Bellum Catilinae 52

Cat. 52.1Postquam Caesar dīcundī fīnem fēcit, cēterī verbō alius aliī variē adsentiēbantur.

When Caesar had finished speaking, the rest agreed in a word, one with one speaker, another with another.

Note. verbō ... adsentiēbantur: senators could simply say which speaker they agreed with. alius aliī: 'one with one man, another with another'.

Cat. 52.1At M. Porcius Catō rogātus sententiam huiusce modī ōrātiōnem habuit: "Longē alia mihi mēns est, patrēs cōnscrīptī, quom rēs atque perīcula nostra cōnsīderō, et quom sententiās nōnnūllōrum ipse mēcum reputō.

But Marcus Porcius Cato, asked for his opinion, made a speech of this kind: "Senators, my mind is very different when I consider our situation and our dangers, and when I turn over in my mind the opinions of some speakers.

Note. M. Porcius Cato the Younger (95-46 BC), great-grandson of Cato the Censor, a Stoic and the conservatives' champion. He was only tribune-elect, so he spoke late in the debate. quom ... quom: 'when ... and when'.

Cat. 52.3Illī mihi disseruisse videntur dē poenā eōrum, quī patriae, parentibus, ārīs atque focīs suīs bellum parāvēre;

They seem to me to have discussed the punishment of men who have prepared war against their country, their parents, their altars and their hearths;

Note. Illī: the earlier speakers, especially Caesar. ārīs atque focīs: 'altars and hearths', a set phrase for home and religion.

Cat. 52.3rēs autem monet cavēre ab illīs magis quam quid in illōs statuāmus cōnsultāre.

but the situation warns us to guard against them rather than to deliberate about what to decide against them.

Note. cavēre ab illīs: 'to guard against them'. quam quid ... cōnsultāre: 'than to deliberate what to decide'. Cato's whole point: this is self-defence, not punishment.

Cat. 52.4Nam cētera maleficia tum persequāre, ubi facta sunt;

Other crimes you may punish when they have been committed;

Note. persequāre: 2nd person singular present subjunctive (= persequāris), the 'generalizing you': 'you may prosecute'.

Cat. 52.4hoc nisi prōvīderis nē accidat, ubi ēvenit, frūstrā iūdicia inplōrēs: captā urbe nihil fit reliquī victīs.

with this one, unless you take care that it does not happen, once it has happened you would appeal to the courts in vain: when a city is taken, nothing is left for the conquered.

Note. nisi prōvīderis nē accidat: 'unless you have seen to it that it does not happen'. captā urbe: ablative absolute. nihil ... reliquī: partitive genitive, 'nothing of left-over', i.e. nothing left.

Cat. 52.5Sed, per deōs inmortālīs, vōs ego appellō, quī semper domōs, vīllās, signa, tabulās vostrās plūris quam rem pūblicam fēcistis: sī ista, quoiuscumque modī sunt quae amplexāminī, retinēre, sī voluptātibus vostrīs ōtium praebēre voltis, expergīsciminī aliquandō et capessite rem pūblicam.

But, by the immortal gods, I appeal to you, who have always valued your houses, villas, statues and paintings more than the state: if you want to keep those things you cling to, whatever they are, if you want to provide leisure for your pleasures, wake up at last and take hold of the state.

Note. Cato attacks the senators' love of luxury. plūris ... fēcistis: genitive of value, 'you valued more'. expergīsciminī, capessite: imperatives. voltis = vultis.

Cat. 52.6Nōn agitur dē vectīgālibus neque dē sociōrum iniūriīs: lībertās et anima nostra in dubiō est.

It is not a question of revenues or of wrongs done to our allies: our liberty and our lives are at stake.

Note. in dubiō est: 'is in doubt, at stake'.

Cat. 52.7Saepenumerō, patrēs cōnscrīptī, multa verba in hōc ōrdine fēcī, saepe dē luxuriā atque avāritiā nostrōrum cīvium questus sum, multōsque mortālīs eā causā advorsōs habeō.

Many times, senators, I have spoken at length in this body, often I have complained about the luxury and greed of our citizens, and for that reason I have many men hostile to me.

