1
Persona Catilinae
an adapted text and notes from selections of
Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae
2
Vita Sallustii
Sallust was a Roman senator, tribune of the plebs, praetor and governor of a
province who started writing histories “only when the career of action ended, for refuge
and for consolation.”1 He was “a figure of first-class eminence among the Caesarians,
original in style, thoughtful in historical approach, perceptive in the evaluation of men
and movements...the only Roman historian whom we may set beside Thucydides.”2
Gaius Sallustius Crispus came from the town Amiternum (near modern Aquila),
from the heart of Sabine country. The Sabine people are characterized as hardy
mountaineers, plain and parsimonious, austere and god-fearing, and tenaciously attached
to the ancient ways, perhaps even prone to mysticism.3 The Sallust’s family belonged to
the aristocracy of Amiternum, and may have suffered impoverishment during the ten
years of civil war and dictatorships and proscriptions.4 Sallust was born sometime around
86 B.C., his dates furnished by St. Jerome.5 Nothing is known for sure about his youth
and young adulthood except that were passed in the thirty years of precarious peace under
the system of the oligarchy which Sulla restored. He was likely at Rome for his
education, and he saw the turbulence of the middle sixties, and then the conspiracy of
Catiline, the return of Pompey the Great from the eastern lands, the dynasts’ pact in 60,
and the consulship of Caesar.
The earliest certain information about Sallust’s career concerns his tribunate in 52
B.C. As tribune of the plebs that year, he acted against Cicero and Annius Milo. He was
expelled from the Senate in 50 B.C. on the allegations of immorality by the censor
Appius Claudius because of a scandal involving Annius Milo’s wife, and likely his
actions in 52 hadn’t won him any friends. Having been restored in 49 B.C. to senatorial
dignity by Caesar who made him quaestor, Sallust commanded a legion and served in
military capacities in Illyria and Campania. He even commanded Caesar’s navy in the
African campaign of 46. After his victory, Caesar annexed the greater part of Juba’s
Numidian kingdom and turned it into a Roman province, Africa Nova. For its first
1 Sir Ronald Syme, Sallust, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002), 2.
2 Moses Hadas, A History of Latin Literature, (New York: Columbia University Press, 1952), 95.
3 Syme, 8. For this little tidbit, Syme cites E. Bolaffi.
4 Ibid., 12.
5 Ibid., 13.
3
governor, Caesar chose Sallust, who served as proconsul of Africa until his return to
Rome, where he was charged with malpractice, since he had pillaged the province.6 After
this, Sallust was left with little prospect of further employment and honors.7 However,
with his accumulated wealth from Africa, he acquired Caesar’s villa at Tivoli and the
magnificent Pincian gardens, which continued to be called ‘Sallustian’ when Nero,
Vespasian, Nerva and Aurelian lived there later. After Caesar’s assassination, Sallust
retired from public life for literary pursuits. Thus he turned to historiography, and died in
35 B.C.
6 Ibid., 38. Here Syme cites Dio XLIII.9.2.
7 Ibid., 39.
4
Operae Sallustianae
After his retirement from politics, Sallust tried his hand at writing histories and
produced three works which have been passed down to us.
The first of these is the Bellum Catilinae, written in monograph form around 42
B.C., it treats the conspiracy of Catiline and illustrates the political and moral decline of
Rome, which began after the fall of Carthage, picked up speed during Sulla’s
dictatorship, and spread from the dissolute nobility to effect, or rather infect, all Roman
politics.
The second monograph, Bellum Iugurthinum, was written about 41-40 B.C. and
again emphasizes moral decline. The Jugurthan War is the chosen theme ‘both because it
was great, bloody, and of shifting fortunes, and because it represented the first challenge
to the arrogance of the nobility.’ Its interest lies chiefly in the interrelation of domestic
strife and external warfare. The military narrative is patchy and selective, politics are
presented simply but vigorously, with decline again spreading from the venal nobility.8
The last work is the annalistic Historiae. We have only fragments of this work,
and these cover events starting in 78 B.C, including the wars against Mithridates of
Pontus, and the last datable fragment concerns 67 B.C. Speeches and letters survive in
their entirety, but the rest only in scraps and pieces.
8 for this general information, see the Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3
rd ed., 1349.
5
Stilus Sallustianus
By reading the articles and commentaries of some of the more prominent scholars
in the field, we can get an idea of Sallust’s over-all character and manner of expression.
