along with your own.
13. Ti. Gracchus] For the Gracchi
and Saturninus, vid. Mil. 3. n. 11.
19.20.
14. Agrarios] Promoters of agra-
rian laws.
300 M. T. CICERONIS ORATIO IV.
C. Memmium 15 occidit, in discrimen aliquod, atque in ves-
trae severitatis judicium adducitur : tenentur ii, qui ad urbis
incendium, ad vestrum omnium caedem, ad Catilinam acci-
piendum, Romae restiterunt. Tenentur literas, signa, manus,
denique uniuscuj usque confessio : sollicitantur Allobroges :
servitia excitantur : Catilina arcessitur : id est initum consi-
lium, ut, interfectis omnibus, nemo ne ad deplorandum qui-
dem reipublicae nomen, atque ad lamentandain tanti imperii
calamitatem relinquatur.
III. Haec omnia indices detulerunt, rei confessi sunt ; vos
multis jam judiciis 1 judicastis: primum, quod 2 jnilii gratias
egistis singularibus verbis, et mea virtute atque diligentia,
perditorum hominum patefactam esse conjurationem decre-
vistis : deinde quod P. Lentulum, ut se abdicaret praetura,
coegistis: 3 turn quod eum, et ceteros, de quibus judicastis,
in custodiam dandos censuistis, maximeque, quod meo nomi-
ne supplicationem 4 decrevistis, qui honos togato habitus
ante me est nemini; postremo hesterno die praemia legatis
Allobrogum, Titoque Vulturcio dedistis amplissima. Qua*
sunt omnia ejusmodi, ut ii, qui in custodiam uominatim 5
dati sunt, sine ulla dubitatione a vobis damnati esse vide-
antur.
Sed ego institui referre ad vos, Patres conscripti, tam-
quam integrum, et de facto, quid judicetis, et de poena,
quid censeatis. Ilia praedicam, quae sunt consulis. Ego
magnum in republica versari lurorem, et nova quaedam
misceri et concitari mala jampridem videbam : sed hanc
tantam, tam exitiosam haberi conjurationem a civibus, nun-
quam putavi. Nunc, quidquid est, quocunque vestrae men-
tes inclinant atque sententiae, statuendum vobis ante noc-
15. C. Memmium~\ This family, ac- peated from Or. iii. 6.
cording to Virgil, derived its descent 3. P. Lentulum coegistis'] Or. iii.
from Menestheus. vEn. v. 116. He is 6. n. 9. How magistrates were corn-
noticed Brut. 36. Font. 7. pelled to resign their offices does not
Si-ct. III. 1. Judiciis] By your appear, and indeed the proceeding
determinations on the several occa- seems a most unjustifiable one. Sail,
sions enumerated. Al. indiciis. V. E. 47.
Cic. however, notwithstanding these 4. Supplicationem] Or. iii. 6.
prajudicia, will lay the matter fairly 6. Notninatim] He means Lentul us,
before the senate to be decided a- Cethegus, &c. Vid. Sail. 47 ; who
new. states to whom they were given in
2. Primum, quod, jc] This is re- charge.
IN L. CATILINAM, Cap. 4.
301
tern 6 est. Quantum facinus ad vos delatum sit, videtis.
Huic si paucos putatis affines esse, vehementer erratis. La-
tius opinione disseminatum est hoc malum : manavit non
solum per Italiam, verum etiam transcendit 7 Alpes, et ob-
scure serpens, multas jam provincias occupavit. Id op-
primi sustentando 8 ac prolatando nullo pacto potest. Qua-
cunque ratione placet, celeriter vobis vindicandum est.
IV. Video duas adhuc esse sententias : unam D. Sila-
ni, 1 qui censet, eos, qui haec delere conati sunt, morte esse
multandos : alteram C. Caesaris, 2 qui mortis poenam remove t,
ceterorum suppliciorum omnes acerbitates amplectitur.
