Quirites, the regular title by which citizens were addressed when assembled in their civil capacity. Cf. the opening of the third speech, also addressed to the people. The derivation is uncertain; some suppose the word to be a form of 'Curetes,' i.e. inhabitants of the Sabine town 'Cures,' others derive it from 'Quiris,' a Sabine word meaning 'spear.'

ferro flammaque, another reading is 'ferrum flammamque.' We can say either 'minitari alicui aliquid,' or 'minitari alicui aliqua re.'

vel . . . vel . . . vel. Each 'vel' substitutes a milder form of expression for the preceding. 'We have driven him out,—let him go, if you will,—at least bidden him good speed on his voluntary departure.' ipsum = 'sua sponte.' verbis prosecuti is of course ironical.

abiit, etc. Note the absence of connecting particles (asyndeton) and the increased force of each word rising to a climax in 'erupit.'

versabitur, 'will play around.'

campo, the Campus Martius.

loco, 'post,' 'vantage-ground.'

cum (= 'quo tempore'), 'at the very moment when.' The two actions were simultaneous, there is no idea of cause or consequence; hence indicative. See on 1. 7, and cf. below 'cum . . . eiecimus.'hoste is emphatic. By his action he has declared himself the enemy of the state. After bellum some MSS. insert 'iustum,' 'regular.'

extulit, indicative because the fact that he did not carry away his dagger stained with blood is emphasized; 'extulerit' would have made it an expression of Catilina's feelings, as 'laetari quod evomuerit' below expresses the feelings of the citizens. Cf. also 'quod non comprehenderim' §3 ad init.

tandem adds force to the question. Cf. 1. 1 'quousque tandem?' and note there.

iacet, 'he lies helpless.' Cf. 2. 25 'quam valde illi iaceant.'

in hoc ipso, 'in this very point,' explained by 'quod non comprehenderim,' 'that I have not (as they complain) arrested.'

capitalem, threatening the 'caput' or principle of life; 'deadly.'

huius imperii severitas, 'the strict traditions of my (consular) authority.'

crederent, consecutive subj., as regularly after 'sunt qui,' where the relative refers not to certain specified individuals, but to a class.

non modo invidiae, etc., 'at the risk not merely of unpopularity, but of life.'

cum viderem, etc. 'Re probata' is ablative absolute; not 'approved by you,' but 'proved, demonstrated to you.' 'Since I saw that the facts were even then not fully established to the satisfaction of all of you,' (much less to those inclined to sympathize with Catilina; this is the force of 'quidem,') 'and that, if I punished him as he deserved, I should not, under the burden of the unpopularity of that act, be able to attack his associates, I brought the matter to this point,' etc. The direct form of the conditional sentence would have been 'si multavero, non potero'; this becomes in Oratio Obliqua 'cum viderem, si multassem, fore ut non possem' (periphrasis being necessary because 'possum' has no future participle).

quam vehementer, ironical. foris is emphatic; once outside the city he does not fear him at all, as the context shows.

exierit, subjunctive, because the whole sentence stands as the object of 'fero.'

mihi, the so-called 'Ethic' dative; 'Tongilius, I see, he has taken with him.' The use of 'me' in the same sense is frequent in Shakespeare, as in the phrases 'Knock me on this door,' 'he steps me to her trencher,' etc., but is becoming obsolete in modern English.

praetexta (sc. 'toga'), the purple-edged 'toga' worn by boys up to the age of sixteen, when they assumed the 'toga virilis,' which was plain white.

§5.prae, 'in comparison with.'

Gallicanis legionibus, the regular troops stationed in Cisalpine Gaul. The coast district of Umbria from the Rubicon to the Aesis was known as 'ager Gallicus,' having been originally the home of the Senonian Gauls. The praetor Q. Metellus had been ordered by the senate to levy troops in this district and Picenum for the defence of the government.

agresti luxuria, abstract for concrete. He is thinking particularly of the Sullan colonists. See Introduction p. 9, and §20 below.

decoctoribus, 'bankrupts.' Decoquo, lit. 'to boil down,' so to squander one's property, become bankrupt. Cf. Cic. Phil. 2. ch. 18 'Tenesne memoria, te praetextatum decoxisse?'

vadimonia, 'bail,' i.e. security given for appearance in court when called upon. Hence vadimonia deserere, 'to desert one's legal obligations,' 'make default.'

edictum praetoris. Every praetor, on entering upon his office, published an edictum, stating the rules to which he would adhere in the administration of justice. Hence Cicero says, 'they will collapse when I display to them the edict of the praetor,' i.e. remind them of the penalties to which they will be liable by their non-appearance in court to answer to their bail.

