I | I |
omnîs homines, qui sese student praestare ceteris animalibus, summâ ope niti decet, ne uitam silentio transeant ueluti pecora, quae natura prona atque uentri oboedientia finxit. | By right all human beings, who are eager to show that they stand out ahead of all the other animals, should make their very best effort to avoid passing their lives in silence like the herd animals that nature has shaped in such a way that they grovel in subservience to their appetites. |
sed nostra omnis uis in animo et corpore sita est: animi imperio, corporis seruitio magis utimur; alterum nobis cum dis, alterum cum beluis commune est. | All of our effectiveness derives from mind and body: we make more use of the governing direction that comes from the mind and of the service that the body can provide. The former we share with the gods; the latter with the beasts. |
quo mihi rectius uidetur ingeni quam uirium opibus gloriam quaerere et, quoniam uita ipsa quâ fruimur breuis est, memoriam nostri quam maxime longam efficere. | That is why it seems to me better for us to seek glory using our native intelligence rather than our physical strength, and since the life we enjoy is itself brief, to stretch out for as long as possible people's remembrance of us. |
nam diuitiarum et formae gloria fluxa atque fragilis est, uirtus clara aeternaque habetur. | For the glory of wealth and bodily beauty is transient and frail; excellence is considered to be something that is distinguished and enduring. |
sed diu magnum inter mortalîs certamen fuit, uine corporis an uirtute animi res militaris magis procederet. | But people have argued long and hard over whether it is bodily or mental excellence that better promotes military accomplishment. |
nam et prius quam incipias consulto, et ubi consulueris mature facto opus est. | For before you start, you need thoughtful deliberation, and when you have deliberated, you need prompt action. |
ita utrumque per se indigens alterum alterius auxilio eget. | So each is insufficient in itself and reciprocally needs the help of the other. |
II | II. |
igitur initio reges — nam in terris nomen imperi id primum fuit— diuersi pars ingenium, alii corpus exercebant: | At the outset, kings (for this was the world's first sovereign title) took different approaches: some put the brain to work, others, the body. |
etiam tum uita hominum sine cupiditate agitabatur; sua cuique satis placebant. | Even at that time, human beings lived their lives without compulsive desire; each person was sufficiently happy with his own possessions. |
postea uero quam in Asia Cyrus, in Graecia Lacedaemonii et Athenienses coepêre urbîs atque nationes subigere, libidinem dominandi causam belli habere, maximam gloriam in maximo imperio putare, tum demum periculo atque negotiis compertum est in bello plurimum ingenium posse. | But after Cyrus in Asia and the Spartans and Athenians in Greece began to take control of cities and nations, to consider the lust for domination an adequate reason to go to war, and to think that the greatest glory lay in having the greatest power, people finally discovered that it was in war that one's native talent could achieve its greatest impact. |
quod si regum atque imperatorum animi uirtus in pace ita ut in bello ualeret, aequabilius atque constantius sese res humanae haberent, neque aliud alio ferri neque mutari ac misceri omnia cerneres. | But if the strength of intellect of kings and emperors prevailed as much in peace as it does in war, human affairs would go more smoothly and steadily, and you would not see one thing being supplanted by another or everything changing and getting all confused. |
nam imperium facile iis artibus retinetur, quibus initio partum est. | For control is easily retained by those very methods and behaviors through which it was attained in the first place. |
uerum ubi pro labore desidia, pro continentia et aequitate libido atque superbia inuasêre, fortuna simul cum moribus immutatur. | But when idleness replaces work, and when one's own pleasure and arrogance replaces restraint and fairness, luck changes along with character. |
ita imperium semper ad optimum quemque a minus bono transfertur. | This way leadership always keeps passing on to each excellent person from one that is inferior. |
quae homines arant, nauigant, aedificant, uirtuti omnia parent. | All undertakings, like farming, sailing, and building follow upon virtue. |
sed multi mortales, dediti uentri atque somno, indocti incultique uitam sicuti peregrinantes transiere; | But many mortals, giving themselves up to eating and sleeping, have passed through life like strangers, uneducated and uncultured. |
quibus profecto contra naturam corpus uoluptati, anima oneri fuit. | For them, in fact, contrary to nature, the body serves as a toy, life as a burden. |
eorum ego uitam mortemque iuxta aestimo, quoniam de utrâque siletur. | When it comes to these, I put their life and death on the same level, since there is nothing to say about either. |
uerum enim uero is demum mihi uiuere atque frui animâ uidetur, qui aliquo negotio intentus praeclari facinoris aut artis bonae famam quaerit. | But in fact people seem to me to be really living and to be most fully enjoying life if they set themselves on some project and look to be recognized for an exceptional deed or cultural achievement. |
sed in magnâ copiâ rerum aliud alii natura iter ostendit. | But in life's vast abundance, nature shows different paths to different people. |
III | III |
pulchrum est bene facere rei publicae, etiam bene dicere haud absurdum est; uel pace uel bello clarum fieri licet; et qui fecêre, et qui facta aliorum scripsêre, multi laudantur. | It is satisfying to do some fine thing for the republic; even to discourse well is not at all out of place. You can gain renown either in peace or in war: many receive praise, both those who have accomplished great deeds and those who have written about what others have done. |
ac mihi quidem, tametsi haudquaquam par gloria sequitur scriptorem et auctorem rerum, tamen in primis arduum uidetur res gestas scribere: | And in fact, my own opinion is that, even though there is nothing like the same glory that comes to both the recorder and the maker of events, it seems especially difficult to make a record of notable achievements. |
primum quod facta dictis exaequanda sunt; | First, there is the fact that the deeds have to be matched by the account. |
