juratione esse." Eadem Galli fatentur; ac Lentulum dissimulantem coarguunt, praeter litteras, sermonibus, quos habere solitus: "ex libris Sibyllinis, regnum Romae tribus Corneliis portendi: Cinnam atque Sullam antea; se tertium, cui fatum foret urbis potiri : praeterea ab fincenso Capitolio illum esse vigesimum annum, quem saepe ex prodigiis sharuspices respondissent bello civili cruentum fore.' Igitur, perlectis litteris, cum prius omnes signa sua cognovissent, senatus decernit, "uti babdicatus ma

c Sibyllinis. A certain woman, named Amalthea, from a foreign country, offered for sale to Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome, nine books of the Sibylline, or prophetic oracles, but at an exorbitant price; which Tarquin refusing, she burnt three of them, still demanding the same price for the remaining six. Being ridiculed by the king, she burnt three more, without abating her price for the remaining three. Tarquin surprised at her strange conduct, consulted the augurs, who, regretting the loss of the books which had been burnt, advised the king to pay her demand, on delivery of the three remaining books. Two persons at first, then ten, afterwards fifteen were appointed to take charge of these books, hence called Quindecimviri. These books were supposed to contain the fate of the republic, and in time of public danger or calamity were consulted by order of the senate. They of course became a very useful engine of state; but were burnt in the Marsic war, A. U. 690. Ambassadors were sent every where to collect the oracles of the Sibyls, of whom there were several; the chief of them was the Sibyl of Cume. From the verses collected in this search, the Quindecimviri compiled new books, which, by order of Augustus, were deposited in two gilt cases under the base of Apollo's statue, in his temple on the Palatine hill.

d Corneliis Of the Cornelian family.

e Potiri. This verb governs the ablative, the genitive, and sometimes the accusative. Potiri rebus, to enjoy the world, as we sometimes speak; i. e. pleasure, wealth, &c. potiri rerum, to possess supreme power.

f Incenso. The first burning of the capitol is intended; for it was thrice destroyed by fire.

g Haruspices. From ara, anciently hara, and specio; the priests who derived omens of futurity from examining the victims and their entrails after sacrifice.

Abdicatus. Seme editions have abdicato. No person among

gistratu Lentulus, item ceteri in liberis custodiis haberentur." Itaque Lentulus P. Lentulo Spintheri, qui tum aedilis, Cethegus Q. Cornificio, Statilius C. Caesari, Gabinius M. Crasso, Coeparius (nam is paullo ante ex fuga retractus) Cn. Terentio, senatori, traduntur.

XLVIH. INTEREA plebes, conjuratione patefacta, quae primo, cupida rerum novarum, nimis bello favebat, mutata mente, Catilinae consilia exsecrari, Ciceronem ad coelum tollere ; veluti exservitute erepta, gaudium atque lactitiam agitabant. Namque alia belli facinora praedae magis, quam 'detrimento; incendium vero crudele, immoderatum, ac sibi maxume calamitosum putabat ; quippe cui momnes copiae in usu quotidiano et cultu corporis erant. Post eum diem, quidam L. Tarquinius ad senatum adductus erat, quem ad Catilinam proficiscentem ex itinere retractum aiebant. Is cum se diceret indicaturum de conjuratione, si fides pub-lica data esset; jussus a consule, quae sciret, edicere, eadem fere, quae Volturcius, de paratis incendiis, de caede bonorum, de itinere hostium,

the Romans could be brought to trial, unless he was in a private station; therefore, Lentulus, who was prætor, was obliged to abdicate his magistracy.

i Liberis custodiis. In prison at large. They were not com mitted to close prison, but to the care of magistrates, or private persons of respectability.

k Aedilis. Four magistrates were called by this name; two from the commons, called ædiles plebis, who decided less important causes under the inspection of the tribunes; and two from the nobility, called diles curules, because permitted to use the sella curulis, or chair of state. They had the charge of repairing the public edifices and roads; examined and rectified weights and measures, &c.

1 Detrimento. Fore is understood not only in this, but in ma ny other instances in Cortius's edition, though expressed in other. editions.

m Omnes copia. All whose property consisted in utensils, or furniture in daily use, or in clothing for their bodies.

senatum edocet: praeterea," se missum a M. Crasso, "qui Catilinae nunciaret, ne Lentulus, Cethegus, ali ex conjuratione deprehensi terrerent eoque magis properaret ad urbem accedere, quo et cejerorum animos reficeret, et illi facilius e periculo eriperentur. Sed ubi Tarquinius Crassum nominavit, hominem nobilem, maxumis divitiis, sumina potentia; alii, rem incredibil-m rati; pars, tamen etsi vesum existumabant; tamen, quia in tali tempore tanta vis hominis, oleniunda, quam exagitanda videbatur, plerique Crasso ex negotiis privatis obnoxii, conclamant, "indicem falsum," deque ea repostulant Puti referatur. Itaque, consulente CiceTone, frequens senatus decernit: "Tarquinii indicium falsum videri; eumque in vinculis retinendum, neque amplius potestatem faciundam, nisi de eo indicaret, cujus consilio tantam rem mentitus esset." Erant eo tempore, qui aestumarent, sillud a P. Autronio machinatum, quo facilius, adpellato Crasso, per societatem periculi reliquos illius potentia tegeret. Alii Tarquinium a Cicerone timmissum aiebant, ne Crassus, more suo, suscepto malorum patrocinio, rempublicam conturbaret. Ipsum

n Qui. Here elegantly used for ut.