Uterque et pro sua dignitate et pro rerum magnitudine in
summa severitate versatur. Alter eos, qui nos omnes, qui
populum Romanum vita privare conati sunt, qui delere im-
perium, qui populi Romani nomen exstinguere, punctum
temporis 3 frui vita et hoc communi spiritu, non putat opor-
tere : 4 atque hoc genus poena? 5 saepe in improbos cives in
hac republica esse usurpatum recordatur. Alter intelligit, 1 '
6. Ante noctem] For two reasons:
1st, The risk was greater, of a forci-
ble rescue, or of escape of the per-
sons, by night, than by day. 2nd, No
decree was legal, if pronounced be-
fore sunrise or after sunset. A. Gell.
xiv. 7. Seneca de tranquil. Vit. Ma-
jores nostri novam relationem post
horam decimam in senatu fieri veta-
bant.'
7. Transcendit] Is elegantly appli-
ed to crossing very high mountains.
Somn. Scip. 6. ' Nam aut tuum
aut cujusquam nostrum nomen vel
Caucasum hunc, quem cernis, trans-
cendere potuitV Verburg.
8. Sustentando] ' Morando,' ut ad
Q. Frat. ii. 6. ^Edificationem Arcani
ad tuum adventum sustentari placebat.
Manut.
Sect. IV. 1. Unam D. Silani]
Silanus was consul elect, and after-
wards voted for Tiberius Nero's mo-
tion : that (according to Appian) the
accused should be imprisoned till
Catiline's attempt be put down, and
that the matter be then fully in-
vestigated. And Plut. Cic. 21. says
that after Caesar's speech he rose up
and explained ' ultimum supplicium'
by 'incarceration.'
2. C. Casaris] Praetor elect. Sail.
51. He was thought by some to have
a share in the conspiracy. Cic. did
not think so. Sail. 49.
3. Punctum temporis] A moment ;
the ace. of time how long.
4. Alter eos non putat oportere]
With all these designs these persons
were charged, but Cicero omits to
mention that as yet they had not been
put on their defence, they had not
been heard, they had not been con-
victed. Some of them were probably
more guilty than others ; and possi-
bly, some one or more not guilty in
any degree. V. E.
5. Hoc genus poena] Or. i. 11.
* Persaepe etiam privati in hac rep.
perniciosos cives morte multarunt.'
But this must have been before the
passing of the Porcian law. Sail.
53.
6. Alter intelligit] i. e. Is of opi-
nion. Or.iii. 11. n. 4. Sail. 53.
D D
302 M. T. CICERONIS ORATIO IV.
mortem a diis immortalibus non esse supplicii causa 7 con-
stitutam, sed aut necessitatem naturae, 8 aut laborum ac mise-
riarum quietem 9 esse. Itaque earn sapientes 10 nunquam in-
viti, fortes 11 etiam saepe libenter oppetiverunt. Vincula vero,
et ea sempiterna, certe ad singularem pcenam nefarii scele-
ris inventa sunt. Municipiis dispertiri jubet. Habere vi-
detur ista res iniquitatem, 12 si imperare velis: difficultatem,
si rogare. Decernatur tamen, si placet. Ego enim susci-
piam, 14 et, ut spero, reperiam, qui id, quod salutis omnium
causa statueritis, non putent 15 esse suae dignitatis recusare.
Adjungit gravem pcenam municipibus, si quis eorum vincu-
la ruperit : horribiles custodias circumdat, et digna scelere
hominum perditorum sancit, ne quis eorum poenam, quos
condemnat, aut per senatum, aut per populum levare possit : 16
eripit etiam spem, 17 quae sola hominem in miseriis consolari
solet. Bona praeterea publicari 18 jubet : vitam solam relin-
quit nefariis hominibus ; quam si eripuisset, multos uno dolore
dolores 19 animi atque corporis, et omnes scelerum pcenas ad-
em isset. Itaque ut aliqua in vita formido improbis esset
posita, apud inferos ejusmodi quaedam illi antiqui suppli-
cia impiis constituta esse voluerunt i 20 quod videlicet 21 in-
7. Mortem non supplicii causa] position.
The author of the book of Genesis 14. Suscipiam] In me recipi-
thought differently. Vid. c. 2. v. 17. am. 1 Nanut. 1 will take upon me to
8. Necessitatem natura] By which find.
whatever is compounded must be re- 15. Qui non putent] Persons who
solved into its original elements. will not, &c.
