40unius adolescentis virtuti committeretur. Quid tam singulare, quàm ut ex Senatusconsulto legibus solutus, Consul ante fieret, quam ullum alium Magistratum per leges capere licuisset; quid tam incredibile, quàm ut iterum Eques Rom. ex s. c. triumpharet? quæ in omnibus hominibus nova post hominum memoriam constituta sunt, ea 45tam multa non sunt, quàm hæc quæ in hoc uno homine vidimus. Atque hæc tot exempla, tanta ac tam nova profecta sunt in eundem hominem à Q. Catulo, atque à cæterorum ejusdem dignitatis amplissimorum hominum auctoritate. Quare videant, ne sit periniquum, et non ferendum, illorum auctoritatem de Cn. Pompeii dignitate à vobis 50comprobatam semper esse; vestrum ab illis de eodem homine judicium, populique Rom. auctoritatem improbari: præsertim cùm jam suo jure populus Romanus in hoc homine suam auctoritatem vel contra omneis qui dissentiunt, possit defendere: propterea quod istis recla mantibus, vos unum illum ex omnibus delegistis, quem bello prædo55num præponeretis. Hoc si vos temerè fecistis, et reipublicæ parùm consuluistis; rectè isti studia vestra suis consiliis regere conantur; sin autem vos plus tum in republicâ vidistis, vos, his repugnantibus, per vosmetipsos dignitatem huic imperio, salutem orbi terrarum attulistis: aliquando isti principes, et sibi, et cæteris, populi Romani uni60versi auctoritati parendum esse fateantur. Atque in hoc bello Asiatico, et Regio, non solùm militaris illa virtus quæ est in Cn. Pompeio singularis, sed aliæ quoque virtutes animi multæ et magnæ requiruntur. Difficile est in Asiâ, Ciliciâ, Syriâ, regnisque interiorum nationum ita versari vestrum Imperatorem, ut nihil aliud quàm de hoste ac de laude 65cogitet: deinde etiam si qui sunt pudore ac temprcantiâ moderatiores, tamen eos esse taleis propter multitudinem cupidorum hominum nemo arbitratur. Difficile est dictu, Quirites, quanto in odio simus apud exteras nationes propter eorum, quos ad eas per hos annos cum imperio misimus, injurias ac libidines. Quod enim fanum putatis in illis 70terris nostris Magistratibus religiosum, quam civitatem sanctam, quam domum satis clausam ac munitam fuisse? urbes jam locupletes ac copiosæ requiruntur, quibus causa belli propter diripiendi cupiditatem inferatur. Libenter hæc coràm cum Q. Catulo et Hortensio disputa

a suscipere Magistratum gerendum.

42. Ullum Magistratum.] The first Magistracy was the Quæstorship, which was conferred upon young men; hence Cic. in lib. Epist. Quæstorem Cæcilium præposui provinciæ, puerum, inquis? at Qaustorem, &c. 43. Iterum triumpharet.] Pompey was honoured with two triumphs when only a knight, the last was over Sertorius.

49. A vobis comprobatum.] The Roman people approved the decree of the Senate, by which triumphs were granted to Pompey. They had magistrates, namely tribunes, by whom the decrees of the Senate were to be examined if they disapproved of them they were void, but if otherwise they were accepted.

