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II. Propositio (§§ 3-10).

3_6

The Senators need not fear for Cicero: they should take counsel for the welfare of the state. Enormous guilt of the conspirators, judgment has been already rendered by the action of the Senate. The sole question is: What shall be the punishment?

p142_l24

pro eo . . . ac mereor , in proportion as 1 deserve.

p142_l25

relaturos gratiam , will reward ("return favor": cf. habere, agere).

p142_l27

immatura : because an ex-consul had reached the highest point of Roman ambition.

p142_l28

misera : the philosophy of the ancients professed to make them despise death (see Plato, Apologia, and Cicero, Tusc. Quaest. 1.

ille ferreas, qui , so iron-hearted as (hence movear, subj.).

fratris : his brother Quintus, younger than he, and at this time praetor elect. He served with credit in Caesar's Gallic campaigns.

p142_l31

neqae . . . non , nor can it be but that, etc.: the two negatives make an affirmative, but with a kind of emphasis which the simple affirmative statement could not give.

p142_l32

axor : his wife Terentia.

filia : his daughter Tullia, married to C. Calpurnius Piso. Daughters took the gentile name of the father; see § 108 , b (So, c); G. P- 493; H. 354, 9 (649, 4); H.-B. 678,5.

filias : his son Marcus, now two years old.

p143_l3

gener : Piso was not yet a member of the Senate, and was probably standing in the lobby.

moveor (emphat., as shown by its position), I am affected .

p143_l4

ati sint , [to wish] that, etc. (the verb being implied in moveor ); pereamus is in the same construction as sint .

p143_l5

ana . . . peste , i.e. by a destruction which is at the same time that of the whole state.

p143_l9

[4] non Ti. Gracchus , etc.: to preserve the emphasis, render it is not Ti. Gracchus who, etc. For the historical allusions, cf. Cat. 1, sects. 3 , 4 (p. 100), and notes.

p143_l10

agrarios : see note on p. 147, l. 29 .

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Memmium : C. Memmius, one of the most upright men of his time; he was a candidate for the consulship against Glaucia, and was murdered by instigation of Glaucia and Saturninus (B.C. ion).

p143_l13

tenentur , are in custody: to preserve the emphasis we may Change the voice, - we have in our hands.

vestram Omnium : § 302 , e (184, d); B. 243,3, a; G.321, R.2; H-B. 339, b.

p143_l17

ut. . . nemo : instead of the usual ne quis or ne quisquam because of the following ne . . . quidem; § 538 , 310, a, b (319, d, R., cf. 105, d, N.); G. 543, 4, cf. 317, I; H. 568, Cf. 513 (497, ii, cf. 457); Cf. H.-B. 276, I and 7. 3

p143_l22

[5] judicils : their verdict on the conspirators' guilt consisted in the acts recounted in the following clauses.

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gratias egistis : Cf. relaturos, p. 142, l. 25 .

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abdicare , etc.: see Cat. ut sect. 14 ( p. 133, l. 4 ), and note.

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[6] sed , i.e. though you have in fact decided.

tamquam integrum , as if an open question (i.e. as if you had not already expressed your judgment).

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judicetis refers to their judgment as a court with respect to the facts; censeatis , to their view as a public council respecting the punishment.

p144_l3

illa . . . consulis , etc., I will say in advance what belongs to [me as] the consul: i.e. declare the need of instant action; what action, it is for the Senate to determine; for construction, see § 343 ,4 (214, c); G. 366; H. 439 (401); H.-B. 340.

p144_l4

nova . . . misceri , that a revolution subversive of the government was on foot ; nova (subject of misceri ) means innovations or unconstitutional measures ; misceri refers to the disorder which these would produce.

p144_l5

concitari mala , that evil designs were set in motion.

videbam : for tense, see § 471 , b (277, b); B. 260, 4; G. 234; H. 535(469, 2); H.-B. 485.

p144_l11

opinione : § 406 ,a(247, b); B.217,4; G.398,N.1; H. 471,7 (417, 1, N.1); H.-B. 416, e.

p144_l13

provincias , especially Spain, with which Cn. Piso had had relations. It had not yet become fully reconciled since the overthrow of Sertorius, only eight years before.

sustentando , by forbearance ; prolatando , by procrastination.

p144_l14

ratione : abl. of manner.

p144_l15

placet , sc. vindicare.

p144_l17

[7] Silanus proposes death; Caesar, perpetual imprisonment. Caesar's proposition discussed.

haec (with a gesture), all this, i.e. city, citizens, and government.