He is characterized as being, “at the same time an artist, a politician, and a moralist – the
elements so fused and combined that he seems all of one piece.”9
Considered a stylist of the highest caliber, Sallust is known for his archaic and
blunt prose, combining “abruptness, variation, brevity and archaising.”10
His sentences
are, especially compared to Cicero, short, and sometimes seem to be fragmented. He
doesn’t waste words in explanation, and wherever possible adopts archaic spellings and
phraseology. Indeed, “Sallust contrives his archaic Catonian vocabulary and his
ingenious but terse syntax to keep his reader’s attention.”11
Whatever his reasons behind
the choice of his particular style, “Velleius Paterculus (2.36.2) and Quintilian (10.1.101)
regard him as the equal of Thucydides; his muscular style and archaizing vocabulary
continued to be admired, and served as the supreme model to the classicizing age of
Hadrian.”12
Even though he became the stylistic model well into the early Christian era,
nevertheless Sallust used his platform of historiography to divulge his particular
interpretation of political events. Sallustius’ attitude towards events was namely that he
used “incidents merely to illustrate and develop a major concept under discussion.”13
The
Bellum Catilinae, for example, even as it describes the events leading up to, and what
transpired in, the Catilinarian conspiracy, it really discusses the political and moral decay
of the Roman polity. For, it would seem, Sallust was far more interested in interpretation
than in historical research.14
In these discussions of Roman politics, Sallust also betrays his keen sense of
ethical propriety.15
Just as he adopts a Catonian manner of orthography, some scholars16
9 Syme, 2.
10 A.J Woodman, “Style and Attitude: Sallust and Livy,” in Rhetoric in Classical Historiography: Four
Studies, (London: Routledge, 1988), 126. 11
Hadas, 99. 12
Ibid. 13
Patrick McGushin, Bellum Catilinae: A Commentary (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1977), 109. 14
Ibid. 15
Hadas, 96.
6
argue that his text is imbued with Catonian moral values and judgments, lamenting the
general moral decadence and depravity of the upper classes; the decay of discipline and
concord and rise of ambition, greed, and luxurious lifestyles after the fall of Carthage.
So, as we read, we should keep in mind that even though Sallust offers no
solution to the decline of virtue in the Roman republic, and the corruption manifest in his
time, he does identify the moral grounds on which actions are to be judged, and proposes
an explanation as to why the conspiracy unfolded as it did.
Scopus huius textus adaptati
What follows is an adaptation from the Bellum Catilinae, chapters 5, 14-16, 20,
31, 35, 56-61: all the chapters that deal specifically with Catiline himself. The intervening
material pertinent to the story line has been summarized, and lexical and grammatical
notes provided variously in English and Latin where necessary.
Bibliography
Hadas, Moses. A History of Latin Literature. New York: Columbia University Press,
1952.
Levene, D.S. “Sallust’s “Catiline” and Cato the Censor.” The Classical Quarterly, New
Series 50, no. 1 (2000): 170-191.
McGushin, Patrick. Bellum Catilinae: A Commentary. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1977.
Ramsey, J.T. Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae. Atlanta, Georgia: Scholars Press, 1984.
Sallustius, Gaius Crispus. Bellum Catilinae. Opera Omnia ex editione Gottlieb Cortii In
Usum Delphini. London: A.J. Valpy, 1820.
Syme, Sir Ronald. Sallust. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.
Woodman, A.J. “Style and Attitude: Sallust and Livy.” in Rhetoric in Classical
Historiography: Four Studies. London: Routledge, 1988.
16
for example: D.S. Levene, “Sallust’s “Catiline” and Cato the Censor,” The Classical Quarterly, New
Series 50, no. 1 (2000): 170-191.
7
CAII SALLUSTII CRISPI
BELLUM CATILINARIUM SIVE
DE CONIURATIONE CATILINAE EIUSQUE SOCIORUM.
commentariolum ad usum discipulorum in scholis secondariis scriptum
emendatum annotatumque a praeceptrice linguae latinae litore virginiano
anno domini bismillesimo octavo Praefatiuncula.
Textus partes quas nunc habes ante oculos sunt sumptae ex opere nomine Bellum Catilinae.
Scriptus a Gaio Sallustio Crispo circiter annum quadragesimum ante Christum natum,
libellus describit res factas quae conflaverunt coniurationem Catilinae. Nam, cum animus
esset liber a multis curis et solicitudinibus, scribere de tali argumento decrevit Sallustius,
qui aestimavit id facinus Catilinae praecipue memorabile propter sceleris et periculi
novitatem. Sed, inter descriptiones ordinum rerum et ipsorum coniuratorum et eorum
scelerum, nonnullis in partibus de Catilina ipso explanantur. His locis inspectis imago
Catilinae depingi potest. Hac de causa, ut nexus inter partes a Sallustio scriptas melius
intellegatur, omnia quae ad Catilinam pertinent infra sunt una collecta et adaptata, verbis
ad res gestas explanandas interpositis cum sit necesse.
Textus Adaptatus.
Ut de coniuratione quam verissime poterit memoret, antequam initium narrationis
facinoris facit, pauca de moribus ipsius Catilinae explicat Sallustius. Quae sequitur est
sumpta ex capitulo quinto ubi Sallustius scribit Catilinam habuisse magnam facultatem,
at indolem improbam.
Lucius Catilina, nobili genere natus,17 fuit praeditus magna vi et animi et corporis,
sed ingenio malo pravoque. Ab adulescentia valde placebat Catilinae bella
intestina, caedes, rapinae, discordia civilis.18 Illis in rebus iuventutem suam trivit.
