendas Novembris dicere in senatu fore in armis certo die, qui dies futurus esset ante diem vi³² Kal. Novembris, C. G aium Manlium, audaciae satellitem atque administrum tuae? num me fefellit, Catilina, non modo res tanta tam atrox³³ tamque incredibilis, verum, id quod multo magis est admirandum, dies? dixi ego idem in senatu caedem te optimatium contulisse in ante diem v Kalendas Novembris, tum cum multi principes civitatis Roma non tam sui conservandi quam tuorum consiliorum reprimendorum causa profugerunt. num infitiari potes te illo ipso die meis praesidiis, mea diligentia circumclusum commovere te³⁴ contra rem³⁵ publicam non potuisse, cum tu discessu ceterorum nostra tamen qui remansissemus caede contentum te³⁶ esse dicebas?

[8] quid? cum te³⁷ Praeneste Kalendis ipsis Novembribus occupaturum nocturno impetu esse confideres, sensistin³⁸ illam coloniam meo iussu meis praesidiis, custodiis, vigiliis esse munitam? nihil agis, nihil moliris, nihil cogitas quod non ego non modo³⁹ audiam sed etiam videam planeque sentiam. 4 recognosce mecum tandem⁴⁰ noctem illam superiorem; iam intelleges multo me vigilare acrius ad salutem quam te ad perniciem rei publicae. dico te priore nocte venisse inter falcarios — non agam obscure — in M. M arci Laecae domum; convenisse eodem compluris eiusdem amentiae scelerisque socios. num negare audes? quid taces? convincam, si negas. video enim esse hic in senatu quosdam qui tecum una fuerunt.

[9] O di immortales! ubinam gentium sumus? quam rem publicam habemus? in qua urbe vivimus⁴¹? hic, hic sunt in nostro numero, patres conscripti, in hoc orbis terrae sanctissimo gravissimoque consilio, qui de nostro⁴² omnium interitu, qui de huius urbis atque adeo de orbis⁴³ terrarum exitio cogitent. hos⁴⁴ ego video consul et de re publica sententiam rogo, et quos ferro trucidari oportebat, eos nondum voce volnero! fuisti igitur apud Laecam illa nocte, Catilina, distribuisti partis Italiae, statuisti quo quemque proficisci placeret, delegisti quos Romae relinqueres, quos tecum educeres, discripsisti urbis partis ad incendia, confirmasti te ipsum iam esse exiturum, dixisti paulum⁴⁵ tibi esse etiam nunc morae, quod⁴⁶ ego viverem. reperti sunt duo equites Romani qui te ista cura liberarent et se⁴⁷ illa ipsa nocte paulo ante lucem me in meo lecto⁴⁸ interfecturos esse⁴⁹ pollicerentur.

[10] haec ego omnia vixdum etiam coetu vestro dimisso comperi; domum meam⁵⁰ maioribus praesidiis munivi atque firmavi, exclusi eos quos tu ad me salutatum mane miseras, cum illi ipsi venissent quos ego iam multis ac summis viris ad me id temporis venturos esse praedixeram.

5 quae cum ita sint, Catilina, perge quo coepisti: egredere aliquando ex urbe; patent portae; proficiscere. nimium diu te imperatorem tua illa Manliana castra desiderant. Educ tecum etiam omnis tuos, si minus, quam plurimos; purga urbem. Magno me metu liberaveris⁵¹, modo⁵² inter me atque te murus intersit. nobiscum versari iam diutius non potes; non feram, non patiar, non sinam.

Translations (1)

Against L. Catiline Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.) — 1.1 focus

[1]
When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now? Do not the nightly guards placed on the Palatine Hill—do not the watches posted throughout the city—does not the alarm of the people, and the union of all good men—does not the precaution taken of assembling the senate in this most defensible place—do not the looks and countenances of this venerable body here present, have any effect upon you? Do you not feel that your plans are detected? Do you not see that your conspiracy is already arrested and rendered powerless by the knowledge which every one here possesses of it? What is there that you did last night, what the night before— where is it that you were—who was there that you summoned to meet you—what design was there which was adopted by you, with which you think that any one of us is unacquainted?

[2]
Shame on the age and on its principles! The senate is aware of these things; the consul sees them; and yet this man lives. Lives! aye, he comes even into the senate. He takes a part in the public deliberations; he is watching and marking down and checking off for slaughter every individual among us. And we, gallant men that we are, think that we are doing our duty to the republic if we keep out of the way of his frenzied attacks.
You ought, O Catiline, long ago to have been led to execution by command of the consul. That destruction which you have been long plotting against us ought to have already fallen on your own head.

[3]
What? Did not that most illustrious man, Publius Scipio, ¹ the Pontifex Maximus, in his capacity of a private citizen, put to death Tiberius Gracchus, though but slightly undermining the constitution? And shall we, who are the consuls, tolerate Catiline, openly desirous to destroy the whole world with fire and slaughter? For I pass over older instances, such as how Caius Servilius Ahala with his own hand slew Spurius Maelius when plotting a revolution in the state. There was—there was once such virtue in this republic, that brave men would repress mischievous citizens with severer chastisement than the most bitter enemy. For we have a resolution ² of the senate, a formidable and authoritative decree against you, O Catiline; the wisdom of the republic is not at fault, nor the dignity of this senatorial body. We, we alone,—I say it openly, —we, the consuls, are waiting in our duty.