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amplectitur , adopts.

p144_l20

pro , in accordance with.

p144_l21

versatur in , exhibits .

p144_l27

mortem , etc.: a doctrine of the Epicureans, to which sect Caesar and many other eminent Romans belonged.

p144_l31

et ea : cf. note on p. 136, l. 17 .

p144_l32

municipus dispertiri , Sc. eos in custodiam .

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iniquitatem , since it might expose them to danger, and it would be unjust to choose among so many; difficultatem , since they might decline the service.

p145_l3

statueritis : subj. of integral part.

p145_l4

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.

p145_l5

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

p145_l7

sancit , ordains (under penalties).

p145_l8

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

p145_l11

uno , Sc. dolore.

p145_l12

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.

p145_l15

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

p145_l17

mea : § 355 ,a (222,a); B. 211, i,a; G.381; H. 449, I (408, t 2); H.-B. 345.

p145_l19

popularis , not popular but devoted to the people, democratic: Caesar was now the recognized leader of this party.

p145_l20

auctore (abl. abs.), proposer ; cognitore , sponsor (a legal term).

p145_l24

majorum : none of Caesar 5 ancestors were men of any distinction, although some distant relatives were prominent in public affairs in the time of Sulla; see note on p. 137, l. 23 . He belonged, however, to one of the oldest patrician families.

p145_l25

obsidom , i.e. he is pledged at all events to defend the state as against the conspirators.

p145_l27

interesset : for tense, see § 485 , d (287, d); H.-B. 482, I. levitatem, want of principle, i.e. of the steady purpose, or stability of character, implied in gravitas.

p145_l28

saluti , i.e. not voluntati: their interests, not their capricious wishes. >

p145_l29

[10] non neminem : it is said that the person referred to was Q. Metellus Nepos, brother of Celer (see Cat. 1, sect. 19 ), a partisan of Pompey and an enemy of Cicero.

p145_l31

dedit , decrevit , adfecit : i.e. gave his vote for these acts. With this, of course, his present action is inconsistent.

p146_l1

qui has for antecedent the subject of judicarit .

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re , the matter (in general); causa , the issue to be decided.

C. Caesar : the full name gives emphasis, contrasting him with the non nemo ( p. 145, l. 29 ). Caesar votes for a judgment against the conspirators which seems contrary to the Sempronian Law, but he, a true friend of the people ( vere popularis), recognizes that this law applies to Roman citizens only, and that it therefore cannot protect these traitors.

p146_l4

Semproniam : see note on "Crucifixion," etc., p. 61, l. 10 .

p146_l6

latorem , i.e. C. Gracchus.

p146_l7

jussu populi : not strictly true, for C. Gracchus was put to death, not by order of the people, but by virtue of the dictatorial authority conferred upon the consuls by the Senate.

rei publicae : dative.

dependisse : punishment with the Romans was regarded as a penalty paid by the offender to the injured party (hence dare, solvere, pendere of the guilty; capere, petere, repetere, postulare, etc., of the person wronged).

p146_l8

Lentulum : by discussing this conspirator as an example of the would-be popularis, Cicero skillfully throws discredit on the non nemo (p. 145, l.29) and others like him.

largitorem , etc., i.e. however lavish, — a symptom of courting the popular favor.

p146_l13

se jactare , i.e. as a pretended friend of liberty, like the non nemo above.

p146_l15

omnis cruciattis : accusative plural.

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

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Current edition Perseus

Commentary on Fourth 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.) — 4.3 focus

[3] 2 qua re, patres conscripti, consulite vobis, prospicite patriae, conservate vos, coniuges, liberos fortunasque vestras, populi Romani nomen salutemque defendite; mihi parcere ac de me cogitare desinite. nam primum debeo sperare omnis deos qui huic urbi praesident pro eo mihi ac mereor relaturos esse gratiam; deinde, si quid obtigerit, aequo animo paratoque moriar. nam neque turpis¹ mors forti viro potest accidere neque immatura consulari nec misera sapienti². nec tamen ego sum ille ferreus qui fratris carissimi atque amantissimi praesentis maerore non movear horumque omnium lacrimis a quibus me circumsessum videtis. neque meam mentem non domum saepe revocat exanimata uxor et abiecta metu filia et parvolus filius, quem mihi videtur amplecti res publica tamquam obsidem consulatus mei, neque ille qui exspectans huius exitum diei stat in conspectu meo gener. moveor his rebus omnibus, sed in eam partem uti³ salvi sint vobiscum omnes, etiam si me vis aliqua oppresserit, potius quam et⁴ illi et nos una rei publicae peste pereamus.