17
Born in Rome about 109 B.C., Catiline was of the gens Sergia, an impoverished patrician family. 18
A reference to the Sullan period, when Lucius Cornelius Sulla was given the office of dictator in 82 B.C.
and drew up a proscription list of men who were declared enemies of the state. This heralded a terrifying
8
Habebat corpus patiens inediae, frigoris, et vigiliae. Animus ei erat audax,
subdolus, varius. Erat simulator ac dissimulator,19 appetens alius alieni, sui
profusus, ardens et cupidus; satis eloquentiae, sapientiae parum. Vastus,
insatiabilis erat. Nam immoderata, incredibilia, et nimis alta semper cupiebat.
Post dominationem Lucii Sullae, libido maxima reipublicae capiendae Catilinam
invaserat; neque curabat quibus modis assequeretur, dummodo sibi summum
imperium pararet. Magis magisque in dies Catilina agitabatur inopia rei familiaris
et conscientia scelerum. Incitabant praeterea corrupti civitatis mores, quos luxuria
atque avaritia, pessima ac mala inter se diversa, vexabant.
Cum de civitatis moribus loquatur Sallustius, praesertim de corruptelis sicut luxuria et
avaritia, quibus iuventus et Catilina quoque sunt adflicti, bonum videtur narrare
quomodo res Romana in pessimum sit delapsa abs pulchris initiis. Ab stirpe Troiana
igitur totam fabulam populi Romani breviter commemorat, ab Aenea ad eversionem
urbis Carthaginis, quondam aemulae imperii Romani. Illis temporibus domi militiaeque
boni mores colebantur, erat Romae concordia maxima, minima avaritia. Iuventus erat
laboris ac belli patiens, cupida bonae famae, laudis avida, et pecuniae liberalis. Divitias
honestas volebant Romani. Atqui eo tempore quo terrae mariaque patebant, id est cum
victa esset Carthago, contagio depravationis quasi pestilentia civitatem Romanam invasit.
Nam avaritia pecuniaeque cupido crescere coepit detrimento reipublicae. Gloriam,
honorem, potentiam homines et boni et ignavi aeque sibi exoptabant. Accedit huc Lucii
Sullae dominatio, aetas merae rapacitatis virtutisque hebetis, et luxuria atque avaritia
cum superbia inventutem ad facinora, ubi familiares opes defecerant, incendebat.
Quae nunc sequitur est sumpta ex capitulo decimo quarto ubi Sallustius scribit de amicis
Catilinae scelestis.
Quod factu facillumum erat in civitate tanta tamque corrupta, Catilina circum se
habebat catervas omnium hominum flagitiosorum atque facinerosorum tamquam
stipatorum. Nam quisque impudicus, adulter, ganeo, manu et ventre laceraverat
period in Roman history, as the lives and property of the proscribed were confiscated. In his youth, Catiline
was a zealous supporter of Sulla, committing at least one murder. 19
Simulare is to pretend to be what one is not, dissimulare is to conceal what one is. Here, Catilina
pretended virtues and dissembled vices.
9
bona patria; quisque aes alienum grande conflaverat,20 quo flagitium aut facinus
redimeret.21 Praeterea omnes undique parricidae aut sacrilegii sunt convicti
iudiciis, aut pro factis iudicium timebant. Postremo omnes, quos flagitium,
egestas, conscius animus exagitabat, proximi familiaresque Catilinae erant. Quod
si quis etiam vacuus a culpa inciderat in eius amicitiam, quotidiano usu et
consuetudine atque inlecebris facile ille par similisque ceteris Catilinae amicis
efficiebatur. Sed maxime adulescentium familiaritates appetebat. Animi enim
eorum adhuc molles et fluxi dolis haud difficiliter capiebantur. Nam aliis scorta
praebebat Catilina, aliis canes atque equos emebat; postremo neque sumptui
neque modestiae suae parcebat, dummodo illos iuvenes obnoxios fidosque sibi
faceret. Fuerunt nonnulli qui existimaverunt iuventutem, quae domum Catilinae
frequentabat, parum honeste pudicitiam habuisse, sed ex rumoribus incertis haec
fama plerumque valebat.
Quae sequitur nunc est sumpta ex capitulo decimo quinto ubi Sallustius scribit de
adolescentia Catilinae, de eius facinoribus, et de aspectu.
Primum, adolescens Catilina multa nefanda fecerat cum virgine nobili, cum
virgine Vestali, et alia huius modi contra ius fasque. Postremo, captus est amore
Aureliae Orestillae, quae propter formam laudabatur. Quod femina nubere ipsi
Catilinae dubitabat, nam timebat eius filium qui erat adultus aetate, pro certo
creditur filium esse veneno necatum ut scelestae nuptiae celebrarentur. Quae res
videtur fuisse causa facinoris22 maturandi. Namque animus Catilinae erat
impurus, dis hominibusque infestus, neque vigiliis neque quietibus sedari poterat:
ita conscientia mentem excitam vastabat.23 Igitur color ei erat exsanguis, foedi
erant oculi, citus modo, modo tardus erat incessus:24 prorsus in facie vultuque
vecordia25 inerat.