hos, strongly opposed to exercitum illum. He is not afraid of the ruined spendthrifts who compose Catilina's army; he is afraid of the conspirators left behind in the city, who have, as it were, deserted that army. (Lentulus, Cethegus, etc. are pointed at.)

suos milites eduxisset, 'taken with him as his force.'

quod quid cogitent, etc., i.e. because they must have some secret force at their back, which gives them confidence.

superioris noctis consilia, i.e. at the meeting in Laeca's house (1. 8), either the night before last or the last night but two. See Introduction, p. 12 note.

ne, 'truly' (like the Greek ?a?, ??), to be distinguished from the conjunction. Used with pronouns only.

nisi si quis, 'nisi' is used like an adverb; hence the repetition of 'si.' Cf. Thuc. 1. 17 e? ? e? t?.

ne patiantur, 'in order that they may not permit.' Not prohibitive, which according to Cicero's usage would require the perfect subjunctive.

Aurelia via. This was the coast road, the shortest route to Massilia, whither Catilina pretended to be going.

exhausto keeps up the metaphor of draining away refuse contained in 'sentina.'subiector, 'forger,' from 'subicere' in the sense of 'substitute.'

nepos, 'spendthrift,' 'prodigal.' Cf. the bad sense sometimes attaching to ?ea??a? in Greek.

Iam vero, frequent in transitions; 'once more,' 'again.' He is passing to a fresh aspect of Catilina's character. Cf. 3. 22 and de Lege Manilia 11, where, after speaking of the military experience of Pompeius, he goes on 'Iam vero virtuti Cn. Pompeii quae potest oratio par inveniri?'

fructum, 'enjoyment,' 'satisfaction.'

Nemo non modo Romae, etc. Understand 'non fuit' from the second clause after 'non modo' and see note on 1. 25 for full explanation.

ut eius diversa studia, etc., 'to help you to understand other tastes of his in quite a different sphere of life' ('ratio,' lit. 'way,' 'method,' 'plan').

ludo, 'school,' where gladiators were trained under a fencing-master (lanista).

in scaena (s????), 'on the stage.' The profession of an actor was considered degrading (infamis) for a Roman citizen, and was generally left to slaves and freedmen.

levior et nequior, 'a little more frivolous and worthless' (than his fellows).

cum, 'although.'

instrumenta, 'the instruments,' i.e. the powers of mind and body by which a virtuous disposition makes itself felt.

fortunas, 'estates,' as distinguished from property in money.

obligaverunt, 'mortgaged.'

res, 'money,' fides, 'credit.' This has just begun to fail them, because in view of the break-down of their schemes, their creditors will not trust them any longer. See on 'proximis Idibus' 1. 14.

bonorum. See on 1. 1.

propagarit, 'propago' ('pro' and 'pag-' root of 'pango,' 'to fasten down'), originally a botanical term; 'to generate by slips,' hence generally 'to extend,' 'prolong.' Tr. 'will have prolonged the existence of the state, not merely for a brief period, but for many generations.' A variation for the more usual construction 'in multa saecula propagarit rempublicam.'

rex . . . unius. Pompeius, invested with the supreme command by the Gabinian and Manilian laws, had just crushed the pirates of Cilicia ('mari'), and brought to a close the third war against Mithridates king of Pontus ('terra'), by the battle of Nicopolis (b.c. 66).

Having answered those who might think his measures not strong enough (§§3-11) Cicero now (§§12-16) addresses those who might urge that he had acted tyrannically and abused his consular authority by driving Catilina from the city.

exilium is emphatic. They pretend that he has been unlawfully forced into exile; whereas really, so far from going into exile, he has voluntarily departed for the camp of his lieutenant Manlius.

verbo, 'by a mere word' (as they pretend I did in Catilina's case).

videlicet = 'videre licet,' 'it is easy to see,' 'of course.' He is sarcastically quoting the language of his assailants; his own reply begins at 'Hesterno die.'

quin etiam adds a still stronger testimony. 'Why, even,' etc.

vehemens ille consul, 'your violent consul.'

quaesivi, see 1. 8.

necne is used in indirect disjunctive questions, 'annon' in direct.

homo audacissimus, 'with all his audacity.'

conscientia, 'by his guilty knowledge.'

constituisset, sc. 'agendum.'

ei. See note on dative of the agent, 1. 16.

ratio, 'plan.'

quo iam pridem pararet, 'whither (I knew) he had long been preparing to go.'

secures . . . fasces, etc. Catilina meant to assume all the insignia of a consul commanding an army in the field.

sacrarium, see on 1. 24.

fecerat, indic., because the sentence is a parenthesis added by Cicero here for the information of his hearers. It is not a quotation from his speech to the senate, for this would have required fecisset.

credo, strongly ironical.

suo is emphatic; 'in his own name'; (Catilina, you ask us to believe, had nothing to do with it.)

condicionem, the external circumstances, given conditions under which a thing must be done. Here perhaps 'task' gives the meaning best; but it may also be rendered by 'lot,' 'position,' 'terms,' according to the context. Cf. 'nascendi condicio' 3. 2, 'consulatus condicio' 4.1 and 3. 27.

vi et minis, hendiadys.

tyrannum. Cf. 'regie factum' 1. 30.

