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A First Latin Reader/134-136

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Herbert Chester Nutting
A First Latin Reader
Lesson 134-136.
Catiline’s Conspiracy
1912

fons: librum vide
 132-133. The Fate of Hannibal Map: Asia Minor 
CATILINE’S CONSPIRACY
(Sallust. Bellum Catilinae, 40, 41, 60)
LESSON 134

In 63 B.C. Marcus Cicero (brother of the Quintus Cicero who subsequently figured in the events described in Lesson 108 ff.) had to deal with a rather alarming conspiracy which aimed to revolutionize the government of Rome. The chief conspirator, Catiline, took the field with an army, while Lentulus, who was secretly in sympathy with him, supervised matters in the city. One day Lentulus noticed there two Gallic envoys who had come to Rome to complain that Roman officials were oppressing their people, and he thereupon conceived the idea of further embarrassing the government by inducing these Gauls to stir up a revolt among their countrymen.

Igitur P.[1] Umbrēnō cuidam negōtium dat[2], ūtī[3] lēgātōs Allobrogum[4] requīrat[5] eōsque, sī possit, impellat[6] ad societātem[7] bellī, exīstimāns pūblicē prīvātimque[8] aere aliēnō oppressōs[9], praetereā quod nātūrā gēns Gallica bellicōsa[10] esset[11], facile eōs ad tāle[12] cōnsilium addūcī posse.

Umbrēnus, quod in Galliā negōtiātus erat, plērīsque prīncipibus cīvitātium[13] nōtus erat atque eōs nōverat[14]. Itaque sine morā, ubi prīmum lēgātōs in forō cōnspēxit, percontātus[15] pauca dē statū[16] cīvitātis[17] et quasi[18] dolēns[19] eius cāsum, requīrere[20] coepit, quem exitum[21] tantīs malīs[22] spērārent. Postquam illōs videt querī dē avāritiā magistrātuum[23], accūsāre[24] senātum quod[25] in eō[26] auxilī nihil esset, miseriīs[27] suīs remedium[28] mortem exspectāre, “at ego,” inquit, “vōbīs, sī modo virī esse vultis, ratiōnem ostendam, quā tanta ista mala effugiātis[29].”

LESSON 135
The Envoys are Initiated into the Conspiracy

Haec ubi dīxit, Allobrogēs in maximam spem adductī, Umbrēnum ōrāre[30] ut suī[31] miserētur[32]: nihil[33] tam asperum neque tam difficile esse, quod nōn cupidissimē factūrī essent[34], dum[35] ea rēs[36] cīvitātem aere aliēnō[37] līberāret. Ille[38] eōs in domum[39] D. Brūtī[40] perdūcit, quod forō propinqua erat neque aliēna[41] cōnsiliī propter Semprōniam[42]: nam tum Brūtus ab Rōmā aberat. Praetereā Gabīnium arcēssit, quō[43] maior auctōritās sermōnī[44] inesset[45]. Eō[46] praesente coniūrātiōnem aperuit, nōminat[47] sociōs, praetereā[48] multōs cuiusque generis innoxiōs[49], quō lēgātīs animus amplior[50] esset. Deinde eōs pollicitōs operam suam[51] domum[52] dīmittit.

Sed Allobrogēs diū in incertō habuēre[53], quidnam[54] cōnsilī[55] caperent: in alterā parte erat aes aliēnum, studium[56] bellī, magna merces[57] in spē victōriae, at in alterā[58] maiōrēs opēs[59], tūta cōnsilia, prō incertā spē certa praemia. Haec illīs[60] volventibus[61], tandem[62] vīcit fortūna reī pūblicae[63]. Itaque Q. Fabio Sangae, cuius patrōciniō[64] cīvitās plūrimum[65] ūtēbātur, rem omnem, utī[66] cōgnōverant[67], aperiunt. Cicerō[68], per Sangam cōnsiliō cōgnitō, lēgātīs praecepit[69], ut studium[70] coniūrātiōnis vehementer simulent, cēterōs[71] adeant, bene polliceantur, dentque operam utī[72] eōs quam maximē[73] manifēstōs[74] habeant.