dein quia plerique quae delicta reprehenderis maleuolentiâ et inuidiâ dicta putant, ubi de magnâ uirtute atque gloriâ bonorum memores, quae sibi quisque facilia factu putat, aequo animo accipit, supra ea ueluti ficta pro falsis ducit. | Then many think that your criticism of faults is a product of spite and envy; and when you recall the remarkable excellence and glory of respectable people, all easily accept what they think they too could achieve, but anything beyond that they assume to be a mere fabrication put forth to deceive them. |
sed ego adulescentulus initio, sicuti plerique, studio ad rem publicam latus sum, ibique mihi multa aduersa fuêre. | As a young man I, like many, started off in politics with a strong interest, and there I ran into considerable opposition. |
nam pro pudore, pro abstinentia, pro uirtute audacia, largitio, auaritia uigebant. | For in place of modesty, what flourished was daring; in place of restraint, bribery; in place of personal excellence, greed. |
quae tametsi animus aspernabatur, insolens malarum artium, tamen inter tanta uitia inbecilla aetas ambitione corrupta tenebatur; | And even though I found this repulsive, not having had any real experience of unscrupulous practices, still, in the midst of so many vices, my impressionable time of life was caught and spoiled by ambition. |
ac me, cum ab relicuorum malis moribus dissentirem, nihilo minus honoris cupido eadem quae ceteros famâ atque inuidiâ uexabat. | And although I did not go along at all with the degeneracy of the rest, the same hunger for honor that troubled the rest nevertheless troubled me with a questionable reputation and unpopularity. |
IV | IV |
igitur ubi animus ex multis miseriis atque periculis requieuit et mihi relicuam aetatem a re publica procul habendam decreui, non fuit consilium socordiâ atque desidiâ bonum otium conterere, neque uero agrum colendo aut uenando, seruilibus officiis intentum aetatem agere; | So when I had recovered from my many risks and mishaps, and I decided that I would have to live the remainder of my life far from the political scene, it was not my intention to while away a fine leisure uselessly doing nothing, or to spend my life farming and hunting, engaged in the sorts of services that slaves provide. |
sed a quo incepto studioque me ambitio mala detinuerat, eodem regressus statui res gestas populi Romani carptim, ut quaeque memoriâ digna uidebantur, perscribere, eo magis quod mihi a spe, metu, partibus rei publicae animus liber erat. | But returning precisely to the point at which wicked ambition had kept me from what I had started with such interest, I decided to write a selective account of the notable achievements of the Roman people, as particular moments seemed to me to deserve attention, all the more because my heart was free of expectation, fear, and political partisanship. |
igitur de Catilinae coniuratione quam uerissime potero, paucis absoluam; | Therefore, I will concisely recount as accurately as possible, the story of Catiline's conspiracy. |
nam id facinus in primis ego memorabile existimo sceleris atque periculi nouitate. | For I think that deed is especially noteworthy because the crime and its danger were unprecedented. |
de cuius hominis moribus pauca prius explananda sunt, quam initium narrandi faciam. | A few things have to be said first about this man's character before I start the narrative. |
V | V |
L.Catilina, nobili genere natus, fuit magna ui et animi et corporis, sed ingenio malo prauoque. | Lucius Catiline, born to a noble family, was endowed with a powerful mind and body, but he had a wicked and perverse disposition. |
huic ab adulescentia bella intestina, caedes, rapinae, discordia ciuilis grata fuêre, ibique iuuentutem suam exercuit. | From his young adulthood, he enjoyed internal wars, slaughters, pillaging, and civil unrest, and he spent his youth getting involved in such things. |
corpus patiens inediae, algoris, uigiliae, supra quam cuiquam credibile est. | His body could, beyond what anyone might find believable, endure going without food, cold temperatures, and staying awake. |
animus audax, subdolus, uarius, cuius rei libet simulator ac dissimulator, alieni appetens, sui profusus, ardens in cupiditatibus; satis eloquentiae, sapientiae parum. | His intelligence was daring, crafty, devious, capable of simulating or dissimulating anything, eager to get what belonged to someone else and reckless with what was his, aflame with compulsive desires; he had adequate speaking ability, but insufficient wisdom. |
uastus animus immoderata, incredibilia, nimis alta semper cupiebat. | His far-ranging mind was always coveting excessive, impossible things, and those that were far beyond his reach. |
hunc post dominationem L.~Sullae libido maxima inuaserat rei publicae capiendae; | After the rule of Lucius Sulla, he was gripped by a powerful yearning to take over the republic. |
neque id quibus modis assequeretur, dum sibi regnum pararet, quicquam pensi habebat. | And he did not care in the least about how he attained it as long as he got to rule. |
agitabatur magis magisque in dies animus ferox inopiâ rei familiaris et conscientiâ scelerum, quae utraque iis artibus auxerat, quas supra memoraui. | Day by day, his vicious mind was increasingly agitated by his estate's lack of funds and by his awareness of his guilty participation in crimes. Both of these factors were aggravated by his behavior, which I have mentioned previously. |
incitabant praeterea corrupti ciuitatis mores, quos pessima ac diuersa inter se mala, luxuria atque auaritia, uexabant. | In addition, the corrupt character of the state drove him on. It was afflicted with extravagance and greed, those supreme evils that are so different from one another. |
res ipsa hortari uidetur, quoniam de moribus ciuitatis tempus admonuit, supra repetere ac paucis instituta maiorum domi militiaeque, quo modo rem publicam habuerint quantamque reliquerint, ut paulatim immutata ex pulcherrima atque optima pessima ac flagitiosissima facta sit, disserere. | Since our present circumstances are making us think about the character of the state, the subject seems to suggest that we go back and briefly talk about what our ancestors established at home and on military campaigns, how they managed the republic and how much they left behind, so that from being the finest and best it has now gradually changed into the worst and most dissolute. |
VI | VI |
urbem Romam, sicuti ego accepi, condidêre atque habuêre initio Troiani, qui Aenea duce profugi sedibus incertis uagabantur, et cum his Aborigines, genus hominum agreste, sine legibus, sine imperio, liberum atque solutum. | The city of Rome, just as I have been told, was initially founded and maintained by the Trojan refugees led by Aeneas, wandering around through various unknown sites, and by the indigenous people, an uncivilized race, without laws, without government, free and unattached. |
