Page 29. 2. malum publicum: 'disorders among the people.' 3. māxumā spē: 'of the greatest ambition.' rei publicae, etc.: 'cared as little for the state as for themselves.' 5. ius libertatis imminūtum erat: the Lex Cornelia L. Sullae dē prōscriptiōne, B.C. 81, ordained that the children of proscribed persons should not be candidates for state offices, and that the sons of proscribed senators should bear the burdens of the senatorial order, and yet should not enjoy its privileges. 6. haud sānē aliō animō : 'with very similar feelings.' 7. quicumque, etc.: 'whoever belonged to a party other than that of the Senate.' 9. Id adeō malum: viz. bitter party struggles resulting from the renewed activity of the popular party, which had been given a new lease of life in B.C. 70, by the restoration to the tribunes of the power taken from them by Sulla eleven years before (see next section).

§ 38. 12. tribūnīcia potestās: Sulla had abolished the right of the tribunes to propose laws, address public meetings, or hold any other office after the tribunate. These rights were restored to them in the consulship of Pompey and Crassus, B.C. 70. adulēscentēs : there was no fixed limit of age for the tribuneship, although ordinarily the quaestorship (to hold which, one had to be at least 28 years of age) preceded it. 13. summam potestātem: not military authority, but unlimited veto power in the interests of the people over the Senate, the comitia, or over any other Roman magistrate. 17. senātūs speciē, etc.: 'under the guise of supporting the Senate, but in reality for their own aggrandizement.'

CICERO. Page 29. 2. vadimōniīs, iūdiciis, prōscriptiōne bonōrum: the three steps in the legal proceedings against a bankrupt, viz. (1) the security given by the debtor to guarantee his appearance in court on the day of trial; (2) the judgment or sentence; (3) the sale of property in case the debt was not paid within the appointed time. 9. Postrēmum autem genus est: sc. postrēmum. 'But the last class is not only last in order, but lowest,' etc. 12. immō vērō, etc.: 'nay, rather his dearest bosom friends.' 13. imberbēs: a proof of their effeminacy. bene barbātōs: 'full bearded,' from foppishness, since the Romans of that time wore a long beard only as a sign of mourning. manicātis et tālāribus tunicis: ordinary tunics extended to the knees only, and were either sleeveless, or had short sleeves. 14. vēlis: their togas were so broad and full that they looked like 'sails.' 15. vigilandi labor: 'the labor of their wakeful hours.'

Page 30. 1. post illa tempora: i.e. в.c. 70. 2. honestis nōminibus: 'with honorable pretexts'; explained by the following clauses, the first alluding to the popular party, the second to the senatorial party.

§ 39. 8. ad bellum maritumum atque Mithridaticum: in B.C. 67, the Mediterranean was infested by pirates. From their strongholds in Cilicia they swarmed out to plunder vessels and terrorize the coast cities of Greece and Asia. They had even become so daring as to venture up the Tiber and carry off the children of Roman officials, in order to secure a large ransom.

Pompey had broken with the aristocratic party altogether in the year of his consulship (70), and now, as a victorious general, was the idol of the common people. When, therefore, Gabinius, a tribune of the plebs, proposed a law (67) giving Pompey command of the war against the pirates, Pompey received the appointment by an overwhelming popular vote, notwithstanding the bitter opposition of the optimātēs. In the war that followed, Pompey exhibited remarkably clever generalship, sweeping the seas of the marauders in the incredibly short period of three months. In the next year, while he was engaged in settling affairs in Cilicia, the Manilian law was passed, transferring to him the command of the war against Mithridates. After quickly conquering this most formidable enemy he reduced Syria to a Roman province, and in the year of the conspiracy was occupied in subduing Phoenicia, Coele-Syria, and Palestine.

6

9. plēbis opēs imminūtae, paucōrum potentia crēvit: of the two prominent men, after Pompey, in the popular party, Crassus possessed the influence that comes of wealth, but lacked political sagacity, while Caesar had not as yet shown any strong leadership. Hence Pompey's departure left the party without any great leader, and to that extent gave the optimātēs a certain advantage. But Sallust goes too far in saying that, after Pompey went, the resources of the plebs diminished, while the power of the oligarchy increased.' As a matter of fact, the plebs gained several signal victories over the optimātēs during Pompey's absence. That, however, does not detract from the main point Sallust is making in this chapter, - viz. that the spoils of office were secured altogether by the nobility, and that this was one reason why a conspiracy to overturn the existing government appealed very strongly to the common people.

12. cēterōs, etc.: 'while they overawed all who in their magistra

cies treated the plebs more kindly, by (threats of) judicial investigations.' 17. neque illīs, etc.: 'and yet those who won the victory could not have enjoyed it long, but becoming weakened and enfeebled, would have had their power and liberty alike wrested from them by some more powerful man.' 19. qui plūs posset: a veiled allusion to Pompey. For the popular party as well as the aristocracy afraid that Pompey would return with his army to set up a military dictatorship. In fact, if Pompey had been a resolute and unscrupulous man, he would have had little difficulty in changing the republic into an empire, and doing in B.C. 62, without any struggle, what Caesar sixteen years later accomplished only with great bloodshed.

was

21. Fuēre tamen: resuming the narrative, which was interrupted in § 36. 23. quem necārī iussit: the patria potestās gave a

Of

Roman father the right to expose, sell, or even kill his children. course such cruelty was seldom practised. But there is more than one instance of this sort in Roman history, where the father's stern patriotism could not abide a traitor to the state, though he were his See Vergil's Aeneid, VI, 819-823. 27. sed cuiusque modi, etc. but men of every class, provided they were of use in war.'

own son.

Ambassadors from the Allobroges are urged to send aid to the conspiracy; they, however, disclose the plot to Cicero. Sections 40-41.

§ 40. 29. P. Umbrēnō : Cicero refers to Umbrenus as a freedman; see Cicero, 37, 17. Slaves might be freed outright by their masters, out of gratitude for some service, or they might be allowed to keep their savings until they amounted to enough to buy their freedom. Such freedmen, with the help of their masters, might obtain the citizenship; and although the stigma always clung to them, many of them became successful men of business. Later, under the Empire, some freedmen became favorites with the emperors, and were men of unbounded wealth and influence. cuidam implies contempt.

31. publicē prīvātimque aere aliēnō oppressōs: what with (1) the indemnity to be paid to the Romans for having waged war with them, (2) the exorbitant taxes, which had to satisfy the greed of the tax-gatherers (pūblicānī) as well as the government, and (3) the magnificent gifts, which were expected by Roman officials from the governor down to the humblest of his train of servants, it was no wonder that the provinces were overwhelmed by debt. Moreover, the

ready money in most cases had to be borrowed from Roman speculators (negōtiātōrēs), like the Umbrenus mentioned in this section, who exacted a most outrageous rate of interest from the provincials. For example, Cicero, in one of his letters, mentions an instance where 48 per cent was demanded on a debt.

6. malis: dative.

12. sui: B. 209, 2; A. 221, a;

Page 31. H. 457; G. 377. 16. consili: what cases does Sallust use with alienus? See Vocab. 17. ab Rōma: the use of the preposition is a colloquialism; it serves to make the expression more exact. 18. Gabinium: as Umbrenus was but a freedman, the presence of Gabinius would give greater authority to his arguments. licitōs operam suam: 'having promised their aid.'

§ 41. 26. Haec: object of volventibus.

21. pol

Page 32. 1. Q. Fabiō Sangae: nothing further is known of him, except that he was a descendant of Q. Fabius Allobrogicus, who conquered the Allobroges in B.C. 121. A province often put itself under the patronage of the conquering general, who thus became its representative at Rome. This relation frequently remained, as in this case, in the general's family for several generations. In like manner cities and communities usually chose some one to look after their interests at home. Thus Cicero was the patrōnus of the town of Reate; see Cicero, 34, 14.

Plans of Catiline's accomplices throughout Italy, as well as in Rome. Sections 42-43.

dimiserat: see 19, 6-9.

§ 42. 9. quōs 13. Q. Metellus Celer: see 21, 20. 14. ex senātūs cōnsultō: see 27, 5-8.

CICERO.

ex civi

Page 31. 1. hominēs Galli: as though Cicero said, 'men- and that, too, Gauls,' thus suggesting that the characteristic bravery and fickleness of the Gauls counted for much in their decision on this matter. tāte male pācātā: Piso put down an insurrection of the Allobroges in B.C. 66, but only five years later they were in rebellion again. 3. rērum: 'advantages.' 4. ultrō without any solicitation on their own part.' ā patriciis hominibus: patrician families still retained considerable distinction. Catiline, Cethegus, and Lentulus were of patrician descent. 5. id: the preceding clauses-ut . . . antepōnerent · are summed up in this pronoun.

15. in citeriōre Galliā: according to Cicero, Murena was in Gallia Transpadānā, i.e. in ulteriōre Gallia. The weight of authority is with Cicero.

§ 43. 18. ut vidēbātur: 'as it seemed to them.' 19. ex agrō Faesulānō : an emendation for in agrum Faesulānum, which is obviously a mistake of a copyist, as Catiline had already reached Faesulae; see 27, 4. 20. L. Bēstia, tribūnus plēbis, contiōne habitā: as the tribunes were not inaugurated into office until December 10th, the assembly could not have been called for any date earlier than that. What was a contio? See Vocab. 22. optumō cōnsulī this was a somewhat stereotyped expression. And yet, coming from a political opponent like Sallust, it certainly shows that the historian bore him no ill will. 24. ea sc. negotia. 26. duodecim: Plutarch says 100. quō in order that.' 29. alius

autem alium: sc. aggrederetur.

:

Page 33. 1. familiārum: this use of the plural is rare, familias being the usual form with both the singular and plural. Sallust here imitates the historian Sisenna. quōrum, etc. = quōrum māxuma pars erat ex nobilitāte. 2. parentis interficerent: the patria potestas gave the father such absolute authority over the son that the latter could not own any property in his own right. Whatever he might acquire was in the eye of the law at the disposal of the father. Hence might arise the desire of the sons to kill their fathers. 5. diēs prōlātandō : Cicero says that the massacre and conflagration were set for the Saturnalia, which began on the 17th of December. 6. facto, non cōnsultō... opus: cf. 1, 14-15. 8. aliis cēterīs; the ablative absolute is concessive. in curiam: 'on the Senate.' 9. manu: see Vocab.

The ambassadors, after shrewdly obtaining written evidence against the chief conspirators at Rome, set out for Gaul, and were arrested on the Mulvian bridge. Sections 44-45.

§ 44. 12. cēterōs: sc. coniūrātōrēs.

CICERO.

16. eō i.e. to Gaul.

Page 32. 1. praesertim qui: 'especially since they.'

Page 33. 1. Quem Catilinam.

=

pellebam: what is the force of 12. ut: repeated

the imperfect? B. 260, 3; A. 277, c; H. 530; G. 233. for the sake of clearness.