20
aes ali!num confl"re: to run up a debt 21
qu# fl"gitium redimeret: id est, ut se liberaret et poenas effugeret 22
r!publicae opprimendae, scilicet 23
vast#, -"re: ravaged, troubled, tormented; this verb ordinarily refers to the ruin of physical places, but
here understand conscientia to be akin to animus; see above for vastus animus 24
incessus, -$s: manner of walking, gait; apud Senecam legitur, ‘Ecce saevus ac minas vultu gerens, Et
qualis animo est, talis incessu venit.’ 25
v!cordia, -ae (f) = ins"nia, "mentia, d!mentia, furor, rabi!s, aut temerit"s
10
Proxima verba quae sequuntur sunt sumpta ex capitulo decimo sexto in quo Sallustius
explanat Catilinam, malum et crudelem, fuisse ducem idoneum perditae iuventutis.
Sed iuventutem, quam illexerat, multis modis mala facinora edocebat.26 Ex illis
testes signatoresque falsos commodabat;27 fidem, fortunas, pericula vilia
habebat.28 Postea, ubi eorum famam atque pudorem attriverat,29 alia maiora
imperabat: etiamsi causa peccandi in praesentia non suppetebat, nihilominus
innocentes quasi nocentes iugulabat. Scilicet, ne per otium torpescerent manus
aut animus, gratuito potius30 malus atque crudelis erat. His amicis sociisque
confidens Catilina, simul atque aes alienum per omnes terras ingens erat et
plerique Sullani milites, qui largius suo sunt usi, memores rapinarum et victoriae
veteris bellum civile exoptabant,31 consilium opprimendae rei publicae cepit. In
Italia nullus erat exercitus, nam Gnaeus Pompeius in extremis terris bellum
gerebat.32 Ipsi petenti spes consulatus erat magna, senatus nihil sane erat intentus:
tutae tranquillaeque res omnes, sed ea omnino opportuna Catilinae.
Circiter Kalendas Iunias, Lucio Caesare et Gaio Figulo consulibus, id est anno sexigesimo
quarto ante Christum natum, Catilina primum omnes coniuratos, quos adlicere potuerat,
in unum locum convocabat. Alii sociorum Catilinae erant ex senatorii ordine, alii ex
equestri, multi ex coloniis et municipiis, erant quoque nobiles qui spem dominationis
habebant, aut aliam necessitudinem quam inopiam.33 Ceterum iuventus inceptis
Catilinae favebat, et nonnulli credebant Marcum Licinium Crassum quoque fuisse non
ignarum consilii.
26
!doce#, -!re: to teach, instruct someone (acc.) something (acc.) 27
commod#, -"re: to lend, hire, provide, bestow, give; id est: sigillatores falsos testamenti, nam in
testamento faciendo adhibebantur septem testes, puberes, cives Romani, qui testamentum subsignarent 28
per%culum, -% (n): test, trial, or proof; specifically applied to the situation of a defendant or plaintiff: a
trial, action, or suit. v%lia: cheap, contemptible, of little value; understand this adjective with all three nouns 29
atter#, -ere, -tr%v%, -tr%tum: to rub or wear away, weaken 30
gr"tu%t#:for nothing; id est: esse crudelis et peccare etiamsi non esset causa potius: preferably 31
Soldiers in Sulla’s army had been given land and other spoils confiscated from the losing side of the
Civil War. Having squandered even this property and run up large debts with extravagant living, they are
depicted as recalling their former prosperity and longing for social upheaval to restore their fortunes. 32
Pompey and his army were in Pontus and Armenia, waging war against Mithridates. Also, at this time
there was no police force in Rome, and no standing army in Italy except far to the north in Cisalpine Gaul.
Rather, troops were levied as needed, but most of the available manpower had already been enlisted by
Pompey. This absence of troops surely helped create an opportunity for Catiline and his accomplices. 33
Catiline’s supporters were for the most part wanton youths and Sullan soldiers who had squandered all of
their plundered wealth.
11
Sumpta ex capitulo vicesimo, quae sequitur est oratiuncula prima Catilinae, scripta a
Sallustio, qui depingit, non ipsa verba exacta, sed id quod Catilina coram coniuratis
dicere potuerit, ut eos ad facinora magna hortaretur.
Ubi Catilina eos amicos sociosque convenisse vidit,34 tametsi cum singulis multa
saepe egerat, tamen bonum esse credebat universos appellare et cohortari. In
abditam partem aedium secessit atque ibi, omnibus arbitris procul amotis,35
orationem huius modi habuit:36
“Nisi virtus fidesque vestra satis spectata mihi forent, nequiquam opportuna res
cecidisset;37 spes magna dominationis in manibus frustra fuisset, neque ego per
ignaviam, aut vana ingenia, incerta pro certis caperem.
