1.31Etenim iam diū, patrēs cōnscrīptī, in hīs perīculīs coniūrātiōnis īnsidiīsque versāmur, sed nesciō quō pactō omnium scelerum ac veteris furōris et audāciae mātūritās in nostrī cōnsulātūs tempus ērūpit.For we have long been living among the dangers and plots of this conspiracy, senators, but somehow all the crimes and the old madness and boldness have come to a head in the time of my consulship. 1.31Nunc sī ex tantō latrōciniō iste ūnus tollētur, vidēbimur fortasse ad breve quoddam tempus cūrā et metū esse relevātī, perīculum autem residēbit et erit inclūsum penitus in vēnīs atque in visceribus reī pūblicae.Now if out of so great a gang of bandits this one man is removed, we shall perhaps seem to be relieved of anxiety and fear for some short time, but the danger will remain and will lie shut deep inside the veins and the vitals of the republic.Note. The image of disease in the body politic runs through this chapter: the danger lies hidden in the veins and vitals of the state. 1.31Ut saepe hominēs aegrī morbō gravī, cum aestū febrīque iactantur, sī aquam gelidam bibērunt, prīmō relevārī videntur, deinde multō gravius vehementiusque adflīctantur, sīc hic morbus quī est in rē pūblicā relevātus istīus poenā vehementius reliquīs vīvīs ingravēscet.Just as men who are seriously ill, when they are tossed by the heat of fever, often seem relieved at first if they drink cold water, but then are afflicted much more heavily and violently, so this disease in the republic, if relieved by punishing him, will grow far worse while the rest are still alive.Note. A long simile: a fever patient who drinks cold water feels better for a moment, then worse; so too killing Catiline alone would bring only brief relief.
1.32Quā rē sēcēdant improbī, sēcernant sē ā bonīs, ūnum in locum congregentur, mūrō dēnique, quod saepe iam dīxī, sēcernantur ā nōbīs;So let the wicked withdraw, let them separate themselves from the good, let them gather in one place; in short, as I have often said, let them be separated from us by a wall; 1.32dēsinant īnsidiārī domī suae cōnsulī, circumstāre tribūnal praetōris urbānī, obsidēre cum gladiīs cūriam, malleolōs et facēs ad īnflammandam urbem comparāre;let them stop plotting against the consul in his own house, crowding round the tribunal of the city praetor, besieging the senate house with swords, and preparing fire-darts and torches to set fire to the city;Note. praetōris urbānī: the praetor who judged cases between citizens; Catiline's men had threatened him at his tribunal in the Forum. malleolōs: fire-darts, for setting buildings alight. 1.32sit dēnique īnscrīptum in fronte ūnīus cuiusque quid dē rē pūblicā sentiat.let it be written, in short, on the forehead of every man what he thinks about the republic.Note. in fronte … īnscrīptum: 'written on his forehead', so every man's loyalty can be seen. 1.32Polliceor hoc vōbīs, patrēs cōnscrīptī, tantam in nōbīs cōnsulibus fore dīligentiam, tantam in vōbīs auctōritātem, tantam in equitibus Rōmānīs virtūtem, tantam in omnibus bonīs cōnsēnsiōnem ut Catilīnae profectiōne omnia patefacta, inlūstrāta, oppressa, vindicāta esse videātis.I promise you this, senators: there will be such diligence in us consuls, such authority in you, such courage in the Roman knights, such agreement among all good men, that with Catiline's departure you will see everything uncovered, brought to light, crushed and punished.
1.33Hīsce ōminibus, Catilīna, cum summā reī pūblicae salūte, cum tuā peste ac perniciē cumque eōrum exitiō quī sē tēcum omnī scelere parricīdiōque iūnxērunt, proficīscere ad impium bellum ac nefārium.With these omens, Catiline, to the great safety of the republic, to your own ruin and destruction, and to the destruction of those who have joined themselves to you in every crime and murder, set out for your impious and wicked war.Note. Hīsce ōminibus: hīsce is an emphatic form of hīs; the words just spoken are treated as omens for Catiline's departure. 1.33Tū, Iuppiter, quī īsdem quibus haec urbs auspiciīs ā Rōmulō es cōnstitūtus, quem Statōrem huius urbis atque imperī vērē nōmināmus, hunc et huius sociōs ā tuīs cēterīsque templīs, ā tēctīs urbis ac moenibus, ā vītā fortūnīsque cīvium omnium arcēbis et hominēs bonōrum inimīcōs, hostīs patriae, latrōnēs Ītaliae scelerum foedere inter sē ac nefāriā societāte coniūnctōs aeternīs suppliciīs vīvōs mortuōsque mactābis.You, Jupiter, who were established by Romulus under the same auspices as this city, whom we rightly call the Stayer of this city and empire, will keep this man and his allies from your temples and the others, from the houses and walls of the city, from the lives and fortunes of all the citizens; and these men, enemies of the good, foes of their country, bandits of Italy, bound to one another by a pact of crime and a wicked alliance, you will punish, living and dead, with everlasting torments.Note. Iuppiter Stator: Romulus vowed a temple to 'Jupiter the Stayer' when the Romans were fleeing from the Sabines and Jupiter halted the rout. The senate was meeting in his temple, so the speech ends with a prayer to the god of the place.