Bellum Catilinae 21

Cat. 21.1Postquam accēpēre ea hominēs, quibus mala abundē omnia erant, sed neque rēs neque spēs bona ūlla, tametsī illīs quiēta movēre magna mercēs vidēbātur, tamen postulāvēre plērīque, ut prōpōneret, quae condiciō bellī foret, quae praemia armīs peterent, quid ubīque opis aut speī habērent.

After the men had heard this, men who had every kind of trouble in plenty but neither means nor any good hope, although to disturb the peace seemed to them a great reward in itself, still most of them asked him to set out what the terms of the war would be, what prizes they would seek by arms, what resources or hope they had anywhere.

Note. accēpēre, postulāvēre: perfects in -ēre. quae condiciō … foret … quid … habērent: indirect questions after prōpōneret. quid … opis aut speī: partitive genitives, 'what resources or hope'.

Cat. 21.2Tum Catilīna pollicērī tabulās novās, prōscrīptiōnem locuplētium, magistrātūs, sacerdōtia, rapīnās, alia omnia, quae bellum atque lubīdō victōrum fert;

Then Catiline promised the cancellation of debts, the proscription of the rich, magistracies, priesthoods, plunder, and everything else that war and the victors' lust bring;

Note. tabulās novās: 'new account books', i.e. cancellation of debts, the chief demand of the indebted. prōscrīptiōnem locuplētium: like Sulla's proscriptions, lists of men to be killed and their property seized.

Cat. 21.3praetereā esse in Hispāniā citeriōre Pīsōnem, in Mauretāniā cum exercitū P. Sittium Nūcerīnum, cōnsilī suī participēs;

besides, he said, Piso was in Nearer Spain and Publius Sittius of Nuceria in Mauretania with an army, both sharing his plan;

Note. Indirect speech (ōrātiō oblīqua) reports what Catiline promised: esse, petere are infinitives of reported statement. P. Sittius was a Campanian adventurer, later a commander for Caesar in Africa.

Cat. 21.3petere cōnsulātum C. Antōnium, quem sibi collēgam fore spērāret, hominem et familiārem et omnibus necessitūdinibus circumventum;

Gaius Antonius was standing for the consulship, whom he hoped to have as his colleague, a man who was his friend and hemmed in by every kind of need;

Note. C. Antonius Hybrida, Cicero's colleague in the consulship of 63, was deeply in debt. necessitūdinibus: here 'pressing needs'.

Cat. 21.3cum eō sē cōnsulem initium agundī factūrum.

as consul with him he would make a start on action.

Note. agundī = agendī (old spelling). factūrum: supply esse.

Cat. 21.4Ad hoc maledictīs increpābat omnīs bonōs, suōrum ūnum quemque nōmināns laudāre: admonēbat alium egestātis, alium cupiditātis suae, complūrīs perīculī aut ignōminiae, multōs victōriae Sullānae, quibus ea praedae fuerat.

He also railed with abuse against all loyal men, and praised each of his own men by name: he reminded one of his poverty, another of his greed, several of their danger or disgrace, many of Sulla's victory, which had brought them plunder.

Note. Ad hoc: 'besides'. laudāre: historical infinitive. victōriae Sullānae … quibus ea praedae fuerat: double dative, 'which had been (a source) of plunder for them'.

Cat. 21.5Postquam omnium animōs alacrīs videt, cohortātus, ut petītiōnem suam cūrae habērent, conventum dīmīsit.

When he saw that everyone's spirits were eager, he urged them to give attention to his candidacy and dismissed the meeting.

Note. alacrīs: accusative plural (= alacrēs). cūrae habērent: 'give their attention to', literally 'hold for a care'.