tinum obtestatus, quod ei notus itinere, de litteris, postremo quid

erat, postremo timidus ac vitae diffidens velut hostibus sese praetoribus dedit.

aut qua de causa consili habuisset, primo fingere alia, dissimulare de coniuratione: post, ubi fide publica 46. Quibus rebus confectis om- dicere iussus est, omnia uti gesta nia propere per nuntios consuli de- erant aperit, docetque se paucis 2 clarantur. At illum ingens cura ante diebus a Gabinio et Caepario atque laetitia simul occupavere: socium adscitum nihil amplius nam laetabatur intellegens coniu- scire quam legatos; tantum modo ratione patefacta civitatem pericu- audire solitum ex Gabinio P. Aulis ereptam esse, porro autem tronium Ser. Sullam L. Varanxius erat dubitans, in maxumo gunteium, multos praeterea in ea scelere tantis civibus deprehensis coniuratione esse. Eadem Galli 2 quid facto opus esset: poenam fatentur ac Lentulum dissimulanillorum sibi oneri, impunitatem tem coarguunt praeter litteras serperdundae rei publicae fore crede-monibus, quos ille habere solitus 3 bat. Igitur confirmato animo vo- erat: ex libris Sibyllinis regnum cari ad sese iubet Lentulum Romae tribus Corneliis portendi; Cethegum Statilium Gabinium, Cinnam atque Sullam antea, se itemque Caeparium Terracinen- tertium esse, cui fatum foret urbis sem, qui in Apuliam ad con- potiri; praeterea ab incenso Capicitanda servitia proficisci parabat. tolio illum esse vigesumum annum 4 Ceteri sine mora veniunt, Caepa- quem saepe ex prodigiis harusrius, paulo ante domo egressus, pices respondissent bello civili cognito indicio ex urbe profugerat. cruentum fore. Igitur perlectis 3 Consul Lentulum, quod praetor litteris, cum prius omnes signa sua erat, ipse manu tenens perducit, cognovissent, senatus decernit, uti, reliquos cum custodibus in aedem abdicato magistratu, Lentulus 5 Concordiae venire iubet. Eo sena- itemque ceteri in liberis custodiis tum advocat magnaque frequen- habeantur. Itaque Lentulus P. 4 tia eius ordinis Volturcium cum Lentulo Spintheri, qui tum aedilis legatis introducit, Flaccum prae- erat, Cethegus Q. Cornificio, torem scrinium cum litteris, quas Statilius C. Caesari, Gabinius M. a legatis acceperat, eodem adferre Crasso, Caeparius (nam is paulo iubet. ante ex fuga retractus erat) Cn. 47. Volturcius interrogatus de Terentio senatori traduntur.

M. TULLI CICERONIS

PRO L. MURENA ORATIO.

1 I. Quod precatus a dis immortalibus sum, iudices, more institutoque maiorum illo die, quo auspicato

having Sulpicius again for a colleague, and was so fortunate as to get by lot the juris dictio urbana, while to Sulpicius fell the irksome task of conducting the inquiries de peculatu. As praetor urbanus Murena celebrated with great pomp the ludi Apollinares, — his first opportunity, as he had not been aedile, to thus gain the favor of the people (p. 20, § 21). As prcpraetor he went, in 64, to further Gaul, where, by his justice and integrity, he became very popular. In 63 he returned to Rome to canvass for the consulship, having for the third time Sulpicius as one of his competitors. For the result, see p. 28, §§ 42-44. Oratio: see p. 33, § 56.

TITLE: M. Tulli Ciceronis: see | In 65 he gained the praetorship, on I. Title. Pro, in behalf of.' L. Murena. The plebeian family of which L. Licinius Murena was a member came from Lanuvium, and belonged to the new nobility. It had never boasted a consulship: in fact, Murena's great-grandfather was the first of his line to gain the praetorship, and Murena's father, who had been Sulla's legatus in Greece and Asia, was the most distinguished of the family. Murena's claims for the consulship rested upon his honorable services in the field. On the staff of his father, whom Sulla had left in Asia as propraetor with two legions in 84, he served against Mithradates. At the close of the campaign he returned to Rome, and was elected quaestor along with Servius Sulpicius, his present Exordium, § 1-10. § 1, 1 - § 2. accuser. Without having distin- 23: The prayer I uttered at the guished himself in his office, he consular elections is still in my returned to Asia, and, in 74, took thoughts; do you, gentlemen, as part as legatus of L. Lucullus in representing the gods, protect the third war with Mithradates. Murena!

comitiis centuriatis L. Murenam consulem renuntiavi, ut ea res mihi, fidei magistratuique meo, populo plebique Romanae bene atque feliciter eveniret, idem 5 precor ab isdem dis immortalibus ob eiusdem hominis consulatum una cum salute obtinendum, et ut vestrae mentes atque sententiae cum populi Romani voluntatibus suffragiisque consentiant eaque res vobis populoque Romano pacem, tranquillitatem, otium con- 10 cordiamque adferat. Quodsi illa sollemnis comitiorum precatio consularibus auspiciis consecrata tantam habet in se vim et religionem, quantam rei publicae dignitas postulat, idem ego sum precatus, ut eis quoque homi