[4] qua re, patres conscripti, incumbite ad salutem rei publicae, circumspicite omnis procellas quae impendent nisi providetis. non Ti. T iberius Gracchus quod iterum tribunus plebis fieri voluit, non C. G aius Gracchus quod agrarios concitare conatus est⁵, non L. L ucius Saturninus quod C. G aium Memmium occidit, in discrimen aliquod atque in vestrae severitatis iudicium adducitur: tenentur ei qui ad urbis incendium, ad vestram omnium caedem, ad Catilinam accipiendum Romae restiterunt, tenentur litterae, signa, manus, denique unius cuiusque confessio: sollicitantur Allobroges, servitia excitantur, Catilina arcessitur, id est⁶ initum consilium ut interfectis omnibus nemo ne ad deplorandum quidem populi Romani nomen atque ad lamentandam tanti imperi calamitatem relinquatur.

[5] 3 haec omnia indices detulerunt, rei confessi sunt, vos multis iam iudiciis iudicavistis, primum quod mihi gratias egistis singularibus verbis et mea virtute atque diligentia perditorum hominum coniurationem patefactam esse decrevistis, deinde quod P. P ublium Lentulum se abdicare⁷ praetura coegistis; tum quod eum et ceteros de quibus iudicastis in custodiam dandos censuistis, maximeque quod meo nomine supplicationem decrevistis, qui honos togato habitus ante me est nemini; postremo hesterno die praemia legatis Allobrogum Titoque Volturcio dedistis amplissima. quae sunt omnia eius modi ut ei⁸ qui in custodiam nominatim dati sunt sine ulla dubitatione a vobis damnati esse videantur.

[6] sed ego institui referre ad vos, patres conscripti, tamquam integrum⁹, et de facto quid iudicetis et de poena quid censeatis. illa praedicam quae sunt consulis. ego magnum in re publica versari furorem et nova quaedam misceri et concitari mala iam pridem videbam, sed hanc tantam, tam exitiosam haberi coniurationem a civibus numquam putavi. nunc quicquid est, quocumque vestrae mentes inclinant atque sententiae, statuendum vobis ante noctem est. quantum facinus ad vos delatum sit videtis. huic si paucos putatis adfinis esse, vehementer erratis. Latius opinione disseminatum est hoc malum; manavit non solum per Italiam verum etiam transcendit Alpis et obscure serpens multas iam provincias occupavit. id opprimi sustentando et¹⁰ prolatando nullo pacto potest; quacumque ratione placet celeriter vobis vindicandum est.

[7] 4 video duas adhuc esse sententias, unam D. Silani qui censet eos qui haec delere conati sunt morte esse multandos, alteram C. G aii Caesaris qui mortis poenam removet, ceterorum suppliciorum omnis acerbitates amplectitur. Vterque et pro sua¹¹ dignitate et pro rerum magnitudine in summa severitate versatur. alter eos qui nos omnis, qui populum Romanum vita privare conati sunt, qui¹² delere imperium, qui populi Romani nomen exstinguere, punctum temporis frui vita et hoc communi spiritu non putat oportere atque hoc genus poenae saepe in improbos civis in hac re publica esse usurpatum recordatur. alter intellegit mortem a¹³ dis immortalibus non esse supplici causa constitutam, sed aut necessitatem naturae aut laborum ac miseriarum quietem¹⁴. itaque eam sapientes numquam inviti, fortes saepe etiam libenter oppetiverunt¹⁵. vincula vero et ea sempiterna certe ad singularem poenam nefarii sceleris inventa sunt. municipiis dispertiri iubet. habere videtur ista res iniquitatem, si imperare velis, difficultatem, si rogare.

[8] decernatur tamen, si placet. ego enim suscipiam et, ut spero, reperiam qui id quod salutis omnium causa statueritis non putent¹⁶ esse suae dignitatis recusare. adiungit gravem poenam municipiis¹⁷, si quis eorum vincula ruperit; horribilis custodias circumdat et dignas¹⁸ scelere hominum perditorum; sancit ne quis eorum poenam quos condemnat aut per senatum aut per populum levare possit¹⁹; 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 miserias²⁰ et omnis scelerum poenas ademisset. itaque ut aliqua in vita formido improbis esset proposita²¹, apud inferos eius modi quaedam illi antiqui supplicia impiis constituta esse voluerunt, quod videlicet intellegebant his remotis non esse mortem ipsam pertimescendam.

