Bellum Catilinae 20

Cat. 20.1Catilīna ubi eōs, quōs paulō ante memorāvī, convēnisse videt, tametsī, cum singulīs multa saepe ēgerat, tamen in rem fore crēdēns ūnivorsōs appellāre et cohortārī, in abditam partem aedium sēcēdit atque ibi omnibus arbitrīs procul āmōtīs ōrātiōnem huiusce modī habuit: "Nī virtūs fidēsque vostra spectāta mihi forent, nēquīquam opportūna rēs cecidisset;

When Catiline saw that the men I mentioned a little earlier had gathered, although he had often discussed much with them one by one, he still thought it to the point to address and encourage them all together; he withdrew into a secret part of the house and there, with all witnesses sent far away, made a speech of this kind: "If your courage and loyalty were not well proven to me, this opportunity would have come in vain;

Note. Sallust gives Catiline a speech in direct speech (ōrātiō rēcta), composed by Sallust himself, as ancient historians did. tametsī … tamen: 'although … still'. in rem fore: 'would be useful' (fore = futūrum esse). Nī … forent … cecidisset: a past unreal condition; forent = essent. vostra = vestra.

Cat. 20.2spēs magna, dominātiō in manibus frūstrā fuissent, neque ego per ignāviam aut vāna ingenia incerta prō certīs captārem.

great hopes and power within our grasp would have been for nothing, and I would not be grasping at uncertainties in place of certainties with the help of cowardice or empty-headed men.

Cat. 20.3Sed quia multīs et magnīs tempestātibus vōs cognōvī fortīs fīdōsque mihi, eō animus ausus est maxumum atque pulcherrumum facinus incipere, simul quia vōbīs eadem quae mihi bona malaque esse intellēxī;

But because in many great storms I have found you brave and faithful to me, my mind has dared to begin the greatest and most glorious deed, and also because I have understood that the same things are good and bad for you as for me;

Note. eō: adverb, 'for that reason'. pulcherrumum = pulcherrimum.

Cat. 20.3nam idem velle atque idem nōlle, ea dēmum firma amīcitia est.

for to want the same and not want the same, that in the end is firm friendship.

Note. A famous definition of friendship: idem velle atque idem nōlle, 'to want and not to want the same things'. The infinitives are subjects; ea sums them up.

Cat. 20.5Sed ego quae mente agitāvī, omnēs iam anteā dīvorsī audīstis.

What I have been turning over in my mind you have all heard already, separately.

Cat. 20.6Cēterum mihi in diēs magis animus accenditur, quom cōnsīderō, quae condiciō vītae futūra sit, nisi nōsmet ipsī vindicāmus in lībertātem.

But my spirit is kindled more every day when I consider what our condition of life will be, unless we ourselves claim ourselves into freedom.

Note. in diēs: 'day by day'. quom = cum. nōsmet ipsī: emphatic, 'we ourselves'. vindicāmus in lībertātem: a legal phrase for freeing a slave, 'claim ourselves into freedom'.

Cat. 20.7Nam postquam rēs pūblica in paucōrum potentium iūs atque diciōnem concessit, semper illīs rēgēs tetrarchae vectīgālēs esse, populī nātiōnēs stīpendia pendere;

For ever since the Republic fell into the control and power of a few powerful men, kings and princes have always paid tribute to them, peoples and nations have paid them taxes;

Note. Catiline speaks like a popular reformer against the 'few powerful men' (paucī potentēs), the ruling oligarchy. Historical infinitives (esse, pendere) describe what has always gone on.

Cat. 20.7cēterī omnēs, strēnuī bonī, nōbilēs atque ignōbilēs, volgus fuimus sine grātiā, sine auctōritāte, iīs obnoxiī, quibus, sī rēs pūblica valēret, formīdinī essēmus.

all the rest of us, energetic and good, noble and low-born, have been a mob without favour, without influence, at the mercy of men to whom, if the Republic were healthy, we would be an object of fear.

Note. volgus = vulgus. formīdinī essēmus: double dative, 'we would be (for) a cause of fear'.

Cat. 20.8Itaque omnis grātia potentia honōs dīvitiae apud illōs sunt aut ubi illī volunt;

So all favour, power, office and wealth are with them, or where they want them to be;

Cat. 20.8nōbīs relīquēre perīcula repulsās iūdicia egestātem.

to us they have left dangers, defeats at the polls, prosecutions, poverty.

Note. relīquēre = relīquērunt. repulsās: defeats in elections; Catiline had stood for the consulship and lost.

Cat. 20.9Quae quō usque tandem patiēminī, ō fortissumī virī?

How long, then, will you endure these things, bravest of men?