hi postquam in una moenia conuenêre, dispari genere, dissimili lingua, alius alio more uiuentes, incredibile memoratu est quam facile coaluerint: | After these groups gathered together behind a single defensive perimeter, it is incredible to think how easily they merged into a single body despite their differences in stock, speech, and culture. |
ita breui multitudo diuersa atque uaga concordiâ ciuitas facta erat. | In such a short while, a mixed and roving multitude had become a state by being at one in mind and heart. |
sed postquam res eorum ciuibus, moribus, agris aucta satis prospera satisque pollens uidebatur, sicuti pleraque mortalium habentur, inuidia ex opulentiâ orta est. | But after their population, their culture, and their territory seemed adequately robust and flourishing, as worldly possessions are usually evaluated, prosperity gave rise to ill-will. |
igitur reges populique finitimi bello temptare, pauci ex amicis auxilio esse: | Therefore the neighboring kings and peoples began to test them in war, while few of their friends would support them. |
nam ceteri metu perculsi a periculis aberant. | For in the grip of fear, the rest kept far away from danger. |
at Romani domi militiaeque intenti festinare, parare, alius alium hortari, hostibus obuiam ire, libertatem, patriam, parentîsque armis tegere. | But the Romans, deeply involved at home and abroad, accelerated their efforts, got prepared, and exhorted each other, went out to meet the enemy, protected their freedom, their country, and their parents in battle. |
post, ubi pericula uirtute propulerant, sociis atque amicis auxilia portabant, magisque dandis quam accipiendis beneficiis amicitias parabant. | Later, when their courage had repelled the threat, they would aid their allies and their friends, acquiring partnerships more by giving than by accepting favors. |
imperium legitimum, nomen imperi regium habebant. | Theirs was a government founded on laws, though it had the name of a kingship. |
delecti, quibus corpus annis infirmum, ingenium sapientiâ ualidum erat, rei publicae consultabant: hi uel aetate uel curae similitudine patres appellabantur. | Selected men, whose bodies were weakened because of their age but whose inborn intelligences were vigorous because of the wisdom that they possessed, took care of the republic's concerns. These were called "fathers" either because of their time of life, or because of the fatherly character of the care that they had assumed. |
post, ubi regium imperium, quod initio conseruandae libertatis atque augendae rei publicae fuerat, in superbiam dominationemque se conuertit, immutato more, annua imperia binosque imperatores sibi fecêre: | Later, when the monarchy, which at that start had to do with conserving liberty and extending the republic, turned into arrogance and tyranny, they changed the system and appointed two supreme leaders each year. |
eo modo minime posse putabant per licentiam insolescere animum humanum. | They thought that in this way the human spirit was least likely to become overbearing through complete freedom to follow one's liking. |
VII | VII |
sed ea tempestate coepêre se quisque magis extollere magisque ingenium in promptu habere. | But at that time, each one began to advance himself more and to be readier to put his talents into play. |
nam regibus boni quam mali suspectiores sunt, semperque iis aliena uirtus formidulosa est. | For the good are more suspect to kings than the wicked are, and someone else's excellence is always a little threatening to them. |
sed ciuitas incredibile memoratu est adeptâ libertate quantum breui creuerit: tanta cupido gloriae incesserat. | But it is amazing to think of how great the state grew in such a short time after it had attained liberty: so a great a desire for renown had taken root. |
iam primum iuuentus, simul ac belli patiens erat, in castris per laborem usum militiae discebat, magisque in decoris armis et militaribus equis quam in scortis atque conuiuiis libidinem habebant. | First of all, the young men , as soon as they were capable of enduring military campaigns, began to learn how to live a soldier's life by working in the camps, and they would take more pleasure in beautiful armor and in battle-ready horses than in easy women and parties. |
igitur talibus uiris non labor insolitus, non locus ullus asper aut arduus erat, non armatus hostis formidulosus: uirtus omnia domuerat. | So these men found no work unusual, no terrain rough or hard, no armed enemy frightening: excellence had overcome everything. |
sed gloriae maximum certamen inter ipsos erat: | But the greatest struggle for glory was the one among themselves. |
se quisque hostem ferire, murum ascendere, conspici, dum tale facinus faceret, properabat. | Each one hurried to strike the enemy, to climb a wall, and to be seen as long as he accomplished some such deed. |
eas diuitias, eam bonam famam magnamque nobilitatem putabant. | They considered these things to be riches; for them, this was good reputation and high nobility. |
laudis auidi, pecuniae liberales erant; | They were hungry for praise, and generous with their money. |
gloriam ingentem, diuitias honestas uolebant. | They wanted expansive renown, and honorable wealth. |
memorare possum, quibus in locis maximas hostium copias populus Romanus parua manu fuderit, quas urbîs naturâ munitas pugnando ceperit, ni ea res longius nos ab incepto traheret. | I can list the places where the Roman people used a small force to rout very large enemy armies, and the cities that it captured in battle though they were given nature's defences, but this would take us too far from our subject. |
VIII | VIII |
sed profecto fortuna in omni re dominatur; | But in actuality, Fortune rules over every enterprise. |
ea res cunctas ex libidine magis quam ex uero celebrat obscuratque. | It celebrates and diminishes everything more on whim than on respect for reality. |
Atheniensium res gestae, sicuti ego aestimo, satis amplae magnificaeque fuêre, uerum aliquanto minores tamen quam famâ feruntur. | The deeds of the Athenians, in my judgment, were rich and magnificent enough, but somewhat less than rumor would have it. |
sed quia prouenêre ibi scriptorum magna ingenia, per terrarum orbem Atheniensium facta pro maximis celebrantur. | But since very talentented writers flourished there, the achievements of the Athenians are celebrated throughout the world as the greatest ever. |