Est mihi tanti, 'I think it worth while.'

falsae, 'misdirected.'

sane, 'by all means.'

non est iturus, stronger than 'ibit,' 'he has no intention of going.'

illud refers to what follows ('ne sit,' etc.). Cf. the use of ??e??? in Greek.

Quamquam, etc. 'And yet those, who keep saying that Catilina is going to Massilia, do not really regret, so much as fear it. No one of them is tender hearted enough to wish him to go thither rather than to Manlius.' If their motive were really (as they pretend) disinterested pity for Catilina, they would be glad to hear he had gone to Massilia, because that is his only chance of escaping destruction. The truth is that they are secret partisans of his schemes, and are afraid he may be going to abandon them by voluntary exile.

sanare sibi ipsos, 'to restore them to themselves,' i.e. to their right minds.

possessiones, of landed property exclusively ('estates'); maiores, i.e. more than enough to pay their debts, if they were sold.

dissolvi, in a kind of middle sense, 'free themselves'; 'solvo' is the technical word for payment of debts. Cf. the English 'liquidate.'

species, 'outward appearance.'

voluntas et causa, 'intentions and position.'

tu . . . sis, etc., dubitative subjunctive, implying incredulous astonishment. 'Can you be?' 'is it possible that you are?' It is the ordinary potential subj., ('velim,' 'I could wish,' etc.) thrown into an interrogative form. Cf. Cic. ad Q. F. 1. 3 'Ego tibi irascerer, mi frater?' 'I, angry with you, my brother?' and pro Sulla 44 'Tu tantam rem ementiare?' 'You to utter such a falsehood?' Also Virg. Aen. 12. 947 'Tunc hinc spoliis indute meorum " Eripiare mihi?' Translate here, 'You to be luxuriously and abundantly supplied with estates and houses, silver plate and slaves, everything in short that you can wish for, and yet to hesitate, by sacrificing a part of your estate, to gain in respect of credit?' For ad, 'with respect to,' cf. 1. 12 'ad severitatem lenius.' He wishes them to sell some of their land and pay their debts with the proceeds; this, though apparently a sacrifice, would really be a gain, because by restoring their solvency it would improve their credit.

tabulas novas, lit. 'clean tablets,' 'new account books'; a phrase implying a general cancelling of all debts, which Catilina promised.

meo beneficio, etc., 'thanks to me, there shall be an issue of new tablets, but (they shall be) those of the auctioneers.' He means that he would propose a law, compelling those debtors who had land to sell it by auction, and pay with the proceeds. The necessary catalogues of sale ('auctionariae tabulae') would be 'novae tabulae' in a double sense, (1) because such a law would be a novelty; (2) because it would lead to freedom from debt, only by legal methods, instead of arbitrary repudiation of the creditor's claims.

salvi, 'solvent.'

certare cum usuris, etc., 'instead of matching the produce of their estates against the interest' (on their loans). They had borrowed largely, and tried to pay the interest on the loans with the income derived from their land. It was a contest ('certare') between the two, in which the interest to be paid tended constantly to outstrip their income.

uteremur, 'we should find them.' Cf. Gk. ???a? in the same sense.

dominationem, 'tyranny,' 'despotism,' used always (like 'dominus') of the rule of a single person.

honores, 'offices.'

scilicet, 'that is to say.'

in bonis viris, see note on 'bonorum' 1. 1.

maximam multitudinem, if genuine, must mean 'that their number is very great,' but the words are probably an interpolation; 'in maxima multitudine' (to be connected with 'magnam concordiam') has been conjectured.

si sint adepti, a very remote contingency, 'supposing they were to obtain.'

fugitivo alicui, etc., i.e. in the event of success the real power would be seized by the most worthless of their own party.