Note. Compare Cicero's opening (Quō ūsque tandem abūtēre, Catilīna …). Here Catiline uses the same words against the rulers.

Cat. 20.9Nōnne ēmorī per virtūtem praestat quam vītam miseram atque inhonestam, ubi aliēnae superbiae lūdibriō fuerīs, per dēdecus āmittere?

Is it not better to die bravely than to lose in disgrace a miserable and dishonoured life, in which you have been the plaything of other men's arrogance?

Note. Nōnne … praestat: 'is it not better …?' (praestat impersonal). ubi … fuerīs: 2nd person used generally, 'where one has been'.

Cat. 20.10Vērum enim vērō, prō deum atque hominum fidem, victōria in manū nōbīs est, viget aetās, animus valet;

But truly, by the faith of gods and men, victory is in our hands: our age is vigorous, our spirit strong;

Note. pro deum atque hominum fidem: an exclamation, 'by the faith of gods and men!'; deum is an old genitive plural (= deōrum).

Cat. 20.10contrā illīs annīs atque dīvitiīs omnia cōnsenuērunt.

in them, by contrast, everything has grown feeble with years and wealth.

Cat. 20.10Tantummodo inceptō opus est, cētera rēs expediet.

There is need only of a beginning; events will see to the rest.

Note. Tantummodo inceptō opus est: opus est + ablative, 'there is need of a beginning'.

Cat. 20.11Etenim quis mortālium, quoi virīle ingenium est, tolerāre potest illīs dīvitiās superāre, quās profundant in extruendō marī et montibus coaequandīs, nōbīs rem familiārem etiam ad necessāria dēesse?

For indeed, what man with a man's spirit can bear that they should have riches to spare, which they pour out on building over the sea and levelling mountains, while we lack property even for necessities?

Note. The rich built villas out over the sea and levelled hills for their parks. extruendō marī: gerundive, 'in building over the sea'. quoi = cui.

Cat. 20.11Illōs bīnās aut amplius domōs continuāre, nōbīs larem familiārem nusquam ūllum esse?

That they join house to house, two and more, while we have no family hearth anywhere?

Note. The historical infinitives become indignant questions (accusative and infinitive in exclamation): 'that they should …!'. larem familiārem: the household god, i.e. a home of one's own.

Cat. 20.12Quom tabulās signa toreumata emunt, nova dīruunt, alia aedificant, postrēmō omnibus modīs pecūniam trahunt vexant, tamen summā lubīdine dīvitiās suās vincere nequeunt.

Though they buy pictures, statues, embossed plate, though they pull down new buildings and put up others, in short though they drag and harry their money in every way, still with all their extravagance they cannot get the better of their wealth.

Note. Quom … tamen: concessive cum with the indicative, 'though … still'. A picture of extravagant spending: the rich cannot even manage to spend all their money.

Cat. 20.13At nōbīs est domī inopia, forīs aes aliēnum, mala rēs, spēs multō asperior: dēnique quid reliquī habēmus praeter miseram animam?

But we have poverty at home, debt outside, bad circumstances and much harsher prospects: in short, what do we have left except our wretched lives?

Note. aes aliēnum: debt. animam: the breath of life.

Cat. 20.14Quīn igitur expergīsciminī?

Why then do you not wake up?

Cat. 20.14Ēn illa, illa quam saepe optāstis lībertās, praetereā dīvitiae decus glōria in oculīs sita sunt;

Look, that freedom, that freedom you have often longed for, and wealth, honour and glory as well, are set before your eyes;

Note. Ēn: 'look!'. The repeated illa, illa is emphatic. in oculīs sita sunt: 'are placed before your eyes'.

Cat. 20.14fortūna omnia ea victōribus praemia posuit.

Fortune has set all these as prizes for the victors.

Cat. 20.15Rēs tempus perīcula egestās bellī spolia magnifica magis quam ōrātiō mea vōs hortantur.

The situation, the moment, the dangers, poverty, the splendid spoils of war urge you more than my speech does.

Cat. 20.16Vel imperātōre vel mīlite mē ūtiminī: neque animus neque corpus ā vōbīs aberit.

Use me as your general or as a soldier: neither my mind nor my body will be absent from you.

Note. ūtiminī: imperative of ūtor + ablative: 'use me as general or as soldier'.

Cat. 20.17Haec ipsa, ut spērō, vōbīscum ūnā cōnsul agam, nisi forte mē animus fallit et vōs servīre magis quam imperāre parātī estis."

These very things, I hope, I shall carry out together with you as consul, unless perhaps my mind deceives me and you are readier to be slaves than to rule."

Note. Catiline expects to be consul for 62 BC with Antonius (21.3). vōbīscum = cum vōbīs.