§ 1. 1. Quod precatus sum. 3. renuntiavi, 'returned' (cf. One of the consuls, determined by our returning board'). After the lot or by mutual agreement, pre- herald had announced the votes sided over the election of the suc- of the single centuries (p. 60, ceeding consuls, and opened it §§ 35, 36), and the final vote of formally with a solemn sacrifice all, the presiding consul formally and prayer. iudices, gentle- named the successful candidates. 4. mihi, fidei, magistratuique,

men.' The jurors were selected from citizens of senatorial and an old formula, in which fidei equestrian rank, one-third from seems to mean honor,' 'trustthe former, two-thirds from the worthiness.' populo plebique. latter; of the equestrians, however, This phrase, dating from the time one-half had to be tribuni aerarii, when patricians only were full the presiding officers of the thirty- citizens, is found only in prayers, five tribes into which the people oracles, and legal formulas. were divided.

7. ob... obtinendum,' for the purpose of making good.' salute, security,' when used of a defendant almost means acquittal.' et ut connects the following clause with idem.

15 nibus, quibus hic consulatus me rogante datus esset, 2 ea res fauste, feliciter prospereque eveniret. Quae cum ita sint, iudices, et cum omnis deorum immortalium potestas aut translata sit ad vos aut certe communicata vobiscum, idem consulem vestrae fidei 20 commendat, qui antea dis immortalibus commendavit, ut eiusdem hominis voce et declaratus consul et defensus beneficium populi Romani cum vestra atque omnium civium salute tueatur.

Et quoniam in hoc officio studium meae defen25 sionis ab accusatoribus atque etiam ipsa susceptio causae reprehensa est, antequam pro L. Murena dicere instituo, pro me ipso pauca dicam, non quo mihi potior hoc quidem in tempore sit officii mei quam huiusce salutis defensio, sed ut meo facto vobis pro30 bato maiore auctoritate ab huius honore, fama fortunisque omnibus inimicorum impetus propulsare possim.

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II. Et primum M. Catoni vitam ad certam rationis

§ 2. 18, 19. translata sit. The verdict of the jurors will voice the will of heaven. fidei, 'protection.' 22. beneficium, 'favor,' often used as here of a mark of favor, hence distinction conferred by,' 'office bestowed by.'

Justification of his conduct, 1. 24-§ 10, in defending Murena when his two friends, Cato and Sulpicius, were prosecuting him. 24-27. hoc officio, 'this service' to Murena. studium, 'zeal,' 'energy.' non quo.. sit, not that, etc.' A. 321, R.; G. 541, R. 1; H. 516, II., 2; B. 286 1 b.

§ 3. 1. M. Catoni. M. Porcius Cato, great-grandson of the famous censor of the same name, was born in 95. He was noted for a rugged firmness of character, acquired in early life, but intensified by his strict adherence to the stern principles of the Stoic school. A man whose name stood for uprightness itself, for a narrow but unflinching devotion to duty as he saw it, for morality of life and frugal simplicity, he was feared rather than loved by men of his own party, and hated by his foes. Cicero seems to have valued his worth highly, but to have looked upon

normam derigenti et diligentissime perpendenti momenta officiorum omnium de officio meo respondebo. Negat fuisse rectum Cato me et consulem et legis ambitus latorem et tam severe gesto consulatu causam 5 L. Murenae attingere. Cuius reprehensio me vehementer movet, non solum ut vobis, iudices, quibus maxime debeo, verum etiam ut ipsi Catoni, gravissimo atque integerrimo viro, rationem facti mei probem. A quo tandem, M. Cato, est aequius consulem 10 defendi quam a consule? Quis mihi in re publica potest aut debet esse coniunctior quam is, cui res publica a me in manum traditur sustinenda magnis meis laboribus et periculis sustentata? Quodsi in iis rebus

his views as extreme and his plans criminals, but was now pleading as unpractical. In 46, after man- for Murena. The first charge is fully supporting the cause of the answered, 1. 10-§ 5. 38; the secrepublic against Caesar until all ond, § 5. 1-§ 6. 8; the third, § 6. was lost, he committed suicide at 8-23. Utica. rationis, 'system:' the Stoic philosophy is meant which made virtue the highest good, and regarded all things else as absolutely insignificant.

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9. rationem facti probem, make good the principles of my conduct.'

12, 13. coniunctior, 'nearer.' traditur: vivid present for more accurate future, because Cicero's term was drawing to a close.

14, 15. in iis rebus repetendis, etc., in a suit to recover such things as are transferred by formal

3, 4. officiorum, officio: the first means 'duties' in general; the second, Cicero's duty towards Murena in particular, hence 'service,' as in § 2. 24. negat rectum esse. Cato reproached Cicero sale.' The sale of certain things for defending Murena on three at Rome was accomplished only grounds: 1st. Cicero made his with great formality (cf. our transposition as consul too prominent fers of real estate), while mere unin his defence; 2d. Cicero had this disputed possession was sufficient very year proposed a stricter law evidence of purchase in others. (p. 27, § 39) to check bribery, and The formal sale was called manwas now defending a man prose-cipium, and the things sold, such cuted under that law; 3d. Cicero as slaves, horses, cattle, etc., were had been very harsh toward other called res mancipi: all other