Sunt homines, etc. Sulla during his dictatorship (82-80 b.c.) rewarded his victorious soldiers to the number of 120,000, by distributing them in military colonies throughout Italy, assigning an allotment of land to each. Faesulae was one of these colonies.

universas, 'taken as a whole.' Cicero is careful to speak with respect of Sulla, because he had been the great champion of the aristocratic party, which was now supporting the orator against Catilina. But further on he alludes to the horror which the recollection of the proscriptions still inspired.

sed tamen ii sunt coloni, etc. Note that 'qui . . . iactarunt' is not consecutive. Hence tr. 'Nevertheless the men in question are colonists who,' etc. For 'ii' which seems awkward, 'in iis' has been conjectured.

beati, here, as often, of material prosperity, 'well-to-do.'

familiis, 'establishments,' (of slaves and dependents).

illorum temporum, i.e. the reign of terror under Marius and Cinna (87, 86 b.c.), during which many of the aristocratic leaders perished; and the period of Sulla's dictatorship, with its wholesale proscriptions of the popular party.

tantus is adverbial; 'to such an extent.' Cf. 1. 16 'quae tibi nulla videtur.'

non modo homines, etc. Understand 'non passuri esse videantur' after 'non modo,' and see note on 1. 25 for explanation.

iam pridem premuntur, 'have long been overwhelmed.'

emergunt, 'get their heads above water.' Cf. Juvenal 3. 164

'Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat
Res angusta domi.'

vetere, 'long-standing.'

vadimoniis, etc, alludes to the three stages of legal proceedings against a debtor. Vadimonium, security given for appearance in court; iudicium, the trial and legal decision; proscriptio bonorum, the confiscation of the property for the benefit of the creditors.

infitiator is one who denies his legal obligations; 'lentos' is added to point the antithesis to 'acres'; 'not so much keen soldiers as shirking defaulters.'

non modo, sc. 'non sentiat.'

carcer. The 'Tullianum' under the Capitol was the only public prison in Rome.

postremum, 'the last,' i.e. 'the lowest,' both in point of number and morality.

proprium, 'Catilina's particular favourites; his special choice,—let me say rather his most cherished and bosom friends.'

immo vero, see on 1. 2.

imberbes, 'beardless,' i.e. effeminate.

bene barbatos, the wearing of a beard was contrary to the Roman custom at this time and held to be a mark of dissoluteness.

quorum omnis, etc., 'who spend all their life's energy and sacrifice their rest in banquets lasting until daybreak,' antelucanis, lit. before dawn, i.e. prolonged till dawn.

cohortem praetoriam, the troop employed as the general's body guard; first organized by the younger Scipio during the siege of Numantia (133 b.c.) (Cf. Praetorium = the headquarters in the camp.) Out of this grew the Praetorian Guard of the Emperors, which played such an important part in the history of imperial Rome.

nunc, ironical, 'now' (if you think it worth while).

eiectam, 'castaway,' keeping up the metaphor contained in 'naufragorum.'

Iam vero, 'Why, already,' etc.

urbes coloniarum ac municipiorum. Originally colonia meant a colony whose citizens enjoyed the full Roman franchise; municipium a town possessed of 'Latin rights' only. But since 89 b.c., when the franchise had been extended to all Italians, the distinction had ceased to exist.

respondebunt, 'will be a match for.' Catilina's rustic strongholds ('tumuli silvestres') are contemptuously contrasted with the fortified towns ('urbes') which were in the hands of the government.

urbe, i.e. the capital.

eget ille is opposed to nos suppeditamur, the contrast being emphasized by the omission of the connecting particle and the arrangement of the words (Chiasmus).

causas ipsas quae, etc., 'simply the causes which are arrayed against one another.'

velimus, subj. because in the apodosis 'intelligere possumus' is equivalent to the potential subjunctive 'intelligamus.' Cf. 1. 2 'satisfacere videmur, si vitemus,' and note.

iaceant. See on 2. 2.

denique aequitas, etc., sums up the preceding; the four cardinal virtues (justice, temperance, bravery, wisdom) are set against the corresponding vices. The antithesis must be carefully kept in translation.

bona ratio cum perdita, 'upright against corrupt principles.'

mihi, dative of agent. See on 1. 16.

gladiatores. There were in Italy a number of schools (ludi) where gladiators were trained. Catilina had hoped to avail himself of these, but by decree of the senate (October 21) they had been placed under special guard. See Introduction, page 11.

agrum Gallicum. See on 2. 5.

adeo adds an emphasis, 'who indeed.'

monitos, sc. 'esse.' For the acc. and infin. construction after 'volo' cf. 1. 4 'cupio me esse clementem.'

qui commoverit is subject to sentiet.

cuius = 'si illius.'

carcerem, as a place of execution ('vindicem') not of detention, for imprisonment was not employed as a punishment in the case of citizens.

togato duce et imperatore. The toga was the civil dress of the magistrate in the city, opposed to the military cloak (paludamentum) worn by the general in the field. Tr. 'with me, a civil magistrate, as your leader and general.' Cicero especially prided himself on the fact that he defeated Catilina in his civil capacity as consul, without the aid of an army. Cf. 3. 15, 23, and the words of his own poem on the subject, 'Cedant arma togae.'

illud, explained by ut neque, etc. Cf. 2. 15.

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