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ORATIO VII.

4. IN L. CATILINAM*.

I. VIDEO, P. C. in me omnium vestrum ora atque oculos esse conversos: video vos non solum de vestro ac reipublicæ, verum etiam, si id depulsum sit, de meo periculo esse solicitos. Est mihi jucunda in malis, et grata in dolore, vestra erga me voluntas: sed eam, per deos immortales quæso, deponite; atque obliti salutis meæ, de vobis ac de liberis vestris cogitate. Mihi quidem si hæc conditio consulatus data est, ut omnes acerbitates, omnes dolores cruciatusque perferrem ; feram non solum fortiter, sed etiam libenter, dummodo meis laboribus vobis populoque Romano dignitas salusque pariatur. Ego sum

Though the design of the confpiracy was in a great mealure defeated, by the com mitment of the most confiderable of those concerned in it, yet as they had many fecret favourers and well-wishers within the city, the people were alarmed with the rumour of fresh plots, formed by the slaves and dependents of Lentulus and Cethegus, for the refcue of their mafters; which obliged Cicero to reinforce his guards; and for the prevention of all fuch attempts, to put an end to the whole affair, by bringing the question of their punishment, without farther delay, before the senate, which he accordingly sunimoned for that purpose. The debate was of great delicacy and importance; to decide upon the lives of citizens of the first rank. Capital punishments were rare, and ever odious in Rome, whofe laws were of all others the least sanguinary; banishment, with confiscation of goods, being the ordinary punifiment for the greatest crimes. The fenate indeed, as it has been said above, in cafes of sudden and dangerous tumults, claimed the prerogative of punishing the leaders with death, by the authority of their own decrees. But this was looked upon as a stretch of power, and an infringement of the rights of the people, which nothing could excuse, but the necefsity of times, and the extremity of danger. For there was an old law of Porcius Læca. a tribune, which granted all criminals capitally condemned, an appeal to the people; and a later one of C. Gracchus, to prohibit the taking away the life of any citizen, without a formal hearing before the people: fo that some senators, who had concurred in all the previous debates, withdrew themselves from this, to show their dislike of what they expected to be the issue of it, and to have no hand in putting Roman citizens to death by a vote of the fenate. Here then was ground enough for Cicero's enemies to act upon, if extreme methods were purfued: he himself was aware of it, and saw that the public interest called for the severest punishment, his private interest the gentleft; yet he came resolved to facrifice all regards for his own quiet, to the con sideration of the public safety. As soon therefore as he had moved the question, what was to be done with the confpirators? Silanus, the consul elect, being called upon to speak the first, advised, that those who were then in custody, with the rest who

ORATION VII.
RATION

4. AGAINST CATILINE.

SECT. I. I Perceive, conscript fathers, that every look,' that every eye is fixed upon me. I see you solicitous not only for your own and your country's danger, but, was that repelled, for mine also. This proof of your affection is grateful to me in sorrow, and pleasing in distress: but by the immortal gods I conjure you! lay it all aside; and without any regard to my safety, think only of yourselves and of your families. For should the condition of my consulship be such as to subject me to all manner of pains, hardships, and sufferings; I will bear them not only resolutely, but cheerfully, if by my labours I can secure your dignity and safety, with that of the people of

should afterwards be taken, should all be put to death. To this all who spoke after him readily assented, till it came to Julius Caesar, then prætor elect, who in an elegant and elaborate speech, treated that opinion, not as cruel, since death, he said, was not a punishment, but relief to the miserable, and left no sense either of good or ill beyond it; but as new and illegal, and contrary to the constitution of the republic: and though heinousness of the crime would justify any severity, yet the example was dangerous in a free state: and the salutary use of arbitrary power in good hands had been the canse of fatal mischiefs when it fell iuto bad; of which he produced several instances, both in other cities and their own; and though no danger could be apprehended from these times, or such a consul as Cicero, yet in other times, and under another consul, when the sword was once drawn by a decree of the senate, no man could promise what mischief it might not do before it was sheathed again; his opinion therefore was that the estates of the conspirators should be confiscated, and their persons closely confined in the strong towns of Italy; and that it should be criminal for any one to move the senate or the people for any favour towards them. These two contrary opinions being proposed, the next question was, which of them should take place? Cæfar's had made a great impression on the afsembly, and staggered even Silanus, who began to excufe and mitigate the severity of his vote: and Cicero's friends were going forwardly into it, as likely to create the leaft trouble to Cicero himself, for whofe future peace and fafety they began to be solicitous; when Cicero obferving the inclination f the house, and rising up to put the question, made this his fourth speech on the subject of the conspiracy; in which he delivers his fentiments with all the skill both of the orator and statesman; and while he seems to show a perfect neutrality, and to give equal commendation to both the opinions, artfully labours all the while to turn the fcale in favour of Silanus's, which he confidered as a neceffary example of feverity in the present sircumftances of the republic.