Note. in hōc ōrdine: 'in this order', i.e. in the senate. Cato's speeches against luxury were famous.

Cat. 52.8Quī mihi atque animō meō nūllīus umquam dēlictī grātiam fēcissem, haud facile alterīus lubīdinī male facta condōnābam.

I, who had never granted myself or my own mind pardon for any fault, did not easily excuse the misdeeds of another man's passion.

Note. Quī ... fēcissem: causal relative clause, 'since I had never pardoned myself any fault'. haud facile: 'not easily'. male facta: 'misdeeds'.

Cat. 52.9Sed ea tametsī vōs parvī pendēbātis, tamen rēs pūblica firma erat, opulentiā neglegentiam tolerābat.

But although you made light of those things, the state was nevertheless firm; its wealth could bear your neglect.

Note. parvī pendēbātis: genitive of value, 'you valued little'.

Cat. 52.10Nunc vērō nōn id agitur, bonīsne an malīs mōribus vīvāmus, neque quantum aut quam magnificum imperium populī Rōmānī sit, sed haec, quoiuscumque modī videntur, nostra an nōbīscum ūnā hostium futūra sint.

Now, however, the question is not whether we live by good or bad morals, nor how great or how splendid the empire of the Roman people is, but whether all this, whatever it seems to be worth, is to be ours, or is to belong, together with ourselves, to the enemy.

Note. bonīsne an malīs: a double indirect question, '-ne ... an', 'whether ... or'. nostra an ... hostium futūra sint: 'whether they will be ours or the enemy's'.

Cat. 52.11Hīc mihi quisquam mānsuētūdinem et misericordiam nōminat.

And here someone talks to me of mildness and mercy!

Cat. 52.11Iam prīdem equidem nōs vēra vocābula rērum āmīsimus: quia bona aliēna largīrī līberālitās, malārum rērum audācia fortitūdō vocātur, eō rēs pūblica in extrēmō sita est.

We have long since lost the true names of things: because giving away other people's goods is called generosity, and daring in wrongdoing is called courage, the state has come to the brink.

Note. One of Sallust's most quoted sentences: corruption begins when the names of things change. largīrī: 'to give away lavishly' (a deponent infinitive used as a noun). eō: 'for that reason'.

Cat. 52.12Sint sānē, quoniam ita sē mōrēs habent, līberālēs ex sociōrum fortūnīs, sint misericordēs in fūribus aerārī: nē illī sanguinem nostrum largiantur et, dum paucīs scelerātīs parcunt, bonōs omnīs perditum eant.

Let them be generous, by all means, since that is the fashion, with the fortunes of our allies; let them be merciful to those who rob the treasury: but let them not lavish our blood and, while they spare a few criminals, go off to destroy all good men.

Note. Sint: jussive subjunctive, 'let them be'. nē illī ... largiantur: 'let them not squander'. perditum eant: supine of purpose after a verb of motion, 'go to destroy'.

Cat. 52.13Bene et conpositē C. Caesar paulō ante in hōc ōrdine dē vītā et morte disseruit, crēdō falsa exīstumāns ea, quae dē īnferīs memorantur: dīvorsō itinere malōs ā bonīs loca taetra, inculta, foeda atque formīdulōsa habēre.

Gaius Caesar spoke well and in polished words a little while ago in this body about life and death, regarding as false, I suppose, what is told about the underworld: that the wicked go by a different road from the good and live in places that are foul, wild, ugly and terrifying.

Note. Cato answers Caesar's claim that death ends all: the traditional belief was that the wicked went to a different, terrible place. crēdō is ironic, 'I suppose'.

Cat. 52.14Itaque cēnsuit pecūniās eōrum pūblicandās, ipsōs per mūnicipia in custōdiīs habendōs, vidēlicet timēns, nē, sī Rōmae sint, aut ā populāribus coniūrātiōnis aut ā multitūdine conductā per vim ēripiantur;

So he proposed that their property be confiscated and that they themselves be held in custody in the towns, evidently fearing that if they were at Rome they would be rescued by force, either by their fellow conspirators or by a hired mob;

Note. vidēlicet: ironic, 'evidently'. Rōmae: locative. ā populāribus coniūrātiōnis: 'by members of the conspiracy'.