9. Laborum quietem] Eurip. He- 16. Ne quis levare possit] Sail. 55.
rac. 596 to yap Qavttv Katutv The penalty was, the being declared
ukyiorov <pdpuaKoi' voui'^tTai. a public enemy.
Muret. 17. Eripit spem] Eurip. Phoen. 407.
10. Earn sapientes] For knowing AlS' i\Triceg fiooKuai Qvyadag.
death to be the result of a law of na- 18. Publicari] Under the Empe-
ture they willingly obey it. Tors they said * confiscare,' from
11. Fortes] E. g. Codrus, Curtius, ' fiscus,' the privy-purse > and we
the Decii, and afterwards Cato. have followed them.
12. Iniquitatem] Because the city 19. Multos uno dolore] Al. multu^
from which a conspirator should es- uno dolore. Ern.
cape was to be ranked as an enemy 20. Apud inferos voluerunt] Vid.
to Rome. Muret. Inf. ' Adjungit Warburton, D. Leg. iii. 2. 3, where
gravem poenam municipibus, &c.' Cicero's opinions, as here expressed,
But Cic. might at least have tried to are discussed. Arch. ii. n. 16.
redress the * injustice' and overcome 21. Videlicet] Said ironical ly.Tusc
the 'difficulty.* i,5. 6- f. ,
13. Deccmatar] Sc. Caesar's pro-
IN L. CATILINAM, Cap. 5. 303
telligebant, his remotis, non esse mortem ipsam pertimes-
-eendam.
V. Nunc, Patres conscripti, ego mea, video, quid inter-
mit. 1 Si eritis secuti sententiam C. Caesaris : quoniam hanc
is in republicaviam, quae popularis habetur, 2 secutus est, for-
tasse minus erunt, hoc auctore et cognitore 3 hujusce senten-
tial, mihi populares impetus pertimescendi : sin illam alte-
ram, nescio, an amplius mihi negotii contrahatur. Sed
tamen meorum periculorum rationes utilitas reipubliea>
vincat. Habemus enim a C. Caesare, sicut ipsius dignitas
et majorum ejus amplitudo postulabat, sententiam tamquam
obsidem 4 perpetuae in rempublicam voluntatis. Intellectum
est, quid intersit inter levitatem 5 concionatorum, 6 et animum
vere popularem, saluti populi consulentem. Video de istis,
qui se populares haberi volunt, abesse non neminem, 7 ne de
capite videlicet civium Romanorum sententiam ferat. Is et
nudiustertius 8 in custodiam cives Romanos dedit, et supplica-
tionem mihi decrevit, et indices 9 hesterno die maximis prae-
miis affecit. Jam hoc nemini dubium est, qui reo custodiam,
cuiaesitori 10 gratulationem, indici praemium decrevit, quid de
tota re et causa judicarit. At vero C. Caesar intelligit, legem
Semproniam 11 esse de civibus Romanis constitutam : qui au-
iem reipublicae sit hostis, eum civem esse nullo modo posse :
Sect. V. 1. Mea quid intersit] pie against the nobles. 'Concio' also
i. e. ' Quoad quid sit inter mea nego- is cften taken in a bad sense. Att.
tia.' In what respects my interests iv. 3.
are concerned. 7. Non neminem] To what indivi-
2. Popularis habetur] Att. xvi. 16. dual senator Cicero here alludes, is
Popularis erat, ut noras. Vid. Sext. .not known. The charge of incon-
45, for the distinction between ' po- sistence, on account of his concur-
pulares' and ' optimates.' rence in the former votes, and his not
3. Cognitore'] Al. monitore : the being present on this occasion, is by
author and supporter of a measure, no means evident ; not even if that
Arusp. Resp. 21. V. E. were his motive, which Cicero as-
4. Tamquam obsidem] As it were a cribes to him. V. E.
of his always pursuing the 8. Nudius] i. e. ' Nunc dies ;'
path of true popularity. Cael. 32. and ' nudiustertius' is three days
' Habet a M. Caelio resp. duas accu- ago ; or, more strictly, the day before
sationes, vel obsides periculi, vel pig- yesterday.
nora voluntatis.' Muret. So Corn. 9. Indices] Vulturcius, &c.
