Bellum Catilinae 17

Cat. 17.1Igitur circiter kalendās Iūniās L. Caesare et C. Figulō cōnsulibus prīmō singulōs appellāre;

So, around the first of June, in the consulship of Lucius Caesar and Gaius Figulus, he first approached men one at a time;

Note. Kalendās Iūniās: 1 June 64 BC. L. Caesare et C. Figulō cōnsulibus: the standard ablative absolute for dating a year. The historical infinitives continue (appellāre, hortārī, temptāre, docēre).

Cat. 17.1hortārī aliōs aliōs temptāre;

he encouraged some, sounded out others;

Cat. 17.1opēs suās, inparātam rem pūblicam, magna praemia coniūrātiōnis docēre.

he pointed out his own resources, the Republic's lack of preparation, the great rewards of a conspiracy.

Cat. 17.2Ubi satis explōrāta sunt quae voluit, in ūnum omnīs convocat, quibus maxuma necessitūdō et plūrumum audāciae inerat.

When what he wanted had been sufficiently explored, he called together in one place all those who had the greatest need and the most daring.

Note. maxuma necessitūdō: 'the greatest need' (pressure of debt). plurumum audāciae: partitive genitive, 'very much daring'.

Cat. 17.3Eō convēnēre senātōriī ōrdinis P. Lentulus Sūra, P. Autrōnius, L. Cassius Longīnus, C. Cethēgus, P. et Ser. Sullae Ser. fīliī, L. Vargunteius, Q. Annius, M. Porcius Laeca, L. Bēstia, Q. Curius;

There came there, from the senatorial order, Publius Lentulus Sura, Publius Autronius, Lucius Cassius Longinus, Gaius Cethegus, Publius and Servius Sulla, sons of Servius, Lucius Vargunteius, Quintus Annius, Marcus Porcius Laeca, Lucius Bestia, Quintus Curius;

Note. Eō: adverb, 'there'. convēnēre: = convēnērunt; Sallust often uses -ēre for the 3rd plural perfect. The list gives the men named again in the later chapters; Lentulus, Cethegus, Statilius and Gabinius were arrested in December 63 (Cicero, In Catilinam III).

Cat. 17.4praetereā ex equestrī ōrdine M. Fulvius Nōbilior, L. Statilius, P. Gabīnius Capitō, C. Cornēlius;

besides these, from the equestrian order, Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, Lucius Statilius, Publius Gabinius Capito, Gaius Cornelius;

Cat. 17.4ad hoc multī ex colōniīs et mūnicipiīs domī nōbilēs.

in addition, many men of rank at home from the colonies and country towns.

Note. domī nōbilēs: 'men of rank at home', i.e. leading men in their own towns.

Cat. 17.5Erant praetereā complūrēs paulō occultius cōnsilī huiusce participēs nōbilēs, quōs magis dominātiōnis spēs hortābātur quam inopia aut alia necessitūdō.

There were besides several noblemen who shared in this plan somewhat more secretly, men spurred on by hope of power rather than by poverty or other need.

Cat. 17.6Cēterum iuventūs plēraque sed maxumē nōbilium Catilīnae inceptīs favēbat: quibus in ōtiō vel magnificē vel molliter vīvere cōpia erat;

But most of the young men, especially the nobles, favoured Catiline's undertakings: those who had the means to live at ease either splendidly or softly.

Note. quibus … cōpia erat: 'who had the means to …' (dative of possession).

Cat. 17.6incerta prō certīs, bellum quam pācem mālēbant.

They preferred the uncertain to the certain, war to peace.

Cat. 17.7Fuēre item eā tempestāte quī crēderent M. Licinium Crassum nōn ignārum eius cōnsilī fuisse: quia Cn. Pompēius, invīsus ipsī, magnum exercitum ductābat, quoiusvīs opēs voluisse contrā illīus potentiam crēscere, simul cōnfīsum, sī coniūrātiō valuisset, facile apud illōs prīncipem sē fore.

There were also at that time people who believed that Marcus Licinius Crassus was not unaware of this plan: that because Gnaeus Pompey, whom he hated, was commanding a large army, he wanted anyone's power to grow against Pompey's might, and at the same time trusted that, if the conspiracy succeeded, he would easily be first among them.

Note. Whether Crassus backed Catiline was hotly debated in antiquity. Sallust only reports what some believed. quoiusvīs = cuiusvīs, 'anyone's at all'. illīus: Pompey.