Cat. 52.15quasi vērō malī atque scelestī tantummodo in urbe et nōn per tōtam Ītaliam sint, aut nōn ibi plūs possit audācia, ubi ad dēfendundum opēs minōrēs sunt.

as if the wicked and criminal were only in the city and not throughout Italy, or as if daring did not have more power where the means of defence are weaker.

Note. Quasi vērō: 'as if, of course ...', ironic, with the subjunctive. ad dēfendundum: gerund with ad (old spelling -undum for -endum).

Cat. 52.16Quārē vānum equidem hoc cōnsilium est, sī perīculum ex illīs metuit;

So this plan is useless indeed, if he fears danger from them;

Cat. 52.16sī in tantō omnium metū sōlus nōn timet, eō magis rēfert mē mihi atque vōbīs timēre.

but if, when everyone is so afraid, he alone is not afraid, all the more does it concern me to fear for myself and for you.

Note. rēfert: 'it matters', impersonal (rē + fert). mē mihi atque vōbīs timēre: 'that I fear for myself and for you'. Cato hints that Caesar is not afraid because he sympathizes with the conspirators.

Cat. 52.17Quā rē quom dē P. Lentulō cēterīsque statuētis, prō certō habētōte vōs simul dē exercitū Catilīnae et dē omnibus coniūrātīs dēcernere.

So when you decide about Publius Lentulus and the rest, be sure that you are deciding at the same time about Catiline's army and about all the conspirators.

Note. habētōte: future imperative, 'be sure'. prō certō habēre: 'to be certain'.

Cat. 52.18Quantō vōs attentius ea agētis, tantō illīs animus īnfirmior erit;

The more attentively you act, the weaker their courage will be;

Note. Quantō ... tantō: ablatives of degree of difference with comparatives, 'the more ... the more'.

Cat. 52.18sī paulum modo vōs languēre vīderint, iam omnēs ferōcēs aderunt.

if they see you falter even a little, they will all be here at once, full of fight.

Note. paulum modo: 'even a little'. vīderint: future perfect.

Cat. 52.19Nōlīte exīstumāre maiōrēs nostrōs armīs rem pūblicam ex parvā magnam fēcisse.

Do not think that our ancestors made the state great from small beginnings by arms.

Cat. 52.20Sī ita esset, multō pulcherrumam eam nōs habērēmus: quippe sociōrum atque cīvium, praetereā armōrum atque equōrum maior cōpia nōbīs quam illīs est.

If that were so, we would have it far more splendid: for we have a greater store of allies and citizens, and besides of arms and horses, than they had.

Note. multō: ablative of degree with the superlative. pulcherrumam = pulcherrimam. quippe: 'for, of course'.

Cat. 52.21Sed alia fuēre, quae illōs magnōs fēcēre, quae nōbīs nūlla sunt: domī industria, forīs iūstum imperium, animus in cōnsulundō līber, neque dēlictō neque lubīdinī obnoxius.

But there were other things that made them great, which we lack completely: hard work at home, just rule abroad, a mind free in deliberation, bound neither to wrongdoing nor to passion.

Note. The virtues of the ancestors: hard work at home (domī), just rule abroad (forīs), free and honest counsel. obnoxius + dative: 'in thrall to'.

Cat. 52.22Prō hīs nōs habēmus luxuriam atque avāritiam, pūblicē egestātem, prīvātim opulentiam.

Instead of these we have luxury and greed, poverty in the state and wealth in private.

Note. publicē ... prīvātim: 'in public ... in private'. The contrast between public poverty and private wealth is a constant theme of Sallust.

Cat. 52.22Laudāmus dīvitiās, sequimur inertiam.

We praise riches and pursue idleness.

Cat. 52.22Inter bonōs et malōs discrīmen nūllum, omnia virtūtis praemia ambitiō possidet.

Between good and bad men there is no distinction; ambition holds all the rewards of merit.

Cat. 52.23Neque mīrum: ubi vōs sēparātim sibi quisque cōnsilium capitis, ubi domī voluptātibus, hīc pecūniae aut grātiae servītis, eō fit, ut impetus fīat in vacuam rem pūblicam.