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ille consul, P. C. cui non forum, in quo omnis æquitas continetur; non campus, consularibus auspiciis consecratus; non curia, summum auxilium omnium gentium; non domus, commune perfugium; non lectus, ad quietem datus ; non denique hæc sedes honoris, sella curulis, unquam vacua mortis periculo, atque insidiis fuit. Ego multa tacui, multa pertuli, multa contessi, multa meo quodam dolore in vestro timore sanavi. Nunc si hunc exitum consulatus mei dii immortales esse voluerunt, ut vos, P. C. populumque Romanum ex cæde miserà, conjuges liberosque vestros, virginesque vestales ex acerbissima vexatione; templa atque delubra, hanc pulcherrimam patriam omnium nostrùm ex fœdissima flamma; totam Italiam ex bello, et vastitate eriperem; quæcunque mihi uni proponetur fortuna, subeatur. Etenim si P. Lentulus suum nomen, inductus à vatibus, fatale ad perniciem reipublicæ fore putavit; cur ego non læter, meum consulatum ad salutem reipublicæ prope fatalem exstitisse.

II. Quare, P. C. consulite vobis, prospicite patriæ; conservate vos, conjuges, liberos, fortunasque vestras : populi Romani omen salutemque defendite: (1) mihi parcere ac de me cogitare desinite. Nam primam debeo sperare, omnes deos, qui huic úrbi præsident, pro eo mihi ac mereor, relaturos gratiam esse : deinde si quid obtigerit, æquo animo paratoque moriar; neque enim turpis mors forti viro potest accidere, neque immatura consulari, nec misera sapienti. Nec tamen ego sum ille ferreus, qui fratris carissimi atque amantissimi præsentis mærore non movear, horumque omnium lacrymis, à quibus me circumsessum videtis: neque meam mentem non domum sæpe revocat Exanimata uxor, abjecta metu filia, et parvulus filius, (2) quem mihi videtur amplecti respublica tanquam obsidem consulatus mei; neque ille, qui exspectans hujus exitum diei adstat in conspectu meo gener. Moveor his rebus omnibus, sed in eam par

(1) Mihi parcere, ae de me cogitare désinite.] The Romans very feldom condemned a-ay free citizen to death. They were often allowed to go into banishment, which was reckoned a fort of death, as it deprived them of all their privileges. The consuls or dictators, and fometimes private men, slew the ringleaders of a tumult: but it was rather winked at as a thing neceffary in fome exigencies, than approved as lawful. Every free citizen had the liberty of an appeal from the fenate to the people. Cicero very well knew, that all the odium of putting the confpirators to death, would certainly fall apon him, as he was conful, and the most active person in quelling the confpiracy. For this reafon he avoids declaring himle.f openly for Silanus's opinion; but at the fame time defires them to deliver their opinions freely, without having any regard to what might befal him afterwards. For every act of the fenate, or people, was always afcribed to the perfon who fummoned the affembly; as he alone prefided, and put the queftion fo that the odium of putting the confpirators to death, though voted by the fenate, would as certainly fall upon Cicero, as if he had done it without their advice. This really was the cafe, and he was afterwards banished for paffing this very decree. (2) Quem mihi videtur amplecti respublica, &c.] Cicero's fon was about this time a year old, as appears from the first epiftle of the first book of Cicero's letters to Atti

Rome. Such, conscript fathers, has been the fortune of my consulship, that neither the forum, that centre of all equity; nor the field of Mars, consecrated by consular auspices; nor the senate-house, the principal refuge of all nations nor domestic walls, the common asylum of all men; nor the bed, destined to repose; nay, nor even this honourable seat, this chair of state, have been free from perils, and the snares of death. Many things have I dissembled, many have I suffered, many have I ridded to, and many struggled with in silence, for your quiet. But if the immortal gods would grant that issue to my consulship, of saving you, conscript fathers, and the people of Rome, from a massacre; your wives, your children, and the vestal vigins, from the bitterest persecution; the temples and altars of the gods, with this our fair country, from sacrilegious flames and all Italy from war and desolation; let what fate soever attend me, I will be content with it. For if P. Lentulus, upon the report of soothsayers, thought his name portended the ruin of the state; why should not I rejoice that my consulship has been as it were reserved by fate for its preservation ?