[4]
The senate once passed a decree that Lucius Opimius, the consul, should take care that the republic suffered no injury. Not one night elapsed. There was put to death, on some mere suspicion of disaffection, Caius Gracchus, a man whose family had borne the most unblemished reputation for many generations. There was slain Marcus Fulvius, a man of consular rank, and all his children. By a like decree of the senate the safety of the republic was entrusted to Caius Marius and Lucius Valerius, the consuls. Did not the vengeance of the republic, did not execution overtake Lucius Saturninus, a tribune of the people, and Caius Servilius, the praetor, without the delay of one single day? But we, for these twenty days have been allowing the edge of the senate's authority to grow blunt, as it were. For we are in possession of a similar decree of the senate, but we keep it locked up in its parchment—buried, I may say, in the sheath; and according to this decree you ought, O Catiline, to be put to death this instant. You live,—and you live, not to lay aside, but to persist in your audacity.
I wish, O conscript fathers, to be merciful; I wish not to appear negligent amid such danger to the state; but I do now accuse myself of remissness and culpable inactivity.

[5] A camp is pitched in Italy , at the entrance of Etruria, in hostility to the republic; the number of the enemy increases every day; and yet the general of that camp, the leader of those enemies, we see within the walls—yes, and even in the senate, —planning every day some internal injury to the republic. ³ If, O Catiline, I should now order you to be arrested, to be put to death, I should, I suppose, have to fear lest all good men should say that I had acted tardily, rather than that any one should affirm that I acted cruelly. But yet this, which ought to have been done long since, I have good reason for not doing as yet; I will put you to death, then, when there shall be not one person possible to be found so wicked, so abandoned, so like yourself, as not to allow that it has been rightly done.

[6] As long as one person exists who can dare to defend you, yet shall live; but you shall live as you do now, surrounded by my many and trusty guards, so that you shall not be able to stir one finger against the republic: many eyes and ears shall still observe and watch you, as they have hitherto done, though you shall not perceive them. 3
For what is there, O Catiline, that you can still expect, if night is not able to veil your nefarious meetings in darkness, and if private houses cannot conceal the voice of your conspiracy within their walls;—if everything is seen and displayed? Change your mind: trust me: forget the slaughter and conflagration you are meditating. You are hemmed in on all sides; all your plans are clearer than the day to us; let me remind you of them.

[7] Do you recollect that on the 21st of October I said in the senate, that on a certain day, which was to be the 27th of October, C. Manlius, the satellite and servant of your audacity, would be in arms? Was I mistaken, Catiline, not only in so important, so atrocious, so incredible a fact, but, what is much more remarkable, in the very day? I said also in the senate that you had fixed the massacre of the nobles for the 28th of October, when many chief men of the senate had left Rome , not so much for the sake of saving themselves as of checking your designs. Can you deny that on that very day you were so hemmed in by my guards and my vigilance, that you were unable to stir one finger against the republic; when you said that you would be content with the flight of the rest, and the slaughter of us who remained?

[8] What? when you made sure that you would be able to seize Praeneste on the first of November by a nocturnal attack, did you not find that that colony was fortified by my order, by my garrison, by my watchfulness and care? You do nothing, you plan nothing, you think of nothing which I not only do not hear, but which I do not see and know every particular of. 4
Listen while I speak of the night before. You shall now see that I watch far more actively for the safety than you do for the destruction of the republic. I say that you came the night before (I will say nothing obscurely) into the Scythe-dealers' street, to the house of Marcus Lecca; that many of your accomplices in the same insanity and wickedness came here too. Do you dare to deny it? Why are silent? I will prove it if you do deny it; for I see here in the senate some men who were there with you.

[9]
O ye immortal gods, where on earth are we? in what city are we living? what constitution is ours? There are here,—here in our body, O conscript fathers, in this the most holy and dignified assembly of the whole world, men who meditate my death, and the death of all of us, and the destruction of this city, and of the whole world. I, the consul see them; I ask them their opinion about the republic, and I do not yet attack, even by words, those who ought to be put to death by the sword. You were, then, O Catiline, at Lecca's that night; you divided Italy into sections; you settled where every one was to go; you fixed whom you were to leave at Rome , whom you were to take with you; you portioned out the divisions of the city for conflagration; you undertook that you yourself would at once leave the city, and said that there was then only this to delay you, that I was still alive. Two Roman knights were found to deliver you from this anxiety, and to promise that very night, before daybreak, to slay me in my bed.

[10] All this I knew almost before your meeting had broken up. I strengthened and fortified my house with a stronger guard; I refused admittance, when they came, to those whom you sent in the morning to salute me, and of whom I had foretold to many eminent men that they would come to me at that time. 5
As, then, this is the case, O Catiline, continue as you have begun. Leave the city at last the gates are open; depart. That Manlian camp of yours has been waiting too long for you as its general. And lead forth with you all your friends, or at least as many as you can; purge the city of your presence; you will deliver me from a great fear, when there is a wall between me and you. Among us you can dwell no longer—I will not bear it, I will not permit it, I will not tolerate it..

James Bradstreet Greenough Commentary on First Oration against Catiline I

ed. James Bradstreet Greenough, ed. George Lyman Kittredge

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