LESSON 136

The envoys, pretending that it would be difficult to persuade their countrymen to revolt unless the matter were put into writing, easily secured thus from the conspirators evidence sufficient to convict nine of the ringleaders, five of whom were promptly executed in the public prison. Shortly afterward, in the north country, the army of Catiline (see the note at the head of Lesson 134) was brought to bay by the government forces, and he chose to try conclusions with a division which on the day of battle was under the command of a veteran officer named Petreius.

Sed[75] ubi, omnibus rēbus explōrātīs[76], Petrēius tubā[77] signum dat[78], cohortīs[79] paulātim incēdere[80] iubet; idem facit hostium[81] exercitus. Postquam eō . . . unde[82] ventum est, unde [ā] ferentāriīs[83] proelium committī posset, maximō clāmōre cum īnfēstīs signīs concurrunt: pīla omittunt[84], gladiīs rēs[85] geritur. Veterani[86] , prīstinae virtūtis memorēs, comminus[87] ācriter īnstāre[88], illī[89] haud timidē[90] resistunt: maximā vī certātur[91].

Intereā Catilīna cum expeditīs in prīmā[92] aciē versārī, labōrantibus[93] succurrere[94], integrōs[95] prō sauciīs[96] arcēssere, omnia prōvidēre, multum ipse pugnāre, saepe hostem ferīre[97]: strēnuī mīlitis et bonī imperātōris officia simul exsequēbātur[98]. Petrēius, ubi videt Catilīnam, contrā[99] ac[100] ratus erat, magnā vī tendere[101], cohortem praetōriam in mediōs[102] hostīs indūcit[103] eōsque perturbātōs atque[104] aliōs alibī[105] resistentīs interficit, deinde utrimque[106] ex lateribus[107] cēterōs adgreditur[108]. Mānlius et Faesulānus[109] in prīmīs[110] pugnantēs cadunt. Catilīna, postquam fūsās[111] cōpiās sēque cum paucīs[112] relictum videt, memor generis atque prīstinae suae dignitātis[113], in cōnfertissimōs hostīs[114] incurrit[115], ibique pugnans cōnfoditur.

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 Imago hoc loco in textu apparere debet, vide Normas imaginum.
Si eam praebere potes, vide Auxilium:Imagines addendae pro instructionibus onerandis.
Marcus Tullius Cicerō

The first of his family to reach the consulship, Cicero won some fame as a statesman by suppressing the conspiracy of Catiline; but his chief and lasting distinction was along literary lines. In oratory he was hardly rivaled in his own generation; and his writings are a priceless possession.

