Bellum Catilinae 46

Cat. 46.1Quibus rēbus cōnfectīs omnia properē per nūntiōs cōnsulī dēclārantur.

When these things were finished, everything is quickly reported to the consul by messengers.

Cat. 46.2At illum ingēns cūra atque laetitia simul occupāvēre.

But great anxiety and joy seized him at the same time.

Note. occupāvēre = occupāvērunt. cūra atque laetitia 'anxiety and joy': Sallust shows Cicero's mixed feelings.

Cat. 46.2Nam laetābātur intellegēns coniūrātiōne patefactā cīvitātem perīculīs ēreptam esse;

For he was glad, seeing that with the conspiracy laid open the state had been rescued from dangers;

Note. laetābātur intellegēns: the participle gives the reason for his joy, followed by indirect statement cīvitātem … ēreptam esse.

Cat. 46.2porrō autem ānxius erat dubitāns, in maxumō scelere tantīs cīvibus dēprehēnsīs quid factō opus esset: poenam illōrum sibi onerī, inpūnitātem perdundae reī pūblicae fore crēdēbat.

but on the other hand he was anxious, doubting what ought to be done now that such important citizens had been caught in so great a crime: their punishment, he believed, would be a burden to himself, their going unpunished the ruin of the Republic.

Note. quid factō opus esset: indirect question. poenam … onerī, impūnitātem perdundae reī pūblicae fore: two predicative datives, 'would be a burden … would be for the ruin of the Republic'. perdundae is the gerundive in Sallust's old spelling (perdendae).

Cat. 46.3Igitur cōnfirmātō animō vocārī ad sēsē iubet Lentulum, Cethēgum, Statilium, Gabīnium itemque Caepārium Terracīnēnsem, quī in Āpūliam ad concitanda servitia proficīscī parābat.

So, having steadied his mind, he orders Lentulus, Cethegus, Statilius, Gabinius and also Caeparius of Tarracina, who was preparing to set out to Apulia to stir up the slaves, to be summoned to him.

Note. Caeparius of Tarracina was the man assigned to Apulia (Cicero, Third Catilinarian 14). ad concitanda servitia: ad + gerundive of purpose.

Cat. 46.4Cēterī sine morā veniunt;

The others come without delay;

Cat. 46.4Caepārius, paulō ante domō ēgressus, cognitō indiciō ex urbe profūgerat.

Caeparius, having left his house a little earlier and learned of the disclosure, had fled from the city.

Note. cognitō indiciō 'when he learned that information had been given'. He was caught soon after (sentence 59).

Cat. 46.5Cōnsul Lentulum, quod praetor erat, ipse manū tenēns in senātum perdūcit, reliquōs cum custōdibus in aedem Concordiae venīre iubet.

The consul himself leads Lentulus, because he was a praetor, into the senate holding him by the hand; he orders the rest to come under guard to the temple of Concord.

Note. Lentulus was a praetor in office, so the consul led him in personally, holding him by the hand, as a mark of respect for his rank. The aedēs Concordiae, the temple of Concord at the foot of the Capitol, was the meeting place of the senate that day; the choice of the goddess of civic harmony was pointed.

Cat. 46.6Eō senātum advocat magnāque frequentiā eius ōrdinis Volturcium cum lēgātīs intrōdūcit, Flaccum praetōrem scrīnium cum litterīs, quās ā lēgātīs accēperat, eōdem adferre iubet.

There he calls the senate together and, before a full meeting of that order, brings in Volturcius with the envoys; he orders the praetor Flaccus to bring to the same place the box with the letters which he had received from the envoys.

Note. eō 'to that place' = to the temple. magnā frequentiā 'with a large attendance'. scrīnium: a box for documents.