[9] 5 nunc, patres conscripti, ego mea video quid intersit. si eritis secuti sententiam C. G aii Caesaris, quoniam hanc is in re publica²² viam quae popularis habetur secutus est, fortasse minus erunt hoc auctore et cognitore huiusce sententiae mihi populares impetus pertimescendi; sin illam alteram, nescio an amplius mihi negoti contrahatur. sed tamen meorum periculorum rationes utilitas rei publicae vincat²³. habemus enim a Caesare, sicut ipsius dignitas et maiorum eius amplitudo postulabat, sententiam tamquam obsidem perpetuae in rem publicam voluntatis. intellectum est quid interesset inter levitatem contionatorum et animum vere popularem saluti populi consulentem.

[10] video de istis qui se popularis haberi volunt abesse non neminem, ne de capite videlicet civium Romanorum sententiam ferat. is et²⁴ nudius tertius in custodiam civis Romanos dedit et supplicationem mihi decrevit et indices hesterno die maximis praemiis adfecit. iam hoc nemini dubium est qui reo custodiam, quaesitori²⁵ gratulationem, indici praemium decrerit²⁶, quid de tota re et causa iudicarit. at vero C. G aius Caesar intellegit legem Semproniam esse de civibus Romanis constitutam; qui autem rei publicae sit hostis eum civem esse nullo modo posse: denique ipsum latorem Semproniae legis iussu²⁷ populi poenas rei publicae dependisse. idem ipsum Lentulum²⁸, largitorem et prodigum, non putat, cum de pernicie populi Romani, exitio huius urbis tam acerbe, tam crudeliter cogitarit, etiam appellari posse popularem. itaque homo mitissimus atque lenissimus non dubitat P. P ublium Lentulum aeternis tenebris vinculisque mandare et sancit in posterum ne quis huius supplicio levando se²⁹ iactare et in pernicie populi Romani posthac popularis esse possit. adiungit etiam publicationem bonorum, ut omnis animi cruciatus et corporis etiam egestas ac mendicitas consequatur.

Translations (1)

Against L. Catiline Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 2. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1856.) — 4.3 focus

[3]
Wherefore, O conscript fathers, consult the welfare of yourselves, provide for that of the republic; preserve yourselves, your wives, your children, and your fortunes; defend the name and safety of the Roman people; cease to spare me, and to think of me. For, in the first place, I ought to hope that all the gods who preside over this city will show me gratitude in proportion as I deserve it; and in the second place, if anything does happen to me, I shall fall with a contented and prepared mind; and, indeed, death cannot be disgraceful to a brave man, nor premature to one of consular rank, nor miserable to a wise man. Not that I am a man of so iron a disposition as not to be moved by the grief of a most dear and affectionate brother now present, and by the tears of all these men by whom you now see me surrounded. Nor does my fainting wife, my daughter prostrate with fear, and my little son whom the republic seems to me to embrace as a sort of hostage for my consulship, the son-in-law who, awaiting the end of that day, is now standing in my sight, fail often to recall my mind to my home. I am moved by all these circumstances, but in such a direction as to wish that they all may be safe together with you, even if some violence overwhelms me, rather than that both they and are should perish together with the republic.

[4]
Wherefore, O conscript fathers, attend to the safety of the republic; look round upon all the storms which are impending, unless you guard against them. It is not Tiberius Gracchus, who wished to be made a second time a tribune of the people; it is not Caius Gracchus, who endeavoured to excite the partisans of the agrarian law; it is not Lucius Saturninus, who slew Memmius, who is now in some danger, who is now brought before the tribunal of your severity. They are now in your hands who withstood all Rome, with the object of bringing conflagration on the whole city, massacre on all of you, and of receiving Catiline; their letters are in your possession, their seals, their handwriting, and the confession of each individual of them; the Allobroges are tampered with, the slaves are excited, Catiline is sent for; the design is actually begun to be put in execution, that all should be put to death, so that no one should be left even to mourn the name of the republic, and to lament over the downfall of so mighty a dominion.