53. Istis reclamantibus.] When by the Gabinian law the command in the war against the pirates was given to Pompey

b

rem, summis et clarissimis viris; noverunt enim sociorum vulnera, vident eorum calamitates, querimonias audiunt. Pro sociis vos contra75 hostes exercitum mittere putatis, an hostium simulatione contra socios atque amicos? quæ civitas est in Asia, quæ non modò unius Imperatoris, aut Legati, sed unius Tribuni militum animos ac spiritus capere possit? Quare, etiamsi quem habetis, qui collatis signis, exercitus Regios superare posse videatur; tamen nisi erit idem, qui se à80 pecuniis sociorum, qui ab eorum conjugibus ac liberis, qui ab auro gazâque regiâ manus, oculos, animum cohibere possit, non erit idoneus qui ad bellum Asiaticum Regiumque mittatur. Ecquam putatis civitatem pacatam fuisse, quæ locuples sit? ecquam esse locupletem, quæ istis pacata esse videatur? Ora maritima, Quirites, Cn. Pompe-85 ium non solùm propter rei militaris gloriam, sed etiam propter animi continentiam requisivit; videbat enim populus Romanus non lucupletari quotannis pecuniâ publicâ, præter paucos: neque nos quidquam aliud assequi classium nomine, nisi ut detrimentis accipiendis majore affici turpitudine videremur. Nunc quâ cupiditate homines90 in provincias, quibus jacturis, quibus conditionibus proficiscantur, ignorant videlicet isti qui ad unum deferenda esse omnia non arbitrantur; quasi verò Cn. Pompeium non cùm suis virtutibus, tum etiam alienis vitiis magnum esse videamus. Quare nolite dubitare quin huic uni credatis omnia, qui inter annos tot unus inventus sit, quem95 socii in urbeis suas cum exercitu venisse gaudeant. Quòd si auctoritatibus hanc causam, Quirites, confirmandam putatis, est vobis auctor, vir bellorum omnium maximarumque rerum peritissimus P. Servilius: cujus tantæ res gestæ terrâ marique exstiterunt, ut, cùm de bello deliberetis, auctor vobis gravior esse nemo debeat: est C. Curio sum-100 mis vestris beneficiis, maximisque rebus gestis, summo ingenio et prudentiâ præditus: est Cn. Lentulus, in quo omnes, pro amplissimis vestris honoribus, summum consilium, summam gravitatem esse cognoscitis: est C. Cassius integritate, virtute, constantiâ singulari. Quare videte, ut f horum auctoritatibus, illorum orationi qui dissen-105 tiunt, respondere posse videamur.

e

PERORATIO.

XV. Quæ cum ita sint, C. Manili, primum istam tuam et legem, et voluntatem, et sententiam laudo, vehementissimeque comprobo: de

a continere et satiare. b pugnâ datâ. sint exercitui navali. e à tot annis.

c quæsivit studiosè. d quòd præfecti f per auctoritates eorum.

98. P. Servilius.] This P. Servilius was sent against the pirates and conquered them in a bloody victory. But not content with driving them from the sea, he overturned their strongest cities, the repositories of their plunder, Phaselis, Olympus, and Isaurus the very capital of Cilicia. Conscious of the great labour which he had performed, he took the name of Isauricus.

100. Est C. Curio.] Curio was consul with Cn. Octavius, who when proconsul conquered the Greeks.

102. Cn. Lentulus.] Lentulus the colleague of Lucullus fought with Sparta

cus.

inde te hortor ut auctore populo Romano maneas in sententia, neve cujusquam vim, aut minas pertimescas. Primùm in te satis esse animi, 5 constantiæque arbitror: deinde cum tantam multitudinem cum tanto studio adesse videamus, quantam nunc iterùm in eodem homine præficiendo videamus; quid est, quod aut de re, aut de perficiendi facultate dubitemus? Ego autem, quidquid in me est studii, consilii, laboris, ingenii, quidquid hoc beneficio populi Romani, atque hâc po10testate prætoriâ, quidquid auctoritate, fide, constantiâ possum, id omne ad hanc rem conficiendam tibi et populo Romano polliceor et defero; testorque omnes deos, et eos maximè qui huic loco, temploque præsident, qui omnium menteis eorum, qui ad Rempubl. adeunt, maxime perspiciunt, me hoc neque rogatu facere cujusquam, neque quo, 15Cn. Pompeii gratiam mihi per hanc causam conciliari putem, neque quo mihi ex cujusquam amplitudine, aut præsidia periculis, aut adjumenta honoribus quæram; propterea quòd pericula facilè, aut hominem præstare oportet, innocentiâ tecti pellemus; honores autem, neque ab uno, neque ex hoc loco, sed eâdem nostrâ illâ laboriosissima 20ratione vitæ, şi vestra voluntas feret, consequemur. Quomobrem quidquid in hac causâ mihi susceptum est, Quirites, id omne me reipublicæ causâ suscepisse confirmo: tantumque abest ut aliquam bonam gratiam mihi quæsisse videar, ut multas etiam simultates partìm obscuras, partìm apertas, intelligam mihi non necessarias, vobis non 25inutiles suscepisse. Sed ego me hoc honore præditum, tantis vestris beneficiis affectum, statui, Quirites, vestram voluntatem, et reipublicæ dignitatem, et salutem provinciarum, atque sociorum, meis omnibus commodis et rationibus præferre oportere.

a quatenus.