ita eorum qui fecêre uirtus tanta habetur, quantum eam uerbis potuêre extollere praeclara ingenia. | So the excellence of those who accomplished them were considered to be only so great as brilliant talents were able to extol them in writing. |
at populo Romano numquam ea copia fuit, quia prudentissimus quisque maxime negotiosus erat, | But the Roman people never had such resources because all the most insightful people were quite thoroughly occupied. |
ingenium nemo sine corpore exercebat, optimus quisque facere quam dicere, sua ab aliis bene facta laudari quam ipse aliorum narrare malebat. | No one engaged his talent without actual physical involvement in the effort; and the most talented preferred action to talk, and they enjoyed hearing their own successes praised more than they did recounting the deeds of others. |
IX | IX |
igitur domi militiaeque boni mores colebantur; concordia maxima, minima auaritia erat; ius bonumque apud eos non legibus magis quam naturâ ualebat. | Therefore they cultivated good character at home and on military campaign; union of hearts was at its highest point, greed at its lowest. Among them, Rights and the Good were no stronger in legal codes than they were in natural behavior. |
iurgia, discordias, simultates cum hostibus exercebant, ciues cum ciuibus de uirtute certabant. | Criticism, wrangling, disputes came into play with the enemy; citizens competed with fellow citizens in excellence. |
in suppliciis deorum magnifici, domi parci, in amicos fideles erant. | In their religious rites, they were lavish; at home they were frugal; toward their friends they were faithful. |
duabus his artibus, audaciâ in bello, ubi pax euenerat aequitate, seque remque publicam curabant. | They took care of themselves and the republic through these two means: daring in war, and, when peace had arisen, justice. |
quarum rerum ego maxima documenta haec habeo, quod in bello saepius uindicatum est in eos, qui contra imperium in hostem pugnauerant quique tardius reuocati proelio excesserant, quam qui signa relinquere aut pulsi loco cedere ausi erant; | I consider the best proof of this the fact that in war there were more frequently punishments for those who had against their orders fought with the enemy, and for those who had retreated from battle too slowly than there were punishments for those who had dared to abandoned the standards or who retreated under pressure. |
in pace uero quod beneficiis magis quam metu imperium agitabant et acceptâ iniuriâ ignoscere quam persequi malebant. | But in peacetime they conducted their rule more through favors than through fear, and when they received an injury, they preferred to pardon it rather than pursue it. |
X | X. |
sed ubi labore atque iustitiâ res publica creuit, reges magni bello domiti, nationes ferae et populi ingentes ui subacti, Carthago aemula imperi Romani ab stirpe interiit, cuncta maria terraeque patebant, saeuire fortuna ac miscere omnia coepit. | But when the republic grew from its effort and its justice, great kings were conquered in war, fierce nations and vast populations forcibly subdued, Carthage, the rival of imperial Rome utterly uprooted, and land and sea were entirely open, Fortune began to rage and to throw everything into turmoil. |
qui labores, pericula, dubias atque asperas res facile tolerauerant, iis otium diuitiaeque, optanda alias, oneri miseriaeque fuêre. | The ones that had easily borne labors, dangers, risks, and hard times found that for them leisure and wealth, at other times so attractive, were a burden and a misery. |
igitur primo pecuniae, deinde imperi cupido creuit: ea quasi materies omnium malorum fuêre. | And so a compulsive desire grew, at first for money, then for rule: it was as though these were the very building material for all the troubles. |
namque auaritia fidem, probitatem ceterasque artîs bonas subuertit; | For greed undid good faith, integrity, and other virtuous behaviors. |
pro his superbiam, crudelitatem, deos neglegere, omnia uenalia habere edocuit. | In their place, it taught arrogance, cruelty, neglect of the gods, and the belief that everything had its price. |
ambitio multos mortalîs falsos fieri subegit, aliud clausum in pectore, aliud in lingua promptum habere, amicitias inimicitiasque non ex re, sed ex commodo aestimare, magisque uultum quam ingenium bonum habere. | Ambition drove many people to become deceivers; they held one thing inwardly while readily professing another openly. They evaluated friendships and enmities not on the basis of the truth but on the basis of advantage, and they thought more highly of good appearance than they did of good character. |
haec primo paulatim crescere, interdum uindicari; | At first, these patterns of behavior grew little by little; occasionally they were punished. |
post, ubi contagio quasi pestilentia inuasit, ciuitas immutata, imperium ex iustissimo atque optimo crudele intolerandumque factum. | Later, when the infection spread like a plague, the state changed, and the government went from being supremely just and excellent to being cruel and intolerable. |
XI | XI |
sed primo magis ambitio quam auaritia animos hominum exercebat, quod tamen uitium propius uirtutem erat. | At first it was ambition that motivated people more than greed, which is at least a vice that is not so far off from being a virtue. |
nam gloriam, honorem, imperium bonus et ignauus aeque sibi exoptant; | After all, a person of integrity and a slacker both have equally deep desires for glory, honor, and rule. |
sed ille uerâ uiâ nititur, huic quia bonae artes desunt, dolis atque fallaciis contendit. | But the former energetically takes the right path, but the latter, because he lacks good character, uses trickery and deceit to get ahead. |
auaritia pecuniae studium habet, quam nemo sapiens concupiuit: | Greed is deeply interested in money, which no wise person desires. |
ea quasi uenenis malis inbuta corpus animumque uirilem effeminat, semper infinita et insatiabilis est, neque copiâ neque inopiâ minuitur. | As if dipped in deadly poisons, it weakens a man's body and mind, always without limits and without satisfaction; neither abundance nor scarcity lets it diminish. |
sed postquam L.~Sulla armis receptâ re publicâ bonis initiis malos euentus habuit, rapere omnes, trahere, domum alius, alius agros cupere, neque modum neque modestiam uictores habere, foeda crudeliaque in ciuîs facinora facere. | But after Lucius Sulla took back the republic by force and brought about a disastrous end to what had been a promising beginning, everyone started to rob and pilfer; one wanted a house, another land; and the victors practiced neither measure nor restraint; they commited cruel and disgraceful outrages against their fellow citizens. |