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  1. ↑ P.: i.e. Pūbliō.
  2. ↑ dat: subject, Lentulus.
  3. ↑ ūtī: i.e. ut.
  4. ↑ Allobrogum: a tribe of southeast Gaul.
  5. ↑ requīrat: requīrō, 3, -quīsīvī, -quīsītus: seek out.
  6. ↑ impellat: impellō, 3, -pulī, -pulsus: incite.
  7. ↑ societātem: societās, -ātis: f, with gen., partnership (in).
  8. ↑ pūblicē prīvātimque: advs., as a people and as individuals.
  9. ↑ oppressōs: modifying eōs (i.e. Allobrogēs) supplied.
  10. ↑ bellicōsa: bellicōsus, -a, -um: warlike.
  11. ↑ esset: for mood, cf. the note on admoveantur, p. 61, l. 14, translate as a present.
  12. ↑ tāle: tālis, -is, -e: such a.
  13. ↑ cīvitātium: cf. the note on p. 123, l. 11.
  14. ↑ nōverat: nōscō, 3, nōvī, nōtus: become acquainted with.
  15. ↑ percontātus: ask.
  16. ↑ statū: status, -ūs: m, with gen., situation (in).
  17. ↑ cīvitātis: sc. eōrum.
  18. ↑ quasi: cf. p. 166, l. 6.
  19. ↑ dolēns: doleō, 2, -uī: be concerned about.
  20. ↑ requīrere: cf. p. 172, l. 2, inquire.
  21. ↑ exitum: solution.
  22. ↑ tantīs malīs: dat. case.
  23. ↑ magistrātuum: magistrātus, -ūs: m, official.
  24. ↑ accūsāre: accūsō, 1: rail at.
  25. ↑ quod: cf. the note on p. 62, l. 13.
  26. ↑ in eō: i.e. senātū.
  27. ↑ miseriīs: miseriae, -ārum: f, troubles.
  28. ↑ remedium: remedium, -ī: n, (as) a solution.
  29. ↑ effugiātis:.
  30. ↑ ōrāre: for ōrāvērunt.
  31. ↑ suī: gen. pl..
  32. ↑ miserētur: misereor, 2: have pity (on).
  33. ↑ nihil:.
  34. ↑ quod nōn . . . factūrī essent: that they would not undertake it, a relative clause of result.
  35. ↑ dum: provided only.
  36. ↑ ea rēs: ill..
  37. ↑ aere aliēnō: translate the abl. “from” or “of”.
  38. ↑ Ille: i.e. Umbrēnus.
  39. ↑ in domum: cf. the note on p. 16, l. 11.
  40. ↑ D.: i.e. Decimī.
  41. ↑ aliēna: with gen., unfriendly (to).
  42. ↑ Semprōniam: f, wife of Brutus, who was himself not a party to the conspiracy.
  43. ↑ quō: note the compar. in the clause. Umbrēnus was a freedman, hence the need of calling in a conspirator of better social standing.
  44. ↑ sermōnī: sermō, -ōnis: m, interview.
  45. ↑ inesset: īnsum, inesse, īnfuī: with dat., lit. be (in), translate the phrase freely.
  46. ↑ Eō: i.e. Gabīniō.
  47. ↑ nōminat: nōminō, 1: name.
  48. ↑ praetereā: (and) in addition.
  49. ↑ innoxiōs: innoxius, -a, -um: pred. adj., innocent.
  50. ↑ amplior: amplus, -a, -um: cf. the adv. amplius, great.
  51. ↑ suam: modifier of operam.
  52. ↑ domum: i.e. to their temporary quarters in Rome.
  53. ↑ in incertō habuēre: for habuērunt, were undecided, freely.
  54. ↑ quidnam: -nam being an intensive particle, what . . . really.
  55. ↑ cōnsilī: n, for syntax, cf. quid . . . causae, p. 150, l. 10.
  56. ↑ studium: studium, -ī: n, with gen., liking (for).
  57. ↑ merces: mercēs, -ēdis: f, inducement.
  58. ↑ alterā . . . alterā: the one . . . the other.
  59. ↑ opēs: f, namely, those of the government (ops, opis, F., help; pl., resources).
  60. ↑ illīs: i.e. Allobrogibus.
  61. ↑ volventibus: volvō, 3, volvī, volūtus: cf. the note on dēfendente, p. 44, l. 17, turn over in (one’s) mind.
  62. ↑ tandem: adv., at length.
  63. ↑ reī pūblicae: f, sc. Rōmānae.
  64. ↑ patrōciniō: patrōcinium, -ī: n, legal services.