“Sed, quia multis et magnis temporibus vos cognovi fortes fidosque mihi, ideo
ausus sum maximum atque pulcherrimum facinus incipere, simul quia vobis
eadem, quae mihi, bona malaque esse intellexi. Nam idem velle atque idem
nolle,38 ea est demum firma amicitia. Sed ea, quae ego antehac mente agitavi,
omnes iam antea diversi audivistis.39 Ceterum, mihi in dies magis animus
accenditur, cum considero quae condicio vitae futura sit, nisi nosmet40 ipsi
vindicemus in libertatem. Nam postquam respublica concessit in paucorum
potentium ius atque dicionem. Semper illis reges, tetrarchae vectigales erant,
populi, nationes stipendia solvebant. Ceteri omnes, strenui, boni, nobiles atque
ignobiles, fuimus vulgus: sine gratia, sine auctoritate, obnoxii iis quibus, si
respublica valeret, formidini essemus. Itaque omnis gratia, potentia, honos,
divitiae apud illos sunt aut ubi illi volunt. Nobis reliquerunt pericula, repulsas,
iudicia, egestatem.
34
Cuius domo haec congregatio habita fuerit nemo est omnino certus, at nonnulli putant coniuratos apud
Marcum Leccam esse congressos, quamquam Cicero scripsit eos domum Catilinam et Antonium cum
sequestribus convenisse. 35
id est: omnibus expulsis praeter eos qui erant participes in consilio 36
Sallust, like Thucydides before him, introduces fictive speeches into his account. They are not
ornamental but set forth, at relevant points, the disparate ideologies and motivations of the contending
parties. Hadas, 96. 37
Remember that forent is just an alternate form for essent: a contrary to fact condition 38
understand: quam vos, or similar 39
id est: iam s!par"tim aud%vistis ea quae in mente habe# 40
-met just intensifies the reflexive pronoun
12
“Quae quousque tandem patiemini, o fortissimi viri?41 Nonne mori per virtutem
praestat quam vitam miseram atque inhonestam, ubi fueritis ludibrio alienae
superbiae,42 per dedecus amittere?43 Verum enim vero, pro deorum atque
hominum fidem, victoria in manu nobis est: viget aetas, animus valet; contra,
illis,44 omnia annis atque divitiis consenuerunt.45 Tantummodo incepto opus est,
cetera res expediet.
“Etenim quis mortalium, cui virile ingenium est,46 tolerare potest illis superesse
divitias, quas profundant in exstruendo mari et montibus coaequandis,47 et nobis
deesse rem familiarem etiam ad necessaria? illos binas aut plures domos
continuare, nobis larem48 familiarem nusquam ullum esse?49 Dum tabulas, signa,
toreumata emunt, nova aedificia diruunt, alia aedificant. Postremo, omnibus
modis pecuniam accumulant, pauperes vexant, tamen summa libidine50 divitias
suas consumere nequeunt. At nobis est domi inopia, foris aes alienum, mala res,
spes multo asperior. Denique, quid reliqui51 habemus praeter miseram animam?
“Quin52 igitur expergiscimini? En illa, illa, quam saepe optavistis: libertas,
praeterea divitiae, decus, gloria in oculis sita sunt! Fortuna omnia ea praemia
victoribus posuit. Res, tempus, pericula, egestas, spolia belli magnifica magis
quam oratio mea vos hortantur. Vel imperatore vel milite me utimini!53 Neque
animus neque corpus a vobis aberit. Haec ipsa, ut spero, vobiscum una consul
agam, nisi forte fallor et vos estis parati servire magis quam imperare.”
41
quousque tandem: “how long...?”; this echos the famous opening lines of Cicero’s first speech against
Catiline, “Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra?” 42
esse l$dibri# alicui: a double dative: to be as a joke to someone 43
"mitt#,-ere: to lose accidentally or negligently 44
ill%s: dative of reference, corresponding to n#b%s 45
consenu!runt: from consenesc#, -ere: to become old, lose strength, decay, lose power: id est: imminuta
sunt omnia propter ann#s atque d%viti"s 46
cui: a dative of possession 47
extruend# mar% et montibus coaequand%s: id est: in aedificand%s aedifici%s in ips# mar%, et expl"nand%s
montibus ut ibi aedificia aedific"rentur 48
Lares: id est: di% famili"r!s et domestic% 49
another rhetorical question dependent on toler"re potest 50
summ" libidine: id est: summ" luxuri" 51
a partitive genitive with a neuter pronoun 52
Qu%n...?: Why don’t...? 53
m!: in apposition with imper"t#re and m%lite: Catiline is depicted as being both a good soldier and a good
commander, at this time (64 B.C.) aspiring to the office consul
13
Post hanc orationem coram omnibus coniuratis habitam, Catilina pollicebatur alia
praemia, rapinas, pecunias, omnia quae bellum victoribus adferre potest. Multi Romae
sollicitati sunt ob rumores scelerum facinorumque. Denique nuntium de coniuratione
Catilinae ascendit ad aures Marci Tullii Ciceronis, qui, comitiis habitis, declaratus est
consul. Qua re Catilinae furor haud minuebatur, immo in dies magis agitabatur: petebat
consulatum in proximum annum et insidias Ciceroni parabat. Quoniam ad consulatum
petitio neque insidiae Catilinae prospere cesserunt, facere bellum et extrema omnia
experiri constituit. Igitur Gaium Manlium et alios dimisit in varias partes Italiae dum
Romae plures insidias tendebat, incendia parabat, loca opportuna armatis hominibus
obsidebat. Duo equites tunc Ciceronem interficere frustra conanti sunt, cum interea
Manlius in Etruria plebem vexabat novarum rerum cupidam. Totam rem ad senatum
referebat Cicero, et senatus decrevit ut exercitus pararetur bellumque contra coniuratos
gereretur.
Tum Marcus Tullius Cicero orationem habuit in senatu coram patribus conscriptis et
ipso Catilina, qui respondebat id quod est scriptum in capitulo tricesimo primo:
Catilina, ut erat paratus ad dissimulanda omnia, demisso vultu, voce supplici
dixit:54 ne patres conscripti quid de se temere crederent; se, ea familia ortum, ita
vitam instituisse ab adulescentia ut omnia bona in spe haberet; ne existimarent
sibi patricio homini, cuius ipsius atque maiorum plurima beneficia in plebem
Romanam essent. Dixit quoque perdita republica55 opus esse, cum eam servaret
Marcus Tullius, inquilinus civis urbis Romae.
Ad hoc, cum maledicta alia adderet, obstrepuerunt omnes senatores, Catilinam
hostem atque parricidam vocaverunt. Tum ille furibundus: “Quoniam quidem
circumventus,” inquit, “ab inimicis praeceps agor, incendium meum ruina
restinguam.”
54
What follows d%xit is in indirect discourse: the first clause an indirect command where s! refers back to
Catiline, followed by an (acc.)/(inf.) construction with ortum agreeing with s! and a subordinate result
clause, ita...ut...subjunctive. Next is another indirect command introduced with ne, with sibi referring back
to Catiline, and a subordinate result clause cuius...subjunctive. 55
perdit" r!public": ablative with opus: there is a need for
14
Deinde Catilina domum ivit, et paulo post cum paucis in Manliana castra in Etruriam est
profectus. At ex itinere misit litteras illis qui consulatum gesserant, quarum unam Quintus
Catulus in senatu recitavit a Catilina scriptam. Huius epistulae exemplum depictum est in
capitulo tricesimo quinto:
“Lucius Catilina Quinto Catulo S.56 Egregia tua fides cognita, grata mihi magnis
in meis periculis, fiduciam tribuit. Quamobrem defensionem57 in novo consilio58
non statui parare, satisfactionem ex nulla conscientia culpae proponere decrevi.
Iniuriis contumeliisque concitatus,59 quod, fructu laboris industriaeque meae
privatus, statum60 dignitatis non obtinebam, publicam miserorum causam pro
mea consuetudine suscepi. Non quia aes alienum meis nominibus61 ex
possessionibus solvere non poteram; et alienis nominibus liberalitas Orestillae ex
suis filiaeque copiis persolvebat; sed quod non dignos homines honore honestatos
videbam, meque falsa suspicione alienatum esse sentiebam.62 Hoc nomine,63 satis
honestas spes reliquae dignitatis conservandae sum secutus. Nunc Orestillam
commendo tuaeque fidei trado. Eam ab iniuria defendas64 rogo. Haveto.65”
Ubi hoc Romae compertum, quod Catilina cum fascibus atque aliis imperii insignibus in
castra ad Manlium contenderat, senatus Catilinam et Manlium condemnavit. Atqui
eodem tempore conscii conabantur legatos Allobrogum, quae erat gens Gallica bellicosa,
adduci ad societatem, ad suum consilium impellere. Allobroges diu in incerto habuerunt
utrum consilium caperent necne, nam in una parte, si starent cum coniuratorum
partibus, erat aes alienum et studium belli, in altera parte, si Romanis fidem servarent,
erant opes maiores et tuta consilia. Dum dubitabant Allobroges, coniurati sese parabant
ut incenderent urbem et aliae insidiae caedesque fierent. At antequam Galli societatem
56
the standard epistolary greeting: sc. L. Catilina Q. Catulo salutem dicit 57
d!fensi#nem: a formal defense to one’s critics; satisfacti#nem: a personal apology or explanation 58
id est: in bell# patriae inferend# 59
concitatus: moved, stirred up; + abl. of means 60
status, -$s (m): the position; no doubt a reference to his electoral defeats 61
me%s n#minibus: debts he himself had run up; as opposed to ali!n%s n#minibus, which were probably run
up by his friends 62
the construction of the sentence is: n#n quia....sed quod; senti!bam governs an (acc.)/(inf.) construction:
id est: m! esse ali!n"tum, id est: reiectum 63
hoc n#mine = e" d! caus" 64
d!fend"s: understand the force of jussive subjunctive; with a verb of petition: rog# ut d!fend"s 65
an archaic future imperative, in place of val!