huc accedebat, quod L.~Sulla exercitum, quem in Asia ductauerat, quo sibi fidum faceret, contra morem maiorum luxuriose nimisque liberaliter habuerat. | In addition to this, it happened that Lucius Sulla, against the practices of our ancestors, had pampered and spoiled the army that he had led into Asia. |
loca amoena, uoluptaria facile in otio ferocîs militum animos molliuerant: | Comfortable, lush places had easily softened the fierce spirit of the soldiery with leisure. |
ibi primum insueuit exercitus populi Romani amare, potare, signa, tabulas pictas, uasa caelata mirari, ea priuatim et publice rapere, delubra spoliare, sacra profanaque omnia polluere. | There for the first time, the army of the Roman people began to get accustomed to love-making, to drinking, to marvelling at statues, paintings, and engraved vases, to stealing them for themselves and for common possession, to despoiling shrines, and to defiling everything, whether sacred or profane. |
igitur ii milites, postquam uictoriam adepti sunt, nihil reliqui uictis fecêre. | And so those soldiers, after they attained victory, left nothing to the vanquished. |
quippe secundae res sapientium animos fatigant: ne illi corruptis moribus uictoriae temperarent. | Even flourishing times challenge the spirits of those who are wise, so those who are corrupt in their character would certainly not manage their victory with restraint. |
XII | XII |
postquam diuitiae honori esse coepêre et eas gloria, imperium, potentia sequebatur, hebescere uirtus, paupertas probro haberi, innocentia pro maleuolentia duci coepit. | Wealth began to count as honor; it led to glory and power and clout. It was then that excellence began to fade. Poverty was considered disgrace. Innocence was taken to be destructive resentment. |
igitur ex diuitiis iuuentutem luxuria atque auaritia cum superbia inuasêre: | So from affluence, the younger generation fell into extravagance and greed accompanied by arrogance. |
rapere, consumere, sua parui pendere, aliena cupere, pudorem pudicitiam, diuina atque humana promiscua, nihil pensi neque moderati habere. | They stole, squandered, put little value on what they had, coveted the goods of others, considered modesty a shame, indiscriminately confused what was for the gods and what was for human beings. Nothing really meant anything to them, and they had no restraint. |
operae pretium est, cum domos atque uillas cognoueris in urbium modum exaedificatas, uisere templa deorum, quae nostri maiores, religiosissimi mortales, fecêre. | When you notice large homes and villas built on the scale of cities, it is worthwhile to visit the gods' temples that our ancestors, supremely religious people, constructed. |
uerum illi delubra deorum pietate, domos suas gloriâ decorabant, neque uictis quicquam praeter iniuriae licentiam eripiebant. | They adorned the shrines of the gods with their devotion, and their own homes with good reputation, and they did not take from the conquered anything but the licence to do harm. |
at hi contra, ignauissimi homines, per summum scelus omnia ea sociis adimere, quae fortissimi uiri uictores reliquerant: proinde quasi iniuriam facere, id demum esset imperio uti. | But these supreme cowards, on the other hand, in their utter criminality strip from their allies everything that supremely brave men had left behind in their victory: just as if enjoying rule consisted precisely in the infliction of injury. |
XIII | XIII |
nam quid ea memorem, quae nisi iis qui uidêre nemini credibilia sunt, a priuatis compluribus subuersos montîs, maria constrata esse? | Why, really, should I recount what no one but eye-witnesses would believe — mountains overturned by many private citizens, and seas paved flat? |
quibus mihi uidentur ludibrio fuisse diuitiae: | In my view, their wealth became a toy. |
quippe quas honeste habere licebat, abuti per turpitudinem properabant. | In their depravity, they could not wait to abuse what they could possess honorably. |
sed libido stupri, ganeae ceterique cultus non minor incesserat: uiri muliebria pati, mulieres pudicitiam in propatulo habere; uescendi causâ terra marique omnia exquirere; dormire prius quam somni cupido esset; non famem aut sitim, neque frigus neque lassitudinem opperiri, sed ea omnia luxu antecapere. | But the lust for immoral sexual behavior, for eating lavishly, and no less for the other refinements had arisen: men did what women are supposed to do, women exposed their modesty out in public; they looked for everything available on land and sea to feed themselves; they did not wait for hunger or thirst or cold or weariness; they anticipated all those things in their extravagance. |
haec iuuentutem, ubi familiares opes defecerant, ad facinora incendebant: | This incited the youth to acts of criminality, when their family's resources ran out. |
animus inbutus malis artibus haud facile libidinibus carebat; | A mind that has gone the way of bad behavior does not go without its pleasures at all easily. |
eo profusius omnibus modis quaestui atque sumptui deditus erat. | So all the more lavishly did the youth surrender themselves to getting and spending money. |
XIV | XIV |
in tantâ tamque corruptâ ciuitate Catilina, id quod factu facillimum erat, omnium flagitiorum atque facinorum circum se tamquam stipatorum cateruas habebat. | In such a thoroughly corrupted state, Catiline found it quite an easy thing to do to surround himself with all kinds of disgraces and criminality as if they were crowds of attendants. |
nam quicumque impudicus, adulter, ganeo manu, uentre, pene bona patria lacerauerat, quique alienum aes grande conflauerat, quo flagitium aut facinus redimeret, praeterea omnes undique parricidae, sacrilegi, conuicti iudiciis aut pro factis iudicium timentes, ad hoc, quos manus atque lingua periurio aut sanguine ciuili alebat, postremo omnes quos flagitium, egestas, conscius animus exagitabat, ii Catilinae proximi familiaresque erant. | For whatever lusty man or adulterer or glutton had squandered his family estate with any particular part of his body; and whoever had run up a massive debt to pay off a disgrace or a crime; in addition, all the parricides from all over, and the godless, and those convicted in court or afraid that they would soon be on trial for their deeds; and also those whose hand or tongue was providing them support through their perjury or the through the spilling of their fellow citizens' blood; finally all those whom disgrace, poverty, or criminality drove on — these were Catiline's closest associates and intimate friends. |
quod si quis etiam a culpa uacuus in amicitiam eius inciderat, cottidiano usu atque illecebris facile par similisque ceteris efficiebatur. | If anyone, even someone with a unblemished record, ever fell into his company, he would easily be turned into an exact image of the rest through daily association and enticements. |
sed maxime adulescentium familiaritates appetebat: eorum animi molles etiam et aetate fluxi dolis haud difficulter capiebantur. | He was especially interested in having young men as his close companions: their impressionable minds, at at time of life when they were not steady, were quite easily tricked and taken in. |
nam ut cuiusque studium ex aetate flagrabat, aliis scorta praebere, aliis canes atque equos mercari; | For as each one's passion flared up according to his age, he would supply loose women for some, and buy dogs and horses for others. |
postremo neque sumptui neque modestiae suae parcere, dum illos obnoxios fidosque sibi faceret. | Finally he would spare neither expense nor his own respectability as long as he made them dependent on him and loyal. |
scio fuisse nonnullos, qui ita existimarent iuuentutem quae domum Catilinae frequentabat, parum honeste pudicitiam habuisse; sed ex aliis rebus magis quam quod cuiquam id compertum foret, haec fama ualebat. | I know that there have been some who thought that the young men who regularly visited Catiline's residence had been too loose with regard to their own modesty. But this is rumored for reasons other than that anyone might have actually gotten solid information about it. |
XV | XV |
iam primum adulescens Catilina multa nefanda stupra fecerat, cum uirgine nobili, cum sacerdote Vestae, alia huiusce modi contra ius fasque. | Already in his youth, Catiline had had many scandalous illicit affairs, with a young noble woman, and a Vestal priestess and other similar ones violating taboos and what was right. |
postremo, captus amore Aureliae Orestillae, cuius praeter formam nihil umquam bonus laudauit, quod ea nubere illi dubitabat timens priuignum adulta aetate, pro certo creditur, necato filio, uacuam domum scelestis nuptiis fecisse. | Finally, having fallen deeply in love with Aurelia Orestilla, whom no decent person ever praised for anything but her beauty, because she hesitated to marry him out of fear for the person who would be her fully grown stepson, he cleared his house for his unholy marriage by killing his son, according to reliable information. |
quae quidem res mihi in primis uidetur causa fuisse facinus maturandi. | Indeed it was this episode that seems to me to have been the leading reason for setting his criminal plan into motion. |
namque animus impurus, dis hominibusque infestus, neque uigiliis neque quietibus sedari poterat: ita conscientia mentem excitam uastabat. | For his contaminated mind, scorning both gods and human beings, could not be quieted by rest or waking: so much did his guilt agitate and destroy his thinking process. |
igitur colos exanguis, foedi oculi, citus modo, modo tardus incessus: prorsus in facie uultuque uecordia inerat. | So his complexion was pale, his eyes bloodshot, his gait now quick, now slow: in short his face and expression bore the look of madness. |
XVI | XVI |
sed iuuentutem, quam, ut supra diximus, illexerat, multis modis mala facinora edocebat. | He taught many different types of criminal conduct to the youth that he had charmed, as I mentioned before. |
ex illis testîs signatoresque falsos commodare; fidem, fortunas, pericula uilia habere; post, ubi eorum famam atque pudorem attriuerat, maiora alia imperabat. | He got some of them to be false witnesses and forgers; he had them learn to think little of success, risks, and being true to one's word; later, when he had made a shambles of their reputations and sense of shame, he ordered them to commit other acts that were yet more serious. |
si causa peccandi in praesens minus suppetebat, nihilo minus insontîs sicuti sontîs circumuenire, iugulare: | If there arrived a moment when he had no reason to do evil, he would still run down innocent people just as if they were guilty, and kill them. |
scilicet ne per otium torpescerent manus aut animus, gratuito potius malus atque crudelis erat. | In fact, so that their hands or hearts might not grow sluggish from inactivity, he would prefer to be wicked and cruel for no particular reason. |
his amicis sociisque confisus Catilina, simul quod aes alienum per omnîs terras ingens erat et quod plerique Sullani milites, largius suo usi, rapinarum et uictoriae ueteris memores ciuile bellum exoptabant, opprimendae rei publicae consilium cepit. | Relying on these friends and companions, Catiline contrived a plan to overthrow the government, both because massive debts were widespread and because Sulla's soldiers, after they had been too carefree about using up their resources, remembered their victorious pillaging and fervently hoped for a civil war. |
in Italia nullus exercitus, Cn.~Pompeius in extremis terris bellum gerebat; | In Italy there was no army; Gnaeus Pompey was conducting a war in far-away lands. |
ipsi consulatum petenti magna spes, senatus nihil sane intentus: | He had high hopes for attaining the consulship; and the senate was not focused on anything in particular. |
tutae tranquillaeque res omnes, sed ea prorsus opportuna Catilinae. | Everything was safe and peaceful; but that was just the right moment for Catiline. |
XVII | XVII |
igitur circiter Kalendas Iunias L.~Caesare et C.~Figulo consulibus primo singulos appellare; hortari alios, alios temptare; opes suas, imparatam rem publicam, magna praemia coniurationis docere. | Therefore around the Kalends of June in the consulship of Lucius Caesar and Gaius Figulus, he first began to approach individuals. He encouraged some, others he sounded out. He pointed to his own wealth, the republic's lack of readiness, the tremendous rewards of the plot. |
ubi satis explorata sunt quae uoluit, in unum omnîs conuocat, quibus maxima necessitudo et plurimum audaciae inerat. | When he had found out all that he wanted to know, he called all the most desperate and daring together. |