  65. ↑ plūrimum: see multum.
  66. ↑ utī: i.e. ut, as.
  67. ↑ cōgnōverant: sc. eam.
  68. ↑ Cicerō: m, see the note at the head of Lesson 134.
  69. ↑ praecepit: for praecipit; i.e. imperat (praecipiō, 3, -cēpī, -ceptus).
  70. ↑ studium: cf. p. 175, l. 8.
  71. ↑ cēterōs: i.e. the other conspirators in Rome.
  72. ↑ utī: that.
  73. ↑ maximē: cf. the note on p. 44, l. 11.
  74. ↑ manifēstōs: manifēstus, -a, -um: translate the phrase freely, obviously guilty.
  75. ↑ sed: now.
  76. ↑ explōrātīs: inspected.
  77. ↑ tubā: tuba, -ae: f, See the second illustration on p. 60., trumpet.
  78. ↑ dat: If rendered as a past, use the pluperfect..
  79. ↑ cohortīs: sc. suās.
  80. ↑ incēdere: incēdō, 3, -cessī, -cessum: advance.
  81. ↑ hostium: i.e. Catiline and his followers.
  82. ↑ eō . . . unde: lit. whence, to a point where.
  83. ↑ ferentāriīs: ferentāriī, -ōrum: m, cf. the top illustration on p. 140, light-armed troops (e.g. slingers).
  84. ↑ omittunt: lit. omit (omittō, 3, -mīsī, -missus). Contrast the regular procedure for beginning battle, p. 161, l. 9, make no use of.
  85. ↑ rēs: f, the fighting.
  86. ↑ veterānī: i.e. of the government army.
  87. ↑ comminus: adv., at close quarters.
  88. ↑ īnstāre: īnstō, 1, -stitī: press the fight, Here, and several times below, the pres. infin. replaces a third person of the perf. or imperf. indic..
  89. ↑ illī: i.e. their opponents.
  90. ↑ haud timidē: i.e. audax, with fear, boldly.
  91. ↑ certātur: i.e. dīmicātur (certō, 1, -āvī, -ātum est).
  92. ↑ prīmā: the front of, cf. the use of summum, p. 104, l. 4.
  93. ↑ labōrantibus: part., sc. eīs, those hard pressed.
  94. ↑ succurrere: i.e. auxiliō venīre (succurrō, 3, -currī, -cursum est).
  95. ↑ integrōs: fresh, freely, to replace.
  96. ↑ sauciīs: i.e. vulnerātīs (saucius, -a, -um).
  97. ↑ ferīre: i.e. percutere (feriō, 4, —, —).
  98. ↑ exsequēbātur: i.e. praestābat (exsequor, 3, -secūtus sum), cf. p. 129, l. 9.
  99. ↑ contrā: adv., lit. differently.
  100. ↑ ac: than, lit. as. The whole phrase = praeter spem, p. 161, l. 10.
  101. ↑ tendere: tendō, 3, tetendī, tentus: stretch; here, exert (one’s self).
  102. ↑ mediōs: who occupy the center.
  103. ↑ indūcit: indūcō, 3, -dūxī, -ductus: lit. lead (against).
  104. ↑ atque: connecting the two participles.
  105. ↑ aliōs alibī: some in one place, some in another, cf. aliī in aliam, p. 80, l. 5.
  106. ↑ utrimque: adv., on either side.
  107. ↑ lateribus: n, cf. latera, p. 161, l. 8, and (for the form of phrase) omnibus ex partibus, etc..
  108. ↑ adgreditur: adgredior, 3, -gressus sum: Petreius first broke through the center, and then to the right and left made a flank attack upon the remnants of the enemy’s line..
  109. ↑ Mānlius et Faesulānus: Manlius and the citizen of Faesulae (a town of Etruria), Catiline’s chief lieutenants.
  110. ↑ in prīmīs: i.e. in the front rank.
  111. ↑ fūsās: fundō, 3, fūdī, fūsus: scatter.
  112. ↑ paucīs: i.e. (but) a handful.
  113. ↑ generis . . . dignitātis: for his was an ancient and noble family, and he had himself held high offices.
  114. ↑ hostīs: i.e. the government forces.
  115. ↑ incurrit: incurrō, 3, -currī, -cursum est: plunge (in among).
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