And no wonder: when each of you takes counsel for himself alone, when at home you are slaves to pleasure and here to money or influence, the result is that an attack is made on a state left undefended.

Note. sibi quisque: 'each for himself'. capitis: from capiō. hīc: 'here', in the senate. servītis takes the dative: voluptātibus, pecūniae, grātiae.

Cat. 52.24Sed ego haec omittō.

But I pass over these things.

Cat. 52.24Coniūrāvēre nōbilissumī cīvēs patriam incendere, Gallōrum gentem īnfestissumam nōminī Rōmānō ad bellum arcessunt, dux hostium cum exercitū suprā caput est;

Citizens of the highest rank have conspired to set their country on fire; they are calling to war the Gallic nation, most hostile to the Roman name; the enemy's leader with his army is over our heads.

Note. Coniūrāvēre ... incendere: 'they have sworn to burn'. The Allobroges, a Gallic people, had been approached by the conspirators. dux hostium: Catiline, with his army in Etruria.

Cat. 52.25vōs cūnctāminī etiam nunc et dubitātis, quid intrā moenia dēprēnsīs hostibus faciātis?

Do you still hesitate and wonder what to do with enemies caught within the walls?

Note. dēprēnsīs hostibus: 'with enemies caught'. faciātis: deliberative subjunctive in an indirect question.

Cat. 52.26Misereāminī cēnseō— dēlīquēre hominēs adulēscentulī per ambitiōnem— atque etiam armātōs dīmittātis: nē ista vōbīs mānsuētūdō et misericordia, sī illī arma cēperint, in miseriam convortat.

Take pity on them, I suggest - they are young men who went wrong through ambition - and even let them go, armed: only take care that this mildness and mercy of yours does not turn into misery for you if they take up arms.

Note. Bitter irony: Misereāminī cēnseō, 'take pity, I propose'. The parenthesis mimics the excuses of their defenders. nē ... convortat: 'only see that it does not turn'.

Cat. 52.28Scīlicet rēs ipsa aspera est, sed vōs nōn timētis eam.

Of course the situation itself is grim, but you are not afraid of it.

Cat. 52.28Immō vērō maxumē.

No, indeed, you are very much afraid.

Note. Immō vērō: 'no, on the contrary'. maxumē (timētis): 'you fear it very much'.

Cat. 52.28Sed inertia et mollitia animī alius alium expectantēs cūnctāminī, vidēlicet dīs inmortālibus cōnfīsī, quī hanc rem pūblicam saepe in maxumīs perīculīs servāvēre.

But through idleness and softness of spirit, each waiting for the next, you hesitate, trusting no doubt in the immortal gods, who have often saved this state in its greatest dangers.

Note. alius alium exspectantēs: 'each waiting for the other'. cūnctāminī: from the deponent cūnctor, 'delay'.

Cat. 52.29Nōn vōtīs neque suppliciīs muliebribus auxilia deōrum parantur;

The help of the gods is not won by vows or by womanish supplications;

Cat. 52.29vigilandō, agundō, bene cōnsulundō prospera omnia cēdunt.

by keeping watch, by acting, by taking good counsel, all things turn out well.

Note. vigilandō, agundō, cōnsulundō: ablatives of the gerund, 'by watching, acting, taking counsel'.

Cat. 52.29Ubi sōcordiae tē atque ignāviae trādideris, nēquīquam deōs inplōrēs: īrātī īnfestīque sunt.

When you have given yourself up to sloth and cowardice, it is useless to implore the gods: they are angry and hostile.

Cat. 52.30Apud maiōrēs nostrōs A. Mānlius Torquātus bellō Gallicō fīlium suom, quod is contrā imperium in hostem pugnāverat, necārī iussit, atque ille ēgregius adulēscēns inmoderātae fortitūdinis morte poenās dedit;

In our ancestors' time Aulus Manlius Torquatus, in a Gallic war, ordered his own son to be put to death because he had fought against the enemy contrary to orders, and that outstanding young man paid with his life for his excessive courage;

Note. A famous story of early Roman discipline (340 BC): T. Manlius Torquatus had his son executed for fighting a duel against orders, even though he won. Sallust writes A. (Aulus), but the father is usually called Titus. inmoderātae fortitūdinis: genitive of the charge.

Cat. 52.31vōs dē crūdēlissumīs parricīdīs quid statuātis, cūnctāminī?

do you hesitate about what to decide in the case of the most savage murderers of their country?

Note. The contrast: our ancestors executed a hero for disobedience, yet you hesitate over murderers.

Cat. 52.31Vidēlicet cētera vīta eōrum huic scelerī obstat.

No doubt the rest of their lives stands in the way of this crime!

Note. Ironic: 'of course, their previous life counts against this crime'.

Cat. 52.32Vērum parcite dignitātī Lentulī, sī ipse pudīcitiae, sī fāmae suae, sī dīs aut hominibus umquam ūllīs pepercit.

Well then, spare the dignity of Lentulus, if he himself ever spared his own chastity or his own reputation, or any gods or men.

Note. Lentulus was a former consul, so his rank (dignitās) was a reason for leniency. Cato turns it with a series of conditions.

Cat. 52.33Ignōscite Cethēgī adulēscentiae, nisi iterum patriae bellum fēcit.

Forgive the youth of Cethegus, unless this is the second time he has made war on his country.

Note. C. Cornelius Cethegus, a young senator. nisi iterum ...: he had already been involved in earlier plots.

Cat. 52.33Nam quid ego dē Gabīniō, Statiliō, Caepāriō loquar?

For what am I to say about Gabinius, Statilius, Caeparius?

Note. quid ... loquar?: deliberative subjunctive, 'what am I to say?' The other arrested conspirators: P. Gabinius Capito, L. Statilius, M. Caeparius.

Cat. 52.34Quibus sī quicquam umquam pēnsī fuisset, nōn ea cōnsilia dē rē pūblicā habuissent.

If they had ever cared at all about anything, they would not have had such designs against the state.

Note. quicquam ... pēnsī: partitive genitive, 'anything of weight', i.e. if they had cared at all.

Cat. 52.35Postrēmō, patrēs cōnscrīptī, sī mehercule peccātō locus esset, facile paterer vōs ipsā rē corrigī, quoniam verba contemnitis.

Finally, senators, if there were by heaven any room for a mistake, I would gladly let you be corrected by the event itself, since you despise words.

Note. mehercule: 'by Hercules', an oath. sī ... locus esset: present contrary-to-fact condition, 'if there were room for a mistake'.

Cat. 52.35Sed undique circumventī sumus.

But we are surrounded on every side.

Cat. 52.35Catilīna cum exercitū faucibus urget;

Catiline with his army is at our throats;

Note. faucibus urget: 'presses on our throats'. Catiline's army was in Etruria.

Cat. 52.35aliī intrā moenia atque in sinū urbis sunt hostēs;

other enemies are within the walls and in the heart of the city;

Cat. 52.35neque parārī neque cōnsulī quicquam potest occultē: quō magis properandum est.

nothing can be prepared or planned in secret: all the more reason to make haste.

Note. properandum est: impersonal gerundive, 'we must hurry'.

Cat. 52.36Quārē ego ita cēnseō, quom nefāriō cōnsiliō scelerātōrum cīvium rēs pūblica in maxuma perīcula vēnerit, iīque indiciō T. Volturcī et lēgātōrum Allobrogum convictī cōnfessīque sint caedem, incendia aliaque sē foeda atque crūdēlia facinora in cīvīs patriamque parāvisse, dē cōnfessīs, sīcutī dē manufestīs rērum capitālium, mōre maiōrum supplicium sūmundum."

Therefore this is my proposal: since the state has fallen into the gravest dangers through the wicked plan of criminal citizens, and since they have been convicted on the evidence of Titus Volturcius and the envoys of the Allobroges and have confessed that they prepared slaughter, burning and other foul and cruel crimes against their fellow citizens and their country, punishment should be inflicted on those who have confessed, as on men caught red-handed in capital crimes, according to the custom of our ancestors."

Note. Cato's formal proposal: since the conspirators have confessed, they should be treated like criminals caught in the act and punished 'in the manner of our ancestors', that is, executed. The senate voted for it, and the five were strangled that night in the prison. T. Volturcius: the conspirator whose evidence, with the Allobroges' envoys, convicted the others. sūmundum = sūmendum.