eo conuenêre senatorii ordinis P.~Lentulus Sura, P.~Autronius, L.~Cassius Longinus, C.~Cethegus, P.~et Ser.~Sullae Ser. filii, L.~Vargunteius, Q.~Annius, M.~Porcius Laeca, L.~Bestia, Q.~Curius; praeterea ex equestri ordine M.~Fuluius Nobilior, L.~Statilius, P.~Gabinius Capito, C.~Cornelius; ad hoc multi ex coloniis et municipiis domi nobiles. | From the senatorial rank, there came Publius Lentulus Sura, Publius Autronius, Lucius Cassius Longinus, Gaius Cethegus, Publius et Servius Sullae, the sons of Servius, Lucius Vargunteius, Quintus Annius, Marcus Porcius Laeca, Lucius Bestia, Quintus Curius. The equestrians included Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, Lucius Statilius, Publius Gabinius Capito, Gaius Cornelius. In addition, there were many from the colonies and free towns who ranked as nobles in their own communities. |
erant praeterea complures paulo occultius consili huiusce participes nobiles, quos magis dominationis spes hortabatur quam inopia aut alia necessitudo. | There were besides these, quite a few nobles whose connection with this plan was a bit murky. Neither poverty nor any other crisis impelled them as much as their hope of gaining control. |
ceterum iuuentus pleraque, sed maxime nobilium Catilinae inceptis fauebat: | Yet most of the youth, and especially that of the nobles, supported Catiline's initiative. |
quibus in otio uel magnifice uel molliter uiuere copia erat; | They had more than enough resources to live at leisure in splendor or in comfort. |
incerta pro certis, bellum quam pacem malebant. | They preferred risk to security, and war to peace. |
fuêre item eâ tempestate qui crederent M.~Licinium Crassum non ignarum eius consili fuisse: quia Cn.~Pompeius, inuisus ipsi, magnum exercitum ductabat, cuiusuis opes uoluisse contra illius potentiam crescere, simul confisum, si coniuratio ualuisset, facile apud illos principem se fore. | Likewise there were at that time those who believed that Marcus Licinius Crassus was not unaware of this plan. Because his detested rival, Gnaeus Pompey, was in charge of a large army, they said that he had wanted to see the influence of anyone at all grow against Pompey's political capacity, and that he was confident that if the conspiracy had achieved its objective, he would easily gain support from them for his leadership. |
XVIII | XVIII |
sed antea item coniurauêre pauci contra rem publicam, in quibus Catilina fuit. | But earlier on, a few had conspired in a similar way against the republic, and Catiline was among them. |
de qua, quam uerissime potero, dicam. | I will speak of this as accurately as possible. |
L.Tullo et M'.Lepido consulibus P.~Autronius et P.~Sulla designati consules legibus ambitus interrogati poenas dederant. | In the consulship of Lucius Tullus and Manlius Lepidus, Publius Autronius and Publius Sulla, the consuls-elect, had been arraigned for bribery and they had paid the penalty for it. |
post paulo Catilina, pecuniarum repetundarum reus, prohibitus erat consulatum petere, quod intra legitimos dies profiteri nequiuerat. | A little later, Catiline, on trial for extortion, was not permitted to run for consul, because he had been unable to declare his candidacy within the legal time period. |
erat eodem tempore Cn.~Piso, adulescens nobilis, summae audaciae, egens, factiosus, quem ad perturbandam rem publicam inopia atque mali mores stimulabant. | At the same time, Gnaeus Piso was a young nobleman, reckless, needy, and seditious. His poverty and his degeneracy provoked him to upset the republic. |
cum hoc Catilina et Autronius circiter Nonas Decembris, consilio communicato, parabant in Capitolio Kalendis Ianuariis L.~Cottam et L.~Torquatum consules interficere, ipsi, fascibus correptis, Pisonem cum exercitu ad obtinendas duas Hispanias mittere. | Once Catiline and Autronius had brought him in on the plan, he joined them in the preparations to kill the consuls Lucius Cotta and Lucius Torquatus on the Capitol on the first of January. They would seize the fasces and send Piso with an army to take over the two Spanish provinces. |
eâ re cognitâ, rursus in Nonas Februarias consilium caedis transtulerant. | Word about the plot got out; they postponed the date for the assassination until the 5th of February. |
iam tum non consulibus modo, sed plerisque senatoribus perniciem machinabantur. | But then they were plotting destruction not just for the consuls but for the majority of the senators. |
quod ni Catilina maturasset pro curia signum sociis dare, eo die post conditam urbem Romam pessimum facinus patratum foret. | If Catiline had not been too quick to give the signal to his associates in front of the senate house, that day would have given rise to the worst crime in the history of Rome. |
quia nondum frequentes armati conuenerant, ea res consilium diremit. | Since the armed men had not yet arrived in full force, the situation ruined the plan. |
XIX | XIX |
postea Piso in citeriorem Hispaniam quaestor pro praetore missus est annitente Crasso, quod eum infestum inimicum Cn.~Pompeio cognouerat. | Later, with the active support of Crassus, who realized that he was a deadly enmity of Gnaeus Pompey, Piso was sent to Nearer Spain as a quaestor with the powers of praetor. |
neque tamen senatus prouinciam inuitus dederat, quippe foedum hominem a re publica procul esse uolebat, simul quia boni complures praesidium in eo putabant et iam tum potentia Pompei formidulosa erat. | And the senate was happy to give him that province: of course they wanted this pest far from the republic, and at the same time, quite a few of the decent men thought that this would make for safety, and Pompey's political clout was already at that time rather troubling. |
sed is Piso in prouincia ab equitibus Hispanis, quos in exercitu ductabat, iter faciens occisus est. | But while making a journey in the province, Piso was killed by Spanish cavalrymen whom he was taking along with him in his army. |
sunt qui ita dicant imperia eius iniusta, superba, crudelia barbaros nequiuisse pati; alii autem, equites illos, Cn.~Pompei ueteres fidosque clientîs, uoluntate eius Pisonem aggressos: | There are those who say that these foreigners could not put up with his unjust, arrogant, and cruel commands; others, however, say those cavalrymen were old and faithful followers of Gnaeus Pompey, and they attacked Piso at his command. |
numquam Hispanos praeterea tale facinus fecisse, sed imperia saeua multa antea perpessos. | Besides, the Spaniards had never committed such a crime, but they had borne up under many brutal leaders before. |
nos eam rem in medio relinquemus. de superiore coniuratione satis dictum. | I will leave this matter unresolved. Enough has been said about the earlier conspiracy. |
XX | XX |