15
confirmarent Catilinae, Cicero imperavit ut omnes qui Allobroges comitarent
deprehendarentur. Tunc Galli, consilio consulis cognito, sine mora se tradiderunt
praetoribus Romanis, et omnia de coniuratione patefecerunt. Ea de causa omnes
coniurati Romae sunt deprehensi et in custodiis detinebantur. In senatu, senatores diu
dissererunt et tandem senatus ita decrevit ut capti coniurati supplicium capitale sumerent.
Quae nunc sequitur sumpta est ex capitulo quinquagesimo sexto, ubi Sallustius describit
id quod faciebat Catilina eo tempore cum conscii poenas dabant.
Dum ea Romae geruntur, Catilina duas legiones instituit, ex omni copia quam et
ipse adduxerat et Manlius habuerat, et cohortes complet pro numero militum
quos habebat.66 Deinde, ut quisque voluntarius aut ex sociis in castra venerat,
aequaliter67 distribuerat ac brevi spatio legiones numero hominum expleverat,
cum68 initio non amplius duobus milibus militibus habuisset. Sed ex omni copia
circiter pars quarta erat militaribus armis instructa. Ceteri, ut quemque casus
armaverat, sparos69 aut lanceas habebant, alii praeacutas sudes70 portabant.
Sed postquam Antonius cum exercitu adventabat, Catilina per montes iter fecit,
modo ad urbem, modo in Galliam adversus castra movit, occasionem pugnandi
hostibus71 non dedit. Sperabat prope diem magnas copias sese habiturum,72 si
Romae socii incepta patravissent. Interea servitia repudiabat, quorum initio ad
eum magnae copiae concurrebant. Opibus coniurationis fretus, simul alienum suis
rationibus existimans,73 causam civium cum servis fugitivis communicavit.
66
A legion is divided into ten cohorts, which at full strength contained about 600 men a piece. Since
Catiline had considerably fewer men, his cohorts would have consisted of roughly one-sixth of the ideal. 67
id est: ita ut singulae cohortes eundem numerum ex advenientibus acciperent 68
cum: this is a concessive cum = quamquam 69
sparus, -% (m): a short hunting spear, or javelin, with a curved blade 70
sudis, -is (f): a stake or spike 71
hostibus = Ant#ni# et consul"ribus m%litibus, scilicet 72
sp!r#, -"re is followed by an (acc.)/(inf.) construction. prope diem = mox 73
ali!num...existim"ns: thinking inconsistenly, or not in keeping with his own interests
16
Id quod sequitur est sumptum e capitulo quinquagesimo septimo, ubi est a Sallustio
scriptum legiones Romanos Catilinam sequi, qui tandem decerneret bellum temptare.
Sed postquam in castra nuntius pervenit qui nuntiavit Romae coniurationem esse
patefactam, ceteros coniuratos iam supplicium sumpsisse, plerosque, quos ad
bellum spes rapinarum aut novarum rerum studium illexerat, dilabi. Reliquos
Catilina per montis asperos magnis itineribus in agrum Pistoriensem74 abducit: eo
consilio ut per tramites occulte perfugerent in Galliam Transalpinam.
At Quintus Metellus Celer cum tribus legionibus in agro Piceno praesidebat,
existimans Catilinam agitare ex difficultate rerum.75 Igitur, ubi iter Catilinae ex
perfugis cognovit, castra propere movit ac sub ipsis radicibus montium consedit.
Neque tamen Antonius longe aberat, utpote qui magno exercitu expeditus76
Catilinam in fuga sequeretur. Sed Catilina, postquam videt montibus atque se
copiis hostium clausum, in urbe res adversas, spem ullam neque fugae neque
praesidi, ratus optimum esse in tali re fortunam belli temptare, statuit cum
Antonio quam primum confligere.77
Ergo, quoniam bellum facere constituit, Catilina convocabat contionem et orationem
habebat. Oratio Catilinae est depicta in capitulo duodesexagesimo.
Itaque contione advocata huius modi orationem habuit:
“Compertum ego habeo, milites, verba virtutem non addere, neque ex ignavo
strenuum neque fortem ex timido exercitum oratione imperatoris fieri. Quanta
cuiusque animo inest audacia, aut natura aut moribus, tanta in bello apparere
solet. Quem neque gloria neque pericula excitant, nequiquam horteris: timor
animi auribus officit. Sed ego vos advocavi, ut pauca monerem, ut causam mei
consili aperirem.
74
in the region around Pistoria, a town in Etruria, the modern Pistoia, about 20 miles north-west of
Faesulae 75
Quintus Metellus was camped in Arminium, to the north of Picenum, from where he probably moved
northwards along the via Aemilia to anticipate Catiline’s desperate movements. 76
exped%tus: Antonius was traveling light 77
the construction here is: postquam videt...statuit. Also, Catiline perhaps prefered to clash with Antonius
who might not fight quite as hard due to his former participation in the conspiracy.
