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dēmissus est Lentulus, vindices 14 rerum capitālium, quibus praeceptum erat, laqueō 15 gulam 16 frēgēre. Ita ille patricius ex gente clarissima Cornēliōrum, qui consulāre imperium Romae habuerat, dīgnum mōribus 17 factisque 250 suis exitium vitae invenit. Dē Cethegō, Statiliō, Gabīniō, Caepāriō, eodem modo supplicium sumptum est.

14 punishers. 15 with a noose.

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16 neck. 17 character.

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NOTES

References to Latin Grammars are indicated as follows: A., Allen and Greenough's New; B., Bennett's; Bur., Burton's; G., Gildersleeve and Lodge's; H., Harkness's Complete; HB., Hale and Buck's. References without a preceding initial are made to the Grammatical Appendix of this book.

FIRST ORATION AGAINST CATILINE

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

1. Catiline. Lucius Sergius Catiline, who was born about 108 B.C., belonged to a patrician family that had fallen into poverty. According to Cicero and the historian Sallust, he was a man of remarkable powers of body and mind, but a reckless debauchee whose strong influence was perverted. He appears first in history in connection with the proscriptions of Sulla. His own hands were stained, it is said, with the blood of his wife, his son, and his brother-in-law. Catiline was praetor in 68 B.C. and governor of the province of Africa in 67. Returning to Rome,

he was prevented from standing for the consulship in 66 by threats of prosecution for extortion in his province. He then formed a plot to kill the consuls-elect, Cotta and Torquatus, on January 1, 65 B.C., and to make himself and Autronius consuls in their place. This so-called first conspiracy was discovered and failed, and on a second attempt, February 5, was frustrated because Catiline gave the signal too soon.

2. The Conspiracy. In 65 and 64 B.C., Catiline again sought the consulship but failed, Cicero and Antonius being elected for 63. Maddened by his fourth failure at the election, in July 63, he planned his insurrection, known as "The Conspiracy of Catiline." The plot included the murder of Cicero, the massacre of enemies, the burning of the city, and the seizing of the government. The city was filled with dangerous classes, men who had lost their fortunes acquired during the civil wars, and discontented veterans

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of Sulla. These Catiline would stir to revolution by hope of new tablets," being emboldened himself by the silent approval of many men of rank. Recruits for his army were to be drawn from the colonies in Italy and Gaul. "The wild shepherds, the brigands of the hills, the slaves and gladiators were all to play their part." Cicero was fully informed of the details by the mistress of one of the conspirators. When he disclosed the conspiracy to the Senate on October 21, that body virtually declared martial law by its decree" Let the consuls see to it that the state suffer no harm." On October 27, Manlius raised the standard of the rebel forces at Faesulae, in Etruria. The next day Cicero foiled the projected murder of the Optimates. On November 1 the rebels attempted to seize the fortress of Praeneste near Rome, but were successfully resisted by the inhabitants, upon Cicero's warning. Then occurred the meeting of the conspirators in the house of Laeca on the night of November 6, when two men volunteered to murder Cicero. But the consul learned of the design in time to take precaution.

3. The First Oration.

On the 8th of November, 63 B.C., the Senate met for safety in the temple of Jupiter Stator, on the Palatine Hill, surrounded by a special guard of knights. Catiline

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boldly took his place among the other senators, conscious in all probability of the purpose of the meeting. It was then that Cicero delivered the oration which is one of the world's masterpieces of eloquence, The First Oration against Catiline.

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Consult FORSYTH, W., Life of Cicero," Vol. I, p. 131; STRACHAN-DAVIDSON, J. L., Cicero," Ch. V; FROUDE, J. A., Caesar," Ch. XI. For a defense of Catiline, see BEESLY, A. H., Catiline, Clodius, and Tiberius," and Catiline as a Party Leader."

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I. Propositio

OUTLINE

a. Catiline's audacity, Ch. 1.

b. Catiline deserving of punishment, Ch. 2.

II. Narratio

The movements and plans of the conspirators, Ch. 3, 4. III. Hortatio

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Catiline exhorted to leave the city, Ch. 5-10.

IV. Peroratio

Reasons for allowing Catiline to go unpunished, Ch. 11–13.

CHAPTER 1

1. abutere: fut. ind. In the second sing. pass., Cicero regularly uses the ending -ris only in the pres. indic., -re in other tenses; HB. 151. Catilina case, 96.1 patientia: case, 147.2 2. Quam diu etiam : how much longer? furor iste tuus: that frenzy of yours.

3. audacia: sc. tua. Nihilne: not at all, stronger than nonne. For the case of nihil see 129.3 For the repetition of nihil in the following phrases, "anaphora," see 235. The sentence may be rendered in the passive: are you not alarmed at all by the night guard?

4. Palati: the Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills on which Rome was built. It was famous for its temples, for the residences of prominent men, including Cicero, and later for the palaces of the emperors. Hence our words "palatial," "palace." The conspirators would attempt to seize this part of the city.

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