1. Istam tuam legem.] This law was very displeasing to good men, not only because it seemed to destroy public liberty, but because it deprived Lucullus of the glory of his military achievements. Many indeed attempted to oppose it, but none did it boldly except Catulus.

12. Huic loco.] The temples of Jupiter, Castor, and Concordantia, were around the forum.

Ib. Temploque.] Templum is often put for the Senate house, and sometimes for

b affirmo.

the forum, thus Livy. lib. 8. Rostraque id templum appellatum.

16. Adjumenta honoribus.] He declares that in this defence of the Manilian law, he did not seek to promote himself to the consulship which he considered the greatest honour, but only the public good.

24. Vobis non inutiles.] He insinuates that on account of their secret enmity, he would disclose many things dishonestly carried on by them, the knowledge of which might perhaps be useful to the Republic.

C. RABIRIO,

PERDUELLIONIS REO:

AD QUIRITES,

ARGUMENTUM.-L. Apuleius Saturninus factus Tribunus plebis, Glauciam suum satellitem, ut Plinius refert in vitâ Saturnini, Prætorem; Consulem, ut narrat Livius lib. 69. facere volebat: C, Memmius ejus competitor obstabat; quare jubente et impellente Saturnino, Memmius in Comitiis Consularibus fustibus necatus est; et Comitia, non ferente tantum facinus populo, dissoluta sunt. Postridie, Senatusconsulto, Mario, et L. Val. Flacco Consulibus mandatum est, ut viderent Consules, nè quid detrimenti caperet Respub. Consules verò, qui salvam Rempub. esse vellent, arma capere, et se sequi jubent: obsidetur Capitolium, quò se Saturninus cum Glauciâ, Saufeio, Equitio, et Labieno receperat. Illi aquâ defecti, in Marii fidem se dederunt, quos inclusit in curiâ, ubi furente multitudine, Saturninus lapidibus obrutus est, Glaucia fracta cervix, Labienus interfectus. Dicitur Rabirius caput Saturnini in ludibrium per convivia circumtulisse.

PERSONE.-Accusator fuit T. Labienus, quem Cæsar subornavit, ut scribit Suetonius, ad Rabirium perduellionis accusandum, et cui sorte datus est judex, et à quo damatus provocavit ad populum.

Reus Rabirius, qui perduellionis accusatur, quod summum est imminutæ Majestatis crimen. Patroni, Q. Hortensius, qui contendit Saturninum ad Rabirio occisum non esse : Cicero Consul, qui legitimè sumta esse arma à Rabirio, interficiendi Saturnini causâ disputavit, cùm omnes boni cives id fecerint.

LOCUS.-Acta fuit hæc causa in Comitio, de quo jam in Oratione pro lege Manilia. QUESTIO.-Est in genere judiciali, an Rabirius, perduellionis reus, sit absolvendus. PARTES.-Sunt quinque; Exordium, Distributio, Confutatio, Digressio, Confirmatio. TEMPUS.-Quartam hanc Orationem Consul Cicero anno urbis Conditæ 690. habuit à morte Saturnini 37, ætatis suæ 44.

EVENTUS.-Narrat Dio nihil abfuisse quin à populo Rabirius damnaretur; sed Metellum Celerem Prætorem et Augurem Militare signum de Janiculo protulisse; quod cùm fieret, dissolvi Comitia antiquo more oportuisse: ac noluisse iterùm Labienum restaurari Comitia, atque ita Rabirium servatum fuisse.

In quo proponit causas, quibus adducitur ad Rabirium defendum.

I.

TSI, Quirites, non est meæ consuetudinis, initio dicendi rationem reddere, quâ de causâ quemque defendam, propterea quòd cum omnibus civibus in eorum periculis semper satìs justam mihi causam necessitudinis esse duxi: tamen in hac defensione capitis,

INTERPRETATIO.
a vitæ.

