III. Peroratio
23_25Citizens exhorted to thanksgiving.
p137_l14
p137_l20
p137_l22
pulvinaria
,
shrines: properly
cushions, upon which the statues of the gods were laid, when a feast was spread before them. This was called
lectisternium, and was usually connected with the
supplicatio (see note on
p. 133, l. 19
). Only certain gods, chiefly Grecian, had
pulvinaria, and the rite was established by direction of the Sibylline books (see note, sect.
9
).
celebratote
: the future imperative is used on account of its reference to a
set time in the future; §
449
(269, d); G. 268, ; H. 560, 4 (487, 11); H.-B. 496. The figure in the text (from an ancient altar relief) represents a procession such as was usual on occasions of this kind. Fig. 37 (from an ancient lamp) shows the images at such a feast.
duce
, i.e. in actual command;
imperatore
, i.e. holding the sovereign power, whether actually commanding that particular operation or not.
[24]
dissensiones
: for case, see §
350
, d (219, b); G.376, a.2; H. 455 (407, N.1); H.-B. 350, b.
P. Sulpicium
[
Rufum], a young man of remarkable eloquence, a leader in the reforming party among the aristocracy. He was tribune
B.C. 88, and his quarrel with C. Caesar was the first act of the Civil War. By his proposition, the command in the Mithridatic War was transferred from Sulla to Marius; and when Sulla refused to obey, and marched upon the city, Sulpicius was one of the first victims.
conlegam
: Lucius Cornelius Cinna, the Marian partisan (see note on
p. 130, l. 16
). He and Cn. Octavius, a partisan of Sulla, were consuls
B.C. 87, after the departure of Sulla for the East, and in their dissensions the Civil War broke out afresh. The victory of Cinna later recalled Marius from exile.
lumina
: among these were Octavius; C. Caesar (see above) and his brother Lucius; Q. Catulus, father of the opponent of the Manilian Law (see below); M. Antonius, the great orator; and the
pontifex maximus, Q. Scaevola.
ultus est
: to preserve the emphasis, render
the cruelty, etc.,
was avenged by Sulla.
dissensit
,
there was a quarrel between, etc.
M. Lepidus
, father of the triumvir, was consul
B.C. 78 (after Sulla's death), with Q. Catulus, son of the one murdered by Cinna. The scheme of Lepidus to revive the Marian party resulted in a short civil war, in which he was defeated by his colleague and killed.
ipsias
: he was the victim of his own violence, and therefore less regretted.
[25]
tamen
: i.e. though these disturbances cost a great many lives, yet they were not so revolutionary as this conspiracy, which has been put down without bloodshed.
commatandam rem publicam
,
a change of government
quale bellum
,
a war such as .
quo in bello
: §
307
, a (200, a); B. 351, 4; G. 615; H.-B. 284, 4.
omnes
, etc., i.e. everybody except the desperate.
tantum
,
only so many.
restitisset
(
resisto),
should survive .
11
[26] Cicero asks for no reward except the memory of this day. He relies on the devotion of the citizens, and has no fears for the future. The assembly dismissed.
matum
: such as a statue, for example.
eandem diem
, etc.,
the same period of time—eternal as I hope — is prolonged, both for the safety of the city, etc.
duos civis
, i.e. Pompey and himself.
12
[27]
qaae
,
as: §
308
, h (201,g); H-B. 270, b.
isti
(contrasted with
mihi) refers to
illorum (1.20).
mentes
,
counsels.
nihil . . . noceri potest
,
no harm can be done.
dignitas
, etc., i.e. the majesty of the Roman state will be an invisible safeguard for me; cf. "the divinity "that" doth hedge a king" (
Hamlet iv, 5, 123).
conscientiae
, etc., i.e. my enemies, conscious of their guilty sympathy with this conspiracy, will, in their attempts to injure me, inevitably commit some act which will show them to be traitors to the state.
[28]
altro
, i.e. without waiting to be attacked.
domesticoram hostiam
: oxymoron; §
641
(386); B. 375, 2; G. 694; H. 752, 12 (637, xi, 6); H.-B. 632, 3. cf. the same figure in Cat. 1, sect.
21
(
p. 108, l. 4
):
cum tacent, clamant.
convertit
: pres. for fut., as often, especially in
protasis .
obtulerint
: subj. of integral part.
in honore vestro
: honor is used here, as usual, to denote external honors (offices) conferred by the people. Holding the consulship, he had nothing to look forward to.
[29]
conservanda re publica
: abl. of means.
in re publica
,
in public life .
virtute
, non
casa, etc., i.e. he will show this by such conduct as shall be consistent with this glorious achievement.
Jovem
: the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus is shown in the background of the illustration opposite p.136; the figure in the text at p.140 is a restoration of this temple.
Commentary on Third Oration against Catiline. James Bradstreet Greenough. ed. James Bradstreet Greenough, ed. George Lyman Kittredge. Boston. 1897.
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