SECT. II. Wherefore, conscript fathers, think of your own safety; turn your whole care upon the state; secure yourselves, your wives, your children, your fortunes; guard the lives and dignity of the people of Rome; and cease your concern and anxiety for me. For first, I have reason to hope that all the gods, the protectors of this city, will reward me according to my deserts. Then should any thing extraordinary happen, I am prepared to die with an even and constant mind. For death cau never be dishonourable to the brave, nor premature to one who has reached the dignity of consul, nor afflicting to the wise. Not that I am so hardened against all the impressions of humanity, as to remain indifferent to the grief of a dear and af fectionate brother here present, and the tears of all those by whom you see me surrounded. Nor can I forbear to own, that an afflicted wife, a daughter dispirited with fear, an infant son, whom my country seems to embrace as the pledge of my con-ulship, and a son-in-law, whom I behold waiting with anxiety

Cus. He calls him here the pledge of his confulfhip probably for this reafen, because fuch as had no children, were fuppofed to be less anxious for the public safety, than thofe who had. For where there were children, there was evidently a double tye upon the father to watch over the prefervation of the ftate: unless we fuppofe him divested of all fense of humanity, and without that principle of affection towards his offspring, which nature has been fo careful to plant, not only in man, but even in brutes. Hence among the ancient Marfeilians, no man was advanced to the honours and dignities of theflate, but fuch as were married, and had children. Cicero's little fon therefore, who was so very dear to his father, was a kind of pledge in the hands of the commonwealth, and gave the strongeft afsurance that the father would undertake nothing but with as -ye to the public advantage.

tem, ut salvi sint vobiscum omnes, etiam si vis aliqua me oppresserit, potius quam ut et illa, et nos unâ reipub. peste pereamus. Quare, P. C. incumbite ad reipub. salutem: circumspicite omnes procellas, quæ impendent, nisi providetis; non Tib. Gracchus, qui iterum tribunus plebis fieri voluit: non C. Grac chus, qui agrarios concitare conatus est: non L. Saturninus, qui C. Memmium occidit, in discrimen aliquod, atque in vestræ severitatis judicium adducitur. Tenentur ii, qui ad urbis incendium, ad vestrum omnium cædem, ad Catilinam accipiendum Romæ restiterunt: tenentur literæ, signa, manus, denique uniuscujusque confessio: solicitantur Allobroges: servitia excitantur: Catilina arcessitur : id est, initum consilium, ut, interfectis omnibus, nemo ne ad deplorandum quidem reip. nomen, atque ad lamentandam tanti imperii calamitatem relinquatur.

III. Hæc omnia indices detulerunt, rei confessi sunt, yos multis jam judiciis judicavistis: primum, quod mihi gratias egistis singularibus verbis, et mea virtute atque diligentia perditorum hominum patefactam esse conjurationem decrevistis: deinde, quod P. Lentulum, ut se abdicaret præturâ coëgistis: tum quod eum, et cæteros, de quibus judicavistis, in custodiam dandos censuistis maximeque, quod meo nomine supplicationem decrevistis, qui honos togato habitus ante me est nemini: postremò, hesterno die præmia legatis Allobrogum, Titoque Vulturcio dedistis amplissima: quæ sunt omnia ejusmodi, ut ii, qui in custodiam nominatim dati sunt, sine ullâ dubitatione à vobis damnati esse videantur. Sed ego institui referre ad vos, P, C. tanquam integrum, et de facto, quid judicetis; et de pœnâ, quid censeatis illa prædicam, quæ sunt consulis. Ego magnum in republicâ versari furorem, nova quædam misceri et concitari mala jampridem videbam: sed hanc tantam, tam exitiosam haberi conjurationem à civibus nunquam putavi. Nunc quidquid est, quocunque vestræ mentes inclinant atque sententiæ, (3) statuendum vobis ante noctem est, Quantum facinus ad nos delatum sit, videtis: huic si paucos putatis affines esse, vehementer erratis. Latius opinione disseminatum est hoc malum: manavit non solum per Italiam, verum etiam transcendit Alpes, et ob

(3) Statuendum vobis ante noctem est.] There were two reafons that made it necefsary for the fenate to come to some resolution before night. First, because it was to be feared that the friends and favourers of the confpirators would raise fome tumult dur ing the night, and attempt a rescue. Secondly, because there was a necessity for dif miffing the fenate before night. For we learn from Varro in Aulus Gellius, that no decree of the fenate was looked upon as valid, if it passed after fun-set, or bee fore sun-rise.

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