[5]
All these things the witnesses have informed you of; the prisoners have confessed, you by many judgments have already decided; first, because you have thanked me in unprecedented language, and have passed a vote that the conspiracy of abandoned men has been laid open by my virtue and diligence; secondly, because you have compelled Publius Lentulus to abdicate the praetorship; again, because you have voted that he and the others about whom you have decided should be given into custody; and above all because you have decreed a supplication in my name, an honour which has never been paid to any one before acting in a civil capacity; last of all because yesterday you gave most ample rewards to the ambassadors of the Allobroges and to Titus Vulturcius; all which acts are such that they, who have been given into custody by name, without any doubt seem already condemned by you.

[6]
But I have determined to refer the business to you as a fresh matter, O conscript fathers, both as to the fact, what you think of it and as to the punishment, what you vote. I will state what it behoves the consul to state. I have seen for a long time great madness existing in the republic, and new designs being formed, and evil passions being stirred up; but I never thought that so great, so destructive a conspiracy as this was being meditated by citizens. Now to whatever point your minds and opinions incline, you must decide before night. You see how great a crime has been made known to you; if you think that but few are implicated in it you are greatly mistaken; this evil has spread wider than you think; it has spread not only throughout Italy, but it has even crossed the Alps, and creeping stealthily on, it has already occupied many of the provinces; it can by no means be crushed by tolerating it, and by temporising with it; however you determine on chastising it, you must act with promptitude.

[7]
I see that as yet there are two opinions. One that of Decius Silanus, who thinks that those who have endeavoured to destroy all these things should be punished with death the other, that of Caius Caesar, who objects to the punishment of death, but adopts the most extreme severity of all other punishment. Each acts in a manner suitable to his own dignity and to the magnitude of the business with the greatest severity. The one thinks that it is not right that those, who have attempted to deprive all or us and the while Roman people of life, to destroy the empire, to extinguish the name of the Roman people, should enjoy life and the breath of heaven common to us all, for one moment; and he remembers that this sort of punishment has often been employed against worthless citizens in this republic. The other feels that death was not appointed by the immortal gods for the sake of punishment, but that it is either a necessity of nature, or a rest from toils and miseries; therefore wise men have never met it unwillingly, brave men have often encountered it even voluntarily. But imprisonment and that too perpetual, was certainly invented for the extraordinary punishment of nefarious wickedness; therefore he proposes that they should be distributed among the municipal towns. This proposition seems to have in it injustice if you command; it difficulty if you request it.

[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.

[9]
Now, O conscript fathers, I see what is my interest; if you follow the opinion of Caius Caesar, (since he has adopted this path in the republic which is accounted the popular one,) perhaps since he is the author and promoter of this opinion, the popular violence will be less to be dreaded by me; if you adopt the other opinion, I know not whether I am not likely to have more trouble; but still let the advantage of the republic outweigh the consideration of my danger. For we have from Caius Caesar, as his own dignity and as the illustrious character of his ancestors demanded, a vote as a hostage of his lasting good-will to the republic; it has been clearly seen how great is the difference between the lenity of demagogues, and a disposition really attached to the interests of the people.

[10] I see that of those men who wish to be considered attached to the people one man is absent, that they may not seem forsooth to give a vote about the lives of Roman citizens. He only three days ago gave Roman citizens into custody, and decreed me a supplication, and voted most magnificent rewards to the witnesses only yesterday. It is not now doubtful to any one what he, who voted for the imprisonment of the criminals, congratulation to him who had detected them, and rewards to those who had proved the crime, thinks of the whole matter, and of the cause. But Caius Caesar considers that the Sempronian ¹ law was passed about Roman citizens, but that he who is an enemy of the republic can by no means be a citizen; and moreover that the very proposer of the Sempronian law suffered punishment by the command of the people. He also denies that Lentulus, a briber and a spendthrift, after he has formed such cruel and bitter plans about the destruction of the Roman people and the ruin of this city, can be called a friend of the people. Therefore this most gentle and merciful man does not hesitate to commit Publius Lentulus to eternal darkness and imprisonment, and establishes a law to all posterity that no one shall be able to boast of alleviating his punishment or hereafter to appear a friend of the people to the destruction of the Roman people. He adds also the confiscation of their goods, so that want also and beggary may be added to all the torments of mind and body.

James Bradstreet Greenough Commentary on Fourth Oration against Catiline II

ed. James Bradstreet Greenough, ed. George Lyman Kittredge

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II. Propositio (§§ 3-10).

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