o Leniunda, quam exagitanda. Magis being understood after leniunda; in some editions it is expressed. To be soothed rather than irritated.

p Uti referatur. That they should be consulted; that they should be allowed to deliberate on that subject.

q In vinculis. In prison. Vinculum, in the singular a chain; in the plural a prison, chains.

r Potestatem faciundam. And that he should not be permitted to enjoy freedom hereafter, should not be released. Some understand the words to import, that he should not be permitted to proceed in his testimony; but this appears to be too slight a punishment, for what they conceived to be perjury.

s Illud. Indicium understood; in some editions it is expressed

t Immissum. Instigated.

Crassum ego postea praedicantem audivi, tantam illam contumeliam sibi ab Cicerone impositam.

XLIX. SED isdem temporibus "Q. Catulus et C. Piso, neque gratia, neque precibus, neque "pretio, Ciceronem impellere potuere, uti per Allobroges, aut alium indicem, C. Caesar, falso nominaretur. Nam Uterque cum illo gravis inimicitias exercebant; Piso obpugnatus in judicio repetundarum, propter cujusdam Transpadani supplicium injustum; Catulus ex petitione pontificatus odio incensus, quod, extrema aetate, maxumis honoribus usus, ab adolescentulo Caesare victus discesserat. Res autem bopportuna videbatur; quod privatim egregia liberalitate, publice maxumis muneribus grandem pecuniam debebat. Sed, ubi consulem ad tantum facinus impellere nequeunt, ipsi singulatim circumeundo, atque ementiundo, quae şe ex Volturcio, aut Allobrogibus audisse dicerent, magnam illi invidiam conflaverant; usque deo, ut

u Q. Catulus. The princeps senatus, or chief of the senate at the time.

v C. Piso. He was consul with Glabrio, and afterwards governed the province of Gaul, where he punished the person hereafter mentioned. He was defended by Cicero.

w Pretio. By money, by bribery. A meton.

x Potuere. In some editions quivere. They are equivalent. y Repetundarum. This noun is used but in two cases, repetundarum, and repetundis, the ablative. Oppugnatus in judicio repetundarum; prosecuted in an action for extortion.

z Transpadani. A person who lived beyond the Po, with reference to Rome.

a Adolescentulo. Cæsar is here called a stripling, though he was thirty-five or thirty-six years of age, both in comparison with Catulus, who was far advanced in life, and because men were called juvenes and adolescentes, till they were forty-six, and sometimes till they were fifty years of age.

b Opportuna. Plausible, feasible, suitable.

c Publice maxumis muneribus. By the great shows which he had exhibited publicly, for the entertainment and gratification of the people.

d E. Some editions have usque adeo.

nonnulli equites Romani, qui, praesidii caussa, cum telis erant circum Concordia, seu periculi magnitudine, seu animi nobilitate impulsi quo studium suum in rempublicam clarius esset, egredienti ex senatu Caesari gladio minitarentur.

L. DUM haec in senatu aguntur, et dum legatis Allobrogum et Tito Volturcio, comprobato eorum indicio, praemia decernuntur ; liberti, et pauci ex clientibus Lentuli, diversis itineribus, opifices atque servitia in vicis ad eum eripiendum sollicitabant, partim exquirebant duces multitudinum, qui pretio rempublicam vexare soliti; Cethegus autem, per nuncios, familiam atque libertos suos, exercitatos in audaciam, orabat, grege facto, cum telis ad sese' irrumperent. Consul, ubi ea parari cognovit, dispositis praesidiis, ut res atque tempus monebat, convocato senatu, 'refert, QUID DE HIS FIERI PLACEAT, QUI IN CUSTODIAM TRADITI ERANT. cos, paullo ante, frequens senatus judicaverat, coxTRA REMPUBLICAM FECISSE. Tunc D. Junius Silanus, primus sententiam rogatus, quod eo tem

Sed

e Concordia. Edem being elegantly understood; in some editions it is expressed.

f Nobilitate. Some other editions read mobilitate, which, from Sallust's predilection for Cæsar, we might suppose to be the true reading the meaning would then be, through mere levity, to make a parade of their patriotism.

g Duces, &c. The leaders of the mob. The want of commerce, which the Romans despised, and of course neglected, left the great body of the inhabitants of Rome in a state of poverty and idleness, and ready for any desperate enterprize, to which they might be stimulated by artful demagogues.

· Familiam. Familia signifies here, and often in other places, the slaves belonging to a family.

i Suos. In some editions lectos is found after suos.

k Grege fucto. Before these words ut is elegantly understood; in some editions it is expressed.

1 Refert quid, &c.

those, &c.

Consults their pleasure with respect to

F

e