2.17Sed cūr tam diū dē ūnō hoste loquimur et dē eō hoste quī iam fatētur sē esse hostem, et quem, quia, quod semper voluī, mūrus interest, nōn timeō: dē hīs quī dissimulant, quī Rōmae remanent, quī nōbīscum sunt nihil dīcimus?But why are we talking so long about one enemy, and about an enemy who already admits that he is an enemy, and whom I do not fear, because, as I have always wanted, a wall stands between us; and are we saying nothing about those who hide what they are, who stay in Rome, who are among us?Note. Catiline left Rome the night after the First Catilinarian; this speech is to the people the next day. Cicero now turns from the one open enemy outside the walls (mūrus interest, 'the wall stands between us') to the hidden ones inside. quod semper voluī: 'which is what I always wanted', referring to the whole idea of Catiline being outside. 2.17Quōs quidem ego, sī ūllō modō fierī possit, nōn tam ulcīscī studeō quam sānāre sibi ipsōs, plācāre reī pūblicae, neque id quā rē fierī nōn possit, sī iam mē audīre volent, intellegō.These men, indeed, if it can be done in any way, I am not so much eager to punish as to cure, reconciling them to themselves and to the state; and I do not see why that cannot be done, if they are now willing to listen to me.Note. nōn tam … quam …: 'not so much … as …'. sibi ipsōs: 'to themselves', i.e. restore them to their senses. quā rē … nōn possit: an indirect question, 'why it cannot be done'. 2.17Expōnam enim vōbīs, Quirītēs, ex quibus generibus hominum istae cōpiae comparentur;For I will set out for you, citizens, from what kinds of men those forces are being raised;Note. Quirītēs is the formal address to the Roman people in assembly. ex quibus generibus … comparentur: indirect question. Cicero now lists six kinds (genera) of Catiline's supporters, a set piece of classification. 2.17deinde singulīs medicīnam cōnsilī atque ōrātiōnis meae, sī quam poterō, adferam.then to each kind I will bring the medicine of my advice and my words, if I can find any.
2.18Ūnum genus est eōrum quī magnō in aere aliēnō maiōrēs etiam possessiōnēs habent quārum amōre adductī dissolvī nūllō modō possunt.The first kind is of those who, though deep in debt, have even greater possessions, and are so attached to them that they can in no way bring themselves to clear their debts.Note. Class 1: rich men in debt. magnō in aere aliēnō: 'in great debt' (aes aliēnum, 'someone else's bronze', is the normal phrase for debt). dissolvī: 'to free themselves (of debt)', by selling land. 2.18Hōrum hominum speciēs est honestissima— sunt enim locuplētēs— voluntās vērō et causa impudentissima.These men look most respectable, for they are rich; but their intentions and their cause are utterly shameless. 2.18Tū agrīs, tū aedificiīs, tū argentō, tū familiā, tū rēbus omnibus ōrnātus et cōpiōsus sīs, et dubitēs dē possessiōne dētrahere, adquīrere ad fidem?Are you to be furnished and well supplied with land, with buildings, with silver, with slaves, with everything, and to hesitate to take something from your possessions and add it to your credit?Note. Cicero suddenly speaks to one of these men directly (apostrophe). Tū … sīs, et dubitēs …?: a subjunctive in an indignant question, 'are you to be … and to hesitate …?' Note the repeated tū (anaphora). 2.18Quid enim exspectās?For what are you waiting for?Note. A rapid run of short questions and answers: Cicero imagines what such a man is hoping for. 2.18bellum?War? 2.18Quid ergō?What then? 2.18in vāstātiōne omnium tuās possessiōnēs sacrōsānctās futūrās putēs?Do you suppose that in the destruction of everything your possessions will be sacred and untouchable? 2.18an tabulās novās?Or a cancellation of debts?Note. tabulās novās: literally 'new account books', i.e. a cancellation of debts, Catiline's main promise to his followers.
2.18Errant quī istās ā Catilīnā exspectant: meō beneficiō tabulae novae prōferuntur, vērum auctiōnāriae;They are wrong who expect that from Catiline: through my kindness a cancellation will be produced, but an auction list;Note. A pun: Cicero too will bring 'new tablets', but tabulae auctiōnāriae, the lists of goods put up for auction. The debtors' land will be sold to pay their debts. 2.18neque enim istī quī possessiōnēs habent aliā ratiōne ūllā salvī esse possunt.for those who have property can be saved in no other way. 2.18Quod sī mātūrius facere voluissent neque, id quod stultissimum est, certāre cum ūsūrīs frūctibus praediōrum, et locuplētiōribus hīs et meliōribus cīvibus ūterēmur.If they had been willing to do this earlier, and not, which is the height of folly, to set the income of their estates against the interest on their loans, we should have found them both richer men and better citizens.Note. Quod sī: 'but if'. A past contrafactual condition: voluissent … ūterēmur, 'if they had been willing …, we should have them as …'. certāre cum ūsūrīs frūctibus praediōrum: to try to pay the interest out of the yearly income of their estates instead of selling them. 2.18Sed hōsce hominēs minimē putō pertimēscendōs, quod aut dēdūcī dē sententiā possunt aut, sī permanēbunt, magis mihi videntur vōta factūrī contrā rem pūblicam quam arma lātūrī.But I do not think these men much to be feared, because either they can be brought round, or, if they hold to their purpose, they seem to me more likely to make prayers against the state than to take up arms.Note. pertimēscendōs: gerundive, 'to be feared' (with esse understood). vōta factūrī … quam arma lātūrī: future participles, 'more likely to make prayers than to bear arms'.