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For P. Sulla (M. Tullius Cicero)
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For P. Sulla

Author: M. Tullius Cicero
Translator: C. D. Yonge
37
Non
respondit
tamen
una
facere
Sullam
.
Etenim
esset
absurdum
,
cum
ceteros
sua
sponte
nominasset
,
mentionem
facere
Sullae
nullam
nisi
admonitum
et
interrogatum
;
nisi
forte
veri
simile
est
P
.
Sullae
nomen
in
memoria
Cassio
non
fuisse
.
Si
nobilitas
hominis
,
si
adflicta
fortuna
,
si
reliquiae
pristinae
dignitatis
non
tam
inlustres
fuissent
,
tamen
Autroni
commemoratio
memoriam
Sullae
rettulisset
;
etiam
,
ut
arbitror
,
cum
auctoritates
principum
coniurationis
ad
incitandos
animos
Allobrogum
conligeret
Cassius
,
et
cum
sciret
exteras
nationes
maxime
nobilitate
moveri
,
non
prius
Autronium
quam
Sullam
nominavisset
.
But yet he did not reply, that Sulla was favourable to their designs. And, in truth, it would have been an absurdity, after he had named every one else of his own accord, to make no mention of Sulla till he was reminded of him and asked about him. Unless you think this probable, that Lucius Cassius had quite forgotten the name of Publius Sulla. Even if the high rank of the man, and his unfortunate condition, and the relics of his ancient dignity had not made him notorious, still the mention of Autronius must have recalled Sulla to his recollection. In truth, it is my opinion that when Cassius was enumerating the authority of the chief men of the conspiracy for the purpose of exciting the minds of the Allobroges as he knew that the foreign nations are especially moved by an illustrious name he could not have named Autronius before Sulla, if he had been able to name Sulla at all.
38
Iam
vero
illud
minime
probari
potest
,
Gallos
Autronio
nominato
putasse
propter
calamitatis
similitudinem
sibi
aliquid
de
Sulla
esse
quaerendum
,
Cassio
,
si
hic
esset
in
eodem
scelere
,
ne
cum
appellasset
quidem
Autronium
,
huius
in
mentem
venire
potuisse
.
Sed
tamen
quid
respondit
de
Sulla
Cassius
?
Se
nescire
certum
. '
Non
purgat
, '
inquit
.
Dixi
antea
:
ne
si
argueret
quidem
tum
denique
,
cum
esset
interrogatus
,
id
mihi
criminosum
videretur
.
But no one can be induced to believe this,—that the Gauls, the moment that Autronius was named, should have thought, on account of the similarity of their misfortunes, that it was worth their while to make inquiries about Sulla, but that Cassius, if he really was implicated in this wickedness, should never have once recollected Sulla, even after he had named Autronius. However, what was the reply which Cassius made about Sulla? He said that he was not sure. “He does not acquit him,” says Torquatus. I have said before, that, even if he had accused him, when he was interrogated in this manner, his reply ought not to have been made matter of accusation against Sulla.
39
Sed
ego
in
iudiciis
et
in
quaestionibus
non
hoc
quaerendum
arbitror
,
num
purgetur
aliquis
,
sed
num
arguatur
.
Etenim
cum
se
negat
scire
Cassius
,
utrum
sublevat
Sullam
an
satis
probat
se
nescire
? '
Sublevat
apud
Gallos
. '
Quid
ita
? '
Ne
indicent
. '
Quid
?
si
periculum
esse
putasset
ne
illi
umquam
indicarent
,
de
se
ipse
confessus
esset
? '
Nesciit
videlicet
. '
Credo
celatum
esse
Cassium
de
Sulla
uno
;
nam
de
ceteris
certe
sciebat
;
etenim
domi
eius
pleraque
conflata
esse
constabat
.
Qui
negare
noluit
esse
in
eo
numero
Sullam
quo
plus
spei
Gallis
daret
,
dicere
autem
falsum
non
ausus
est
,
se
nescire
dixit
.
Atque
hoc
perspicuum
est
,
cum
is
qui
de
omnibus
scierit
de
Sulla
se
scire
negarit
,
eandem
vim
esse
negationis
huius
quam
si
extra
coniurationem
hunc
esse
se
scire
dixisset
.
Nam
cuius
scientiam
de
omnibus
constat
fuisse
,
eius
ignoratio
de
aliquo
purgatio
debet
videri
.
Sed
iam
non
quaero
purgetne
Cassius
Sullam
;
illud
mihi
tantum
satis
est
contra
Sullam
nihil
esse
in
indicio
.