Catilina ubi eos, quos paulo ante memoraui, conuenisse uidet, tametsi cum singulis multa saepe egerat, tamen in rem fore credens uniuersos appellare et cohortari, in abditam partem aedium secedit atque ibi, omnibus arbitris procul amotis, orationem huiusce modi habuit: | When he saw that the ones I mentioned a little earlier had gathered together, Catiline, although he had discussed many matters with each of them individually, still thought that it would be helpful to address the entire group and encourage them, and so he withdrew into an inner part of the house and there, after he had all witnesses taken a good distance away, he gave a speech that went like this: |
'ni uirtus fidesque uestra spectata mihi foret, nequiquam opportuna res cecidisset; spes magna, dominatio in manibus frustra fuissent, neque ego per ignauiam aut uana ingenia incerta pro certis captarem. | If I had not witnessed your valor and your good faith, I would have lost this perfect opportunity. Great expectation, political control would have been within our reach in vain, and I would not go looking for risks rather than for security under the influence of cowardice or of bright but empty dreams. |
sed quia multis et magnis tempestatibus uos cognoui fortîs fidosque mihi, eo animus ausus est maximum atque pulcherrimum facinus incipere, simul quia uobis eadem quae mihi bona malaque esse intellexi; nam idem uelle atque idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est. | But since through many rough times I have come to realize that you are brave and reliable, I have been emboldened by that realization to enter upon a most ambitious and appealing enterprise, and I am doing this because I have likewise realized that we share exactly the same view on what is good and what is bad. For wanting the same thing and not wanting the same thing is precisely what makes a solid friendship. |
sed ego quae mente agitaui, omnes iam antea diuersi audistis. | All of you have already heard separately the thoughts that have been occupying my mind. |
ceterum mihi in dies magis animus accenditur, cum considero, quae condicio uitae futura sit, nisi nosmet ipsi uindicamus in libertatem. | Yet day after day, I get angrier and angrier when I consider what kind of life we are going to have unless we claim our freedom. |
nam postquam res publica in paucorum potentium ius atque dicionem concessit, semper illis reges, tetrarchae uectigales esse, populi, nationes stipendia pendere; | For since the republic has fallen into the power and under the sway of a powerful minority, kings and tetrarchs provide them with tax-revenues; peoples and nations pay them tributes. |
ceteri omnes, strenui boni, nobiles atque ignobiles, uulgus fuimus sine gratia, sine auctoritate, iis obnoxii, quibus, si res publica ualeret, formidini essemus. | All the rest of us, energetic decent men, whether nobles or not, we have been the rabble, without influence, without authority, dependent on people who would be trembling at us if the republic were healthy. |
itaque omnis gratia, potentia, honor, diuitiae apud illos sunt aut ubi illi uolunt; | And so all influence, political power, honor, riches, are with them, or where they want to put them. |
nobis reliquêre pericula, repulsas, iudicia, egestatem. quae quo usque tandem patiemini, o fortissimi uiri? | The have left us dangers, rejection, trials, and neediness. How far are you going to put up with this, supremely brave men like you? |
nonne emori per uirtutem praestat quam uitam miseram atque inhonestam, ubi alienae superbiae ludibrio fueris, per dedecus amittere? | Is it not better to die in the use of one's excellence than to lose in shame a wretched and dishonorable life when you've become a toy for someone else's arrogance? |
uerum enim uero, — pro deum atque hominum fidem! — uictoria in manu nobis est, uiget aetas, animus ualet; contra illis annis atque diuitiis omnia consenuerunt. | But truly, I swear by god and humanity, victory is in our hands, we are in the prime of life, our spirit is strong; on the other hand, everything has shrivelled up for them because of their age and their wealth. |
tantummodo incepto opus est, cetera res expediet. | We only have to begin and everything else will fall into place. |
etenim quis mortalium, cui uirile ingenium est, tolerare potest illis diuitias superare, quas profundant in extruendo mari et montibus coaequandis, nobis rem familiarem etiam ad necessaria deesse? illos binas aut amplius domos continuare, nobis larem familiarem nusquam ullum esse? cum tabulas, signa, toreumata emunt, noua diruunt, alia aedificant, postremo omnibus modis pecuniam trahunt, uexant, tamen summa libidine diuitias suas uincere nequeunt. | For what mortal who has the real character of a man can endure a situation in which riches abound for them, which they waste in paving over the ocean and levelling the mountains, while we do without resources even for the necessities of life? Or that they link two or more large residences together, while we do not even have so much as our own household shrine anywhere? When they buy paintings, statues, and decorated pottery; they tear down new buildings and put up others; and in short they misuse and trouble their money in all kinds of ways without being able to get the better of their wealth with their almighty personal pleasures. |
at nobis est domi inopia, foris aes alienum, mala res, spes multo asperior: denique quid reliqui habemus praeter miseram animam? | But we have poverty at home and debt abroad. Our financial situation is bad; our prospects, much worse. In the end, what is left for us, beyond a wretched life? |
quin igitur expergiscimini? en illa, illa quam saepe optastis libertas, praeterea diuitiae, decus, gloria in oculis sita sunt; | Why not wake up, then? Look, those things, the liberty that you have often longed for, in addition, wealth, honor, and glory, they are all in view. |
fortuna omnia ea uictoribus praemia posuit. | Fortune has put all those things there as rewards for the winners. |
res, tempus, pericula, egestas, belli spolia magnifica magis quam oratio mea uos hortantur. | The situation, the occasion, the dangers, the need, the splendid spoils of war encourage you more than my speech does. |
uel imperatore uel milite me utimini: neque animus neque corpus a uobis aberit. | Employ me as a commander or as a soldier. Neither my spirit nor my body will quit you. |
haec ipsa, ut spero, uobiscum unâ consul agam, nisi forte me animus fallit et uos seruire magis quam imperare parati estis.' | I will achieve this as consul, together with you, unless I am perhaps mistaken, and you are more ready to serve than to rule. |