N. Phoc. 2. Negavit esse periculum, 10. Qucesitori] Not strictly. Cic.
seque ejus rei obsidem fore. could only be so named as bringing
5. Levitatem] Al. lenitatem. the accused to trial, not as being their
6. Concionatorum] Demagogues, judge.
whose business was to excite the peo- 11. Legem Semproniam] This was
304 M. T. CICERONIS ORATIO IV.
denique ipsum latorem legis Seraproniae jussu populi 12 pce-
nas reipublicae dependisse. Idem ipsum Lentulum largito-
rem et prodigum 13 non putat, quum de pernicie populi Ro-
many et exitio hujus urbis, tam acerbe, tamque crudeliter
cogitarit, appellari posse popularem. Itaque homo mitissi-
mus atque lenissimus non dubitat P. Lentulum aeternis tene-
bris vinculisque mandare et sancit in posterum, ne quis hu-
jus supplicio levando se jactare, 1 * et in pernicie populi Ro-
mani posthac popularis esse possit. Adjungit etiam pub-
licationem 15 bonorum, ut omnes animi cruciatus et corporis,
etiam egestas ac mendicitas consequatur.
VI. Quamobrem sive hoc statueritis, dederitis mihi comi-
tem ad concionem, populo carum atque jucundum; sive
Silani sententiam sequi malueritis, facile me atque vos a cni-
delitatis vituperatione defendetis; atque obtinebo, earn multo
leniorem fuisse. 1 Quamquam, 2 Patres conscripti, qua? po-
test esse in tanti sceleris immanitate punienda crudelitas?
Ego enim de meo sensu judico. Nam ita 3 mihi salva repub-
lica vobiscum perfrui liceat, ut ego, quod in hac causa vehe-
mentior sum, non atrocitate animi moveor, (quis enim est me
mitior?) sed singulari quadam humanitate et misericordia.
Videor enim mihi hanc urbem videre, lucem orbis terrarum
atque arcem 4 omnium gentium, subito uno incendio conci-
dentem : cerno animo sepultam patriam, miseros atque in-
a law of C. Gracchus, de capite ci- doubtless, profusion in entertainments
vium,' that no citizen should be con- and gifts to the people. Off. ii. 16.
demned to death except by the people. V. E. This agrees with Sallust's ac-
Cic. affects to consider the conspira- count of him, Cat. 40.
tors as no longer citizens ; and, there- 14. Se jactare] We say, 'shew
tore, without the pale of this law. off,' ' affect popularity.'
12. Jussu pop.] Without any au- 15. Publicationem] Supr. 4. n.
thority from MSS. or earlier edition, 18.
Km. confidently changes this to in- Sect. VI. 1. Atque obtinebo
jtissv. That any sentence against C. leniorem fuisse] Al. leviorem. This
Gracchus was passed or ratified by the sentence Matth. omits, but with in-
people, or that their assent in any sufficient authority. V. E.
form was obtained we have no proof ; 2. Quamquam] A correction.
but Cicero may have inferred that as- Mil. 2. n. 18.
sent from their not interfering to pre- 3. Ita] Is here used to introduce
serve his life, as well as from other an optative. So Att. v. 15. 'Ita vi-
circumstances to us unknown. Subse- vara, ut maximos sumtos facio.' Also
quent editors, Beck, Schutz, Weiske, Verr. v. 14.
Matthiae, and Wetzel have not here 4. Arcem] The citadel of the
followed Ern. V. E. whole world. The Delph. thinks
13. Largit. et prodigum] Meaning, there is an allusion to the 'asylum'
IN L. CATILINAM, Cap. 6. 305
sepultos acervos civium : versatur mihi ante oculos adspectus
Cethegi, 5 et furor in vestra caede bacchantis. Quum vero
mihi proposui regnantem 6 Lentulum, sicut ipse se ex fatis
sperasse confessus est, purpuratum esse hunc Gabinium, 7
cum exercitu venisse Catilinam, turn lamentationem matrum-
iamilias, 8 tarn fugam virginum atque puerorum, ac vexatio-
nem 9 virginum Vestalium perhorresco : et, quia mihi vehe-
menter haec videntur misera atque miseranda, idcirco in eos,
qui ea perficere voluerunt, me severum vehementemque
praebeo. 10 Etenim quaero, si quis paterfamilias, liberis suis a
servo interfectis, uxore occisa, incensa* domo, supplicium de
servo non quam 11 acerbissimum sumpserit : utrum is clemens
ac misericors, an inhumanus et crudelissimus esse videatur {
mihi vero 12 importunus ac ferreus, qui non dolore ac cruciatu
nocentis suum dolorem cruciatumque lenierit. Sic nos in
his hominibus, qui nos, qui conjuges, qui liberos nostros tru-
cidare voluerunt : qui singulas uniuscujusque nostrum do-
mos, et hoc universum reipublicae domicilium delere conati
sunt: qui id egerunt, ut gentem Allobrogum in vestigiis 13 hu-
jus urbis atque in cinere deflagrati imperii collocarent : si
vehementissimi fuerimus, misericordes habebimur: sin remis-
siores esse voluerimus, summae nobis crudelitatis in patriae
civiumque pernicie fama subeunda est. Nisi vero cuipiam
L. Caesar, 14 vir fortissimus et amantissimus reipublicae, cru-
o'f Romulus, but improbably. important religious rites, would be
5. Adspectus Cethegi] Or. iii. 4. among the first to feel the effects of a
n. 20. sacrilegious fury.
6. Regnantem] Alluding to the 10. Prabeo] ' Prae habeo/ hold
Sibylline verses (ex fatis) by which forth, show myself.
he was destined to monarchy. 11. Non quam] The non is added
7. Purpuratum Gabinium'] As from Lactant. de ira i. 17 ; who so
one of the titled attendants in the fu- quotes the passage. For an example
ture royal court of Lentulus. Tusc. of the cruelty with which Romans
Qu. i. 43. V. E. punished the slaves whose master was
8. Matrumfamilias] ' Familias,' killed, vid. Tac. xiv. 42.
the old gen. of ' familia' is added to 12. Mihi vero] Nay to my view he
' pater, mater, and filius,' to distin- would seem not only inhuman, &c,
guish them as forming part of a family but also devoid of the least spark of
establishment ; to whom, therefore, feeling, who, &c.
any injury done is the more heinous, 13. Investigiis] In the vestiges
as affecting private and domestic which would remain after the bum-
peace. Sail. Cat. 43. ing of the city. Hence he adds, ' in
9. Vexationem] Persecution. cinere deflagrati imperii.'
These, having the care of the most 14. L. Caesar] Was the son of L.
D D 2
306 M. T. CICERONIS ORATIO IV.
delior nudiustertius est visus, quum sororis suae, foeminae
lectissimae, virum 15 praesentem et audientem, 16 vita privan-
dum esse dixit, quum avum jussu consulis 17 interfectum,
filiumque 18 ejus impuberem, legatum a patre missum, in car-
cere necatum esse dixit. Quorum quod simile factum (
quod initum delendae reipublicae consilium ? Largitionis
voluntas turn in republica versata est, et partium quaedam
contentio. Atque illo tempore hujus avus 19 Lentuli, claris-
simus vir, armatus Gracchum est persecutus : ille etiam
grave turn vulnus accepit, ne quid de summa republica mi-
tt ueretur : hie ad evertenda fundamenta reipublicae Gallos*
arcessit, servitia concitat, Catilinam vocat, attribuit nos tru-
cidandos Cethego, ceteros cives interficiendos Gabinio,
urbem inflammandam Cassio, totam Italiam vastandam diri-
piendamque Catilinae. Veremini, 21 censeo, ne in hoc scelere
tarn immani ac nefario nimis aliquid severe statuisse videa-
mini ; quum multo magis sit verendum, ne remissione poena?
crudeles in patriam, quam ne severitate animadversionis
nimis vehementes in acerbissimos hostes fuisse videamur.
VII. Sed ea, quae exaudio, Patres conscripti, dissimulare
non possum. Jaciuntur 1 enim voces, quae perveniunt ad
aures meas,eorum, qui vereri videntur, ut 2 habeam satis prae-
sidii ad ea, quae vos statueritis hodierno die, transigunda.
Omnia et pro visa, et parata, et constituta sunt, Patres con-
scripti, quum mea summa cura atque diligentia, turn multo
etiam majore populi Romani ad summum imperium retinen-
Julius Caesar, who had married the senate. Or. iii. 5. n. 6. Val. Max.
daughter of M. Fulvius Flaccus, the v. 3.
unfortunate partner in the enterprize 20. Gallos] The Allobrogians.
and punishment of C. Gracchus. This enumeration contains nothing
Veil. Pat. ii. 7. new.
15. Sororis virum] Lentulus. 21. Veremini] Al. vereamini.
This Julia was mother of M. Antony, ' Censeo' is ' credo.'
of whom Cic. says, Phil. ii. 24, ' O Sect. VII. 1. Jaciuntur] Al.
miserae mulieris foecunditatem cala- jactantur ; which Scheller and
mitosam ! Weiske defend. Rem jactare in
16. Prasentem et audientem] In senatu.' Liv. iii. 10. xxii. 23.
the senate. ' Jactare voces.' Liv. i. 46. pre-
17. Jussu consults] Opimius. ces,' iv. 42. V. E. Em. says,
Mil. 3. n. 19. 'Jactantur conveniret amicis Catili-
18. Filiumque] About eighteen nae. At hie loquuntur viri boni,
years old. His elder brother had amici causa? Cic, sed timidi.'
fallen fighting by his father's side. 2. Vereri ut] Fear that I have
19. Hujus avus] The prince of the not. Mil. 18. n. 7. Introd. 9.
IN L. CATILINAM, Cap. 7. 307
dum, et ad communes fortunas conservandas voluntate.
Omnes adsunt omnium ordinum homines, omnium denique
aetatum : plenum est forum, plena templa circa forum, 3 pleni
omnes aditus hujus loci ac templi. Causa enim est post
urbem conditam haec inventa sola, in qua omnes sentirent
unum atque idem, praeter eos, qui, quum sibi viderent esse
pereundum, cum omnibus potius quam soli perire voluerunt.
Hosce ego homines excipio et secerno libenter : neque enim
in improborum civium, sed in acerbissimorum hostium nu-
mero habendos puto. Ceteri vero, dii immortales ! qua fre-
quentia, quo studio, qua virtute ad communem dignitatem
salutemque consentiunt ? Quid ego hie equites Romanos com-
memorem ? qui vobis ita summam 4 ordinis consiliique conce-
dunt,utvobiscum de amore reipublicae certent: quosex mul-
torum annorum dissensione 5 ad hujus ordinis societatem 6 con-
cordiamque revocatos, hodiernus dies vobiscum atque haec
causa conjungit : quam conjunctionem si in consulatu confir-
matam meo perpetuam in republica tenuerimus, confirmo
vobis, nullum posthac malum civile ac domesticum ad ullam
reipublicae partem esse venturum. Pari studio defendendae
reipublicae convenisse video tribunos aerarios, 7 fortissimos
viros : scribas 8 item universos : quos quum casu hie dies ad
aerarium frequentasset, video ab exspectatione sortis 9 ad com-
munem salutem esse conversos. Omnis ingenuorum adest
3. Templa circa forum'] Mil. 1. a union of the senators and knights
n. 9. against the plebeians. Being based
4. Summam'] i. e. ' Locum pri- on self interest, however, this union
mum inter ordines, et jus de rep. de- was of short duration. Hooke. viii. 9.
liberandi ac decernendi.' Em. But 6. Ad hujus ordinis societ.] i. e.
Scheller observes that this use of the Conjunctionem in republ. quam corn-
word is rare. munem sibi cum senatu putant.
5. Ex multorum annorum diss.] Em.
About sixty sc. from the passing of 7. Tribunos ararios] Through
the Sempronian law, by which the them the pay passed to the army,
'judices' were chosen out of the V. E. We say, 'paymasters.'
' equites.' These, by the Cornelian 8. Scribas] An order of citizens to
law of Sylla, were again confined to whom was entrusted the transcribing
the senators ; but the Aurehan law of the public acts, and taking notes of
had, a. u. 683, about seven years the proceedings of the magistrates,
ago, re-admitted the knights. The Their order is called by Cic. * hones-
disputes consequent on these changes, tus.' Verr. iii. 79.
Cic. had laboured to remove ; and 9. Frequentasset ab exspectatione
had so far succeeded as to form what sortis] They had happened, that day,
lie called 'optima respublica;' i.e. to be assembled in considerable num-
308 M. T. CICERONIS ORATIO IV.
multitudo, etiam tenuissimorum. Quis est enim, cui non
haec templa, adspectus urbis, possessio libertatis, lux deni-
que haec ipsa, et hoc commune patriae solum quum sit ca-
rum, turn vero dulce atque jucundum !
VIII. Operae pretium est, Patres conscripti, libertinorum
hominum 1 studia cognoscere : qui sua virtute fortunam hujus
civitatis 2 consecuti, hanc vere suam patriam esse judicant ;
quam quidam hinc nati et summo nati loco, 3 non patriam
suam, sed urbem hostium esse judicaverunt. Sed quid ego
hosce homines ordinesque commemorem, 4 quos privatae for-
tunae, quos communis respublica, quos denique libertas, ea,
quae dulcissima est, ad salutem patriae defendendam excita-
vit? Servus est nemo, qui modo 5 tolerabili conditione sit ser-
vitutis, qui non audaciam civium perhorrescat ; qui non
haec stare capiat: qui non tantum, quantum audet, et quan-
tum potest, conferat ad communem salutem, voluntatis.
Quare si quern vestrum forte commovet hoc, quod auditum
est, lenonem quendam Lentuli 6 concursare circum tabernas,
pretio sperare sollicitari posse animos egentium atque imperi-
torum, est id quidem cceptum atque tentatum: sed nulli
sunt inventi tarn aut fortuna miseri, aut voluntate perditi,
qui non ipsum ilium sellae 7 atque operis et quaestus quotidia-
ni locum, qui non cubile ac lectulum 8 suum, qui denique non
cursum nunc otiosum vitae suae salvum esse velint. Multo
vero maxima pars eorum, qui in tabernis sunt, immo vero
(id enim potius est dicendum) genus hoc universum, aman-
tissimum est otii. Etenim omne eorum instrumentum, om-
bers, in order to distribute by lot tbeir Matth. Why waste time in enumer-
several offices for the coming year. atingthem? 'Quid ego ilia com-
V. E. memoro ?' Mil. 7. V. E.
Sect. VIII. 1. Libeitinorum ho- 5. Qui mfldo,fyc.] For slavery had
minum] i. e. Of the order of liber- its gradations. Thus the ' atri-
tines or freedmen. Liberti' was the enses' et ' ordinarii' ranked higher
name given them in relation to their than the ' vacarii* and 'mediastini.'
former masters. Muret.
2. Fortunam civitatis] The lot 6. Lenonem Lentuli] Sail. 50,
which the right of citizenship bestows, says 'Liberti et pauci ex clientibus
The MSS. much vary in this passage. Lentuli opifices, &c., sollicitabant.'
V. E. 7. Sella] i. e. Artiricium quod se-
3. Summo nati loco] E. g. Lentu- dendo exercetur, unde sellularii, se-
lus. dentary mechanics. Forcel.
4. Quid commemorem] Al. com- 8. Cubile ac lectulum] Forte vilius
memoro, adopted by "VVeiske and 'cubile' quam ' lectus/ quum illud