NOTES.

1. Mea consuetudinis.] Although it was not Cicero's usual practice to give a reason for defending any one, yet he did sometimes do so, as in his orations for Sylla, and

Archia the poet.

4. Necessitudinis.] Rabirius was his friend, and he was consequently bound to defend him.

5 famæ, fortunarum omnium C. Rabirii, proponenda ratio videtur esse ⚫ officii mei: propterea quòd, quæ justissima mihi causa ad hunc defendendum esse visa est, eadem vobis ad absolvendum debet videri. Nam me cùm amicitiæ vetustas, tum dignitas hominis, tum ratio humanitatis, tum meæ vitæ perpetua consuetudo, ad C. Rabirium de10fendendum est adhortata: tum verò, ut id studiosissimè facerem, salus reip. consulare officium, consulatus denique ipse mihi unà vobiscum cum salute reipubl. commendatus, coëgit. Non enim C. Rabirium culpa delicti, non invidia, vitæque turpitudo, non denique veteres, justæ, gravesque inimicitiæ civium in discrimen capitis vocaverunt: 15sed ut illud summum auxilium Majestatis, atque imperii, quod nobis à Majoribus est traditum, de repub. tolleretur; ut nihil posthâc auctoritas senatûs, nihil consulare imperium, nihil consensio bonorum contra pestem ac perniciem civitatis valeret: idcircò in his rebus evertendis unius hominis senectus, infirmitas, solitudoque tentata est. 20Quamobrem, si est boni consulis, cùm cuncta auxilia reipub. labefactari, convellique videat, ferre opem patriæ, succurrere saluti fortunisque communibus, implorare civium fidem, suam salutem posteriorem salute communi ducere; est etiam bonorum et fortium civium, quales vos omnibus reip. temporibus exstitistis, intercludere omnes 25seditionum vias, munire præsidia reipubl. summum in consulibus imperium, summum in senatu consilium, putare; ea qui secutus sit, laude potius et honore, quàm poenâ et supplicio dignum judicare. Quamobrem labor in hoc defendendo præcipuè meus est: studium a defensionibus hujus. b desertio. c pluris facere salutem civium quàm suam.

8. Amicitia vetustas.] Cicero would have violated old friendship if he had not as sisted his friend when in danger.

Ib. Ratio humanitatis.] We are moved by humanity to relieve men in distress.

10. Salus reipub.] In this cause he speaks of the safety of the republic, which seditious citizens endeavoured to distract during the Saturnine tumult, as appears from the argument of the oration.

11. Consulare officium.] Cicero was consul when he spoke this oration, at which time it was his duty to defend the consular authority, by which Saturninus had been

slain.

Ib. Consulatus denique.] By a decree of the Senate, Cicero and the Romans were commanded to defend the consular dignity which would be violated if it were crimi. nal for the consuls to punish seditious citi

zens.

13. Culpa delicti.] Rabirius was not cited to trial because he had committed a crime, but because he had obeyed the consul when he called the citizens to arms.

15. Summum auxilium.] He intends that famous decree of the Senate, by which in times of public danger the consuls were commanded to see that the republic suffered no injury, and by which the power of raising armies and carrying on war was given to the consuls.

b

C

16. Tolleretur.] He hints that unless that power was continued to the consuls, the dignity of the republic would soon be destroyed by seditious citizens.

17. Consensio bonorum.] The Senate and those who followed the decree of the Senate, when Saturninus going from the capital was crushed to death.

19. Hominis Senectus.] Rabirius must have been very old, for Saturninus had been killed thirty-six years previous, at which time he was a Senator, to which dignity he could not be admitted until thirty years of age.

Ib. Solitudo.] Those who are deserted by all may be called solitary, but this could not be correctly said of Rabirius, as he was defended by the principal citizens. This was an oratorical exaggeration to excite the pity of the people towards him.

24. Seditionum vias.] He speaks of the sedition which Saturninus had excited thirty-six years previous, and if a new sedition should take place, he shows in what way the Senate and people should oppose it.

25. Summum in consulibus imperium.] The authority of the consels was very great, and when compared with that of other magistrates almost royal, but it was inferior to the power of the people.

28. Labor in defendendo.] He says there