17
“Scitis, milites, quantam ipsi nobisque cladem socordia atque ignavia attulerit et
quomodo in Galliam proficisci nequiverim.78 Nunc vero, quo loco res nostrae sint,
aeque atque ego, omnes vos intellegitis. Exercitus hostium duo,79 unus ab urbe,
alter a Gallia obstant. Diutius in his locis mansitare egestas frumenti atque
aliarum rerum prohibet. Quocumque ire placet, iter aperiundum est ferro.80
Quapropter vos moneo ut forti atque parato animo sitis et, cum proelium inibitis,
memineritis vos portare divitias, decus, gloriam, praeterea libertatem atque
patriam in dextris vestris. Si vincimus, omnia nobis tuta erunt: commeatus
abunde, municipia atque coloniae patebunt. Si metu cesserimus, eadem fient
adversa, neque locus neque amicus quisquam teget illum quem arma non texerint.
“Praeterea, milites, non eadem necessitudo nobis et illis impendet: nos pro patria,
pro libertate, pro vita certamus, illis supervacaneum est pugnare pro potentia
paucorum. Quo audacius aggredimini memores pristinae virtutis! Licuit vobis
cum summa turpitudine in exsilio aetatem agere.81 Potuistis Romae, amissis bonis,
alienas opes exspectare. At quia illa foeda atque intoleranda vobis videbantur,
haec82 sequi decrevistis. Si haec83 relinquere vultis, opus est audacia. Nemo nisi
victor pace bellum mutavit. Nam in fuga salutem sperare, et ab hostibus avertere
arma, quibus corpus tegitur, ea vero est dementia. Semper in proelio maximum
est periculum iis qui maxime timent; audacia pro muro habetur.84
“Cum vos considero, milites, et cum facta vestra aestimo, magna spes victoriae me
tenet. Animus, aetas, virtus vestra me hortantur, praeterea necessitudo, quae
etiam timidos facit fortes. Nam angustiae loci prohibent ne multitudo hostium nos
circumcludere possit. Quod si fortuna virtuti vestrae inviderit, cavete ne inulti
moriamimi, neve capti potius, sicut pecora, trucidemini. Pugnantes more virorum,
quam cruentam atque luctuosam victoriam hostibus85 relinquatis!”
78
quantam...attulerit, qu#mod#...nequ%verim: indirect questions following scitis 79
Ant#ni% et Quint% Metell%, sane 80
ferr#: understand arm%s or gladi%s 81
“You could have...”: i.e. if they hadn’t joined with Catiline 82
haec: understand mea consilia, or similar 83
haec: illa foeda atque intoleranda, scilicet 84
the courageous are often the safest in battle 85
hostibus: dative of reference
18
Ubi haec dixit, Catilina signa canere iubet et ordines ad proelium instructos in locum
planum deducit. Nam erat planities inter sinistros montes et, a dextra, rupes aspera. Octo
cohortis in fronte constituit, reliquos in subsidio collocat. Ab iis, in primam aciem
subducit centuriones: praeterea ex gregariis militibus optimum quemque armatum. Iubet
Gaium Manlium dextram partem, Faesulanum quemdam sinistram partem curare. Ipse
Catilina cum libertis et colonibus prope aquilam adsistit.86
At, ex altera parte Gaius Antonius, pedibus aeger quod in proelio adesse nolebat, misit
Marcum Petreium legatum ad exercitum. Ille cohortes veteranas, quas tumultus causa
conscripserat, in fronte locat, alias in subsidiis. Ipse equo circumiens unumquemque
nominans appellat, hortatur, rogat ut milites meminerint se contra latrones inermes
certare pro patria, pro liberis, pro aris atque focis suis.
Tali modo accendebat militum animos ad pugnandum. Sed ubi Petreius signum dat ut
cohortes incederent, idem facit Catilinae exercitus et maximo cum clamore incohatum est
proelium: homines concurrunt, pila omittunt, gladiis utuntur. Veterani haud timidi
resistunt. Maxima vi certatur. Manlius in primis pugnantes cadit. Postquam fusas copias,
Catilina videt se esse cum paucis relictum, et, memor pristinae dignitatis, in hostes
incurrit, ibique pugnans confoditur.
Proelio confecto, Catilina repertus est inter hostium cadavera, longe a suis militibus,
etiam spirans et retinens ferocitatem animi quam vivus habuerat. Postremo, ex omni
Catilinae exercitu, neque in proelio, neque in fuga, est quisquam civis ingenuus captus.
Tali modo actum est de Catilina et eius coniuratione.
86
Catiline placed himself next to the silver eagle standard which Marius had introduced as the legionary
standard when he reorganized the army. Catiline seems to have taken it as some sort of personal trophy,
and maybe used it give some legitimacy and luck to his cause.