But I think that, in judicial proceedings and examinations, the thing to be inquired is, not whether any one is exculpated, but whether any one is inculpated. And in truth, when Cassius says that he does not know, is he seeking to exculpate Sulla, or proving clearly enough that he really does not know? He is unwilling to compromise him with the Gauls. Why so? That they may not mention him in their information? what? If he had supposed that there was any danger of their ever giving any information at all, would he have made that confession respecting himself? He did not know it. I suppose, O judges, Sulla was the only person about whom Cassius was kept in the dark. For he certainly was well informed about every one else; and it was thoroughly proved that a great deal of the conspiracy was hatched at his house. As he did not like to deny that Sulla made one of the conspirators, his object being to give the Gauls as much hope as possible, and as he did not venture to assert what was absolutely false, he said that he did not know. But this is quite evident, that as he, who knew the truth about every one, said that he did not know about Sulla, the same weight is due to this denial of his as if he had said that be did know that he had nothing to do with the conspiracy. For when it is perfectly certain that a man is acquainted with all the conspirators, his ignorance of any one ought to be considered an acquittal of him. But I am not asking now whether Cassius acquits Sulla; this is quite sufficient for me, that there is not one word to implicate Sulla in the whole information of the Allobroges.
40
Exclusus
hac
criminatione
Torquatus
rursus
in
me
inruit
,
me
accusat
;
ait
me
aliter
ac
dictum
sit
in
tabulas
publicas
rettulisse
.
O
di
immortales
!—
vobis
enim
tribuo
quae
vestra
sunt
,
nec
vero
possum
meo
tantum
ingenio
dare
ut
tot
res
tantas
,
tam
varias
,
tam
repentinas
in
illa
turbulentissima
tempestate
rei
publicae
mea
sponte
dispexerim
vos
profecto
animum
meum
tum
conservandae
patriae
cupiditate
incendistis
,
vos
me
ab
omnibus
ceteris
cogitationibus
ad
unam
salutem
rei
publicae
convertistis
,
vos
denique
in
tantis
tenebris
erroris
et
inscientiae
clarissimum
lumen
menti
meae
praetulistis
.
Torquatus being cut off from this article of his accusation, again turns against me, and accuses me. He says that I have made an entry in the public registers of a different statement from that which was really made. O ye immortal gods! (for I will give you what belongs to you; nor can I attribute so much to my own ability, as to think that I was able, in that most turbulent tempest which was afflicting the republic, to manage, of my own power, so many and such important affairs,—affairs arising so unexpectedly, and of such various characters,) it was you, in truth, who then inflamed my mind with the desire of saving my country; it was you who turned me from all other thoughts to the one idea of preserving the republic; it was you who, amid all that darkness of error and ignorance, held a bright light before my mind!
41
Vidi
ego
hoc
,
iudices
,
nisi
recenti
memoria
senatus
auctoritatem
huius
indici
monumentis
publicis
testatus
essem
,
fore
ut
aliquando
non
Torquatus
neque
Torquati
quispiam
similis
nam
id
me
multum
fefellit
sed
ut
aliquis
patrimoni
naufragus
,
inimicus
oti
,
bonorum
hostis
,
aliter
indicata
haec
esse
diceret
,
quo
facilius
vento
aliquo
in
optimum
quemque
excitato
posset
in
malis
rei
publicae
portum
aliquem
suorum
malorum
invenire
.
Itaque
introductis
in
senatum
indicibus
constitui
senatores
qui
omnia
indicum
dicta
,
interrogata
,
responsa
perscriberent
.
I saw this, O judges, that unless, while the recollection of the senate on the subject was still fresh, I bore evidence to the authority and to the particulars of this information by public records, hereafter some one, not Torquatus, nor any one like Torquatus, (for in that indeed I have been much deceived,) but some one who had lost his patrimony, some enemy of tranquillity, some foe to all good men, would say that the information given had been different; in order the more easily, when some gale of odium had been stirred up against all virtuous men, to be able, amid the misfortunes of the republic, to discover some harbour for his own broken vessel. Therefore, having introduced the informers into the Senate, I appointed senators to take down every statement made by the informers, every question that was asked, and every answer that was given.
42
At
quos
viros
!
non
solum
summa
virtute
et
fide
,
cuius
generis
erat
in
senatu
facultas
maxima
,
sed
etiam
quos
sciebam
memoria
,
scientia
,
celeritate
scribendi
facillime
quae
dicerentur
persequi
posse
,
C
.
Cosconium
,
qui
tum
erat
praetor
,
M
.
Messalam
,
qui
tum
praeturam
petebat
,
P
.
Nigidium
,
App
.
Claudium
.
Credo
esse
neminem
qui
his
hominibus
ad
vere
referendum
aut
fidem
putet
aut
ingenium
defuisse
.
And what men they were! Not only men of the greatest virtue and good faith, of which sort of men there are plenty in the senate, but men, also, who I knew from their memory, from their knowledge, from their habit and rapidity of writing, could most easily follow everything that was said. I selected Caius Cosconius, who was praetor at the time; Marcus Messala, who was at the time standing for the praetorship; Publius Nigidius, and Appius Claudius. I believe that there is no one who thinks that these men were deficient either in the good faith or in the ability requisite to enable them to give an accurate report.
43
Quid
deinde
?
quid
feci
?
Cum
scirem
ita
esse
indicium
relatum
in
tabulas
publicas
ut
illae
tabulae
privata
tamen
custodia
more
maiorum
continerentur
,
non
occultavi
,
non
continui
domi
,
sed
statim
describi
ab
omnibus
librariis
,
dividi
passim
et
pervolgari
atque
edi
populo
Romano
imperavi
.
Divisi
tota
Italia
,
emisi
in
omnis
provincias
;
eius
indici
ex
quo
oblata
salus
esset
omnibus
expertem
esse
neminem
volui
.
Itaque
dico
locum
in
orbe
terrarum
esse
nullum
,
quo
in
loco
populi
Romani
nomen
sit
,
quin
eodem
perscriptum
hoc
indicium
pervenerit
.
In
quo
ego
tam
subito
et
exiguo
et
turbido
tempore
multa
divinitus
,
ita
ut
dixi
,
non
mea
sponte
providi
,
primum
ne
quis
posset
tantum
aut
de
rei
publicae
aut
de
alicuius
periculo
meminisse
quantum
vellet
;
deinde
ne
cui
liceret
umquam
reprehendere
illud
indicium
aut
temere
creditum
criminari
;
postremo
ne
quid
iam
a
me
,
ne
quid
ex
meis
commentariis
quaereretur
,
ne
aut
oblivio
mea
aut
memoria
nimia
videretur
,
ne
denique
aut
neglegentia
turpis
aut
diligentia
crudelis
putaretur
.
What followed? What did I do next? As I knew that the information was by these means entered among the public documents, but yet that those records would be kept in the custody of private individuals, according to the customs of our ancestors, I did not conceal it; I did not keep it at my own house; but I caused it at once to be copied out by several clerks, and to be distributed everywhere, and published and made known to the Roman people. I distributed it all over Italy, I sent copies of it into every province; I wish no one to be ignorant of that information, by means of which safety was procured for all. And I took this precaution, though at so disturbed a time, and when all opportunities of acting were so sudden and so brief at the suggestion of some divine providence, as I said before, and not of my own accord, or of my own wisdom; taking care, in the first instance, that no one should be able to recollect of the danger to the republic, or to any individual, only as much as he pleased; and in the second place, that no one should be able at any time to find fault with that information, or to accuse us of having given credit to it rashly; and lastly, that no one should ever put any questions to me, or seek to learn anything from my private journals, lest I might be accused of either forgetting or remembering too much, and lest any negligence of mine should be thought discreditable, or lest any eagerness on my part might seem cruel.
44
Sed
tamen
abs
te
,
Torquate
,
quaero
:
cum
indicatus
tuus
esset
inimicus
et
esset
eius
rei
frequens
senatus
et
recens
memoria
testis
,
et
tibi
,
meo
familiari
et
contubernali
,
prius
etiam
edituri
indicium
fuerint
scribae
mei
,
si
voluisses
,
quam
in
codicem
rettulissent
,
cur
cum
videres
aliter
fieri
,
tacuisti
,
passus
es
,
non
mecum
aut
ut
cum
familiarissimo
questus
es
aut
,
quoniam
tam
facile
inveheris
in
amicos
,
iracundius
et
vehementius
expostulasti
?
Tu
,
cum
tua
vox
numquam
sit
audita
,
cum
indicio
lecto
,
descripto
,
divolgato
quieveris
,
tacueris
,
repente
tantam
rem
ementiare
et
in
eum
locum
te
deducas
ut
,
ante
quam
me
commutati
indici
coargueris
,
te
summae
neglegentiae
tuo
iudicio
convictum
esse
fateare
?
But still, O Torquatus, I ask you, as your enemy was mentioned in the information, and as a full senate and the memory of all men as to so recent an affair was a witness of that fact; as my clerks would have communicated the information to you, my intimate friend and companion, if you had wished for it, even before they had taken a copy of it; when you saw that there were any incorrectnesses in it, why were you silent, why did you permit them? Why did you not make a complaint to me or to some friend of mine? or why did you not at least, since you are so well inclined to inveigh against your friends, expostulate passionately and earnestly with me? Do you, when your voice was never once heard at the time, when, though the information was read, and copied out, and published, you kept silence then,—do you, I say, now on a sudden dare to bring forward a statement of such importance? and to place yourself in such a position that before you can convict me of having tampered with the information, you must confess that you are convicted yourself of the grossest negligence, on your own information bid against yourself?
45
Mihi
cuiusquam
salus
tanti
fuisset
ut
meam
neglegerem
?
per
me
ego
veritatem
patefactam
contaminarem
aliquo
mendacio
?
quemquam
denique
ego
iuvