Bellum Catilinae 55

Cat. 55.1Postquam, ut dīxī, senātus in Catōnis sententiam discessit, cōnsul optumum factū ratus noctem quae īnstābat antecapere, nē quid eō spatiō novārētur, trēsvirōs quae ad supplicium postulābantur parāre iubet.

After the senate, as I said, had gone over to Cato's proposal, the consul, thinking it best to forestall the coming night so that nothing new might be attempted in that time, ordered the board of three to prepare what was needed for the execution.

Note. optumum factū: supine in -ū with an adjective, 'best to do'. antecapere: 'to forestall'. trēsvirōs: the trēsvirī capitālēs, junior officials in charge of the prison and of executions. quae ad supplicium postulābantur: 'what was required for the execution'.

Cat. 55.2Ipse praesidiīs dispositīs Lentulum in carcerem dēdūcit;

He himself, after posting guards, led Lentulus down into the prison;

Cat. 55.2idem fit cēterīs per praetōrēs.

the same was done for the others by the praetors.

Cat. 55.3Est in carcere locus, quod Tulliānum appellātur, ubi paululum ascenderīs ad laevam, circiter duodecim pedēs humī dēpressus;

There is a place in the prison, called the Tullianum, where you go up a little way to the left, sunk about twelve feet into the ground;

Note. The Tullianum survives under the church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami near the Forum. ascenderīs: perfect subjunctive, the generalising 'you': 'when you have gone up'. humī: locative, 'into the ground'.

Cat. 55.4eum mūniunt undique parietēs atque īnsuper camera lapideīs fornicibus iūncta;

walls protect it on every side, and above it a ceiling joined with stone arches;

Cat. 55.4sed incultū tenebrīs odōre foeda atque terribilis eius faciēs est.

but its appearance is foul and frightening from neglect, darkness and stench.

Cat. 55.5In eum locum postquam dēmissus est Lentulus, vindicēs rērum capitālium, quibus praeceptum erat, laqueō gulam frēgēre.

After Lentulus had been let down into that place, the executioners, who had their orders, broke his neck with a noose.

Note. vindicēs rērum capitālium: the executioners, literally 'punishers of capital crimes'. laqueō gulam frēgēre: 'broke his neck with a noose', i.e. strangled him. frēgēre = frēgērunt.

Cat. 55.6Ita ille patricius ex gente clārissumā Cornēliōrum, quī cōnsulāre imperium Rōmae habuerat, dignum mōribus factīsque suīs exitium vītae invēnit.

So that patrician, from the most distinguished family of the Cornelii, who had held consular power at Rome, met an end of life worthy of his character and his deeds.

Note. Lentulus belonged to the patrician gens Cornelia and had been consul in 71 BC. clārissumā: archaic spelling of clārissimā.

Cat. 55.6Dē Cethēgō, Statiliō, Gabīniō, Caepāriō eōdem modō supplicium sūmptum est.

Punishment was taken in the same way on Cethegus, Statilius, Gabinius and Caeparius.