Bellum Catilinae 30

Cat. 30.1Post paucōs diēs L. Saenius senātor in senātū litterās recitāvit, quās Faesulīs adlātās sibi dīcēbat, in quibus scrīptum erat C. Mānlium arma cēpisse cum magnā multitūdine ante diem VI Kalendās Novembrīs.

A few days later Lucius Saenius, a senator, read out in the senate a letter which he said had been brought to him from Faesulae, in which it was written that Gaius Manlius had taken up arms with a large force on the sixth day before the Kalends of November.

Note. ante diem VI Kalendas Novembris: the sixth day before the Kalends (1st) of November, counting inclusively = 27 October 63 BC. Novembris is an adjective (accusative plural in -is) agreeing with Kalendas.

Cat. 30.1Simul, id quod in tālī rē solet, aliī portenta atque prōdigia nūntiābant, aliī conventūs fierī, arma portārī, Capuae atque in Āpūliā servīle bellum movērī.

At the same time, as usually happens in such a situation, some reported omens and portents, others that meetings were being held, arms carried about, and that a slave war was being stirred up at Capua and in Apulia.

Note. id quod in tali re solet: 'as usually happens in such a situation'. alii ... nuntiabant: the reports that follow (conventus fieri, arma portari, bellum moveri) are indirect statements depending on nuntiabant. servile bellum: memories of Spartacus' slave revolt (73-71 BC) were still fresh.

Cat. 30.3Igitur senātī dēcrētō Q. Mārcius Rēx Faesulās, Q. Metellus Crēticus in Āpūliam circumque ea loca missī— hī utrīque ad urbem imperātōrēs erant, impedītī nē triumphārent calumniā paucōrum, quibus omnia honesta atque inhonesta vēndere mōs erat—, sed praetōrēs Q. Pompēius Rūfus Capuam, Q. Metellus Celer in agrum Pīcēnum, iīsque permissum, utī prō tempore atque perīculō exercitum conparārent.

So by decree of the senate Quintus Marcius Rex was sent to Faesulae, and Quintus Metellus Creticus to Apulia and the places around it — both of them were waiting outside the city as generals, prevented from holding a triumph by the trickery of a few men whose habit it was to sell everything, honourable and dishonourable — and the praetors Quintus Pompeius Rufus to Capua and Quintus Metellus Celer to the Picene territory, and they were allowed to raise an army as the moment and the danger required.

Note. missi: supply sunt. The parenthesis (hi utrique ... erant) explains why two victorious generals were available: a general awaiting a triumph had to stay outside the city with his command (ad urbem), and political opponents had delayed their triumphs. iisque permissum: 'and they were allowed', impersonal passive with dative.

Cat. 30.6Ad hoc, sī quis indicāvisset dē coniūrātiōne, quae contrā rem pūblicam facta erat, praemium servō lībertātem et sēstertia centum, līberō inpūnitātem eius reī et sēstertia ducenta, itemque dēcrēvēre, utī gladiātōriae familiae Capuam et in cētera mūnicipia distribuerentur prō quoiusque opibus, Rōmae per tōtam urbem vigiliae habērentur iīsque minōrēs magistrātūs praeessent.

In addition, if anyone gave information about the conspiracy that had been formed against the state, they decreed as a reward freedom and a hundred thousand sesterces for a slave, and for a free man pardon for his part in it and two hundred thousand sesterces; and they likewise decreed that the gladiatorial troops should be distributed to Capua and the other towns according to the resources of each, and that at Rome watches should be kept throughout the whole city, with the lesser magistrates in charge of them.

Note. si quis indicavisset: quis is indefinite after si. sestertia centum: a hundred thousand sesterces (sestertium = 1000 sesterces). quoiusque = cuiusque: old spelling with quoi-. In the second half the decree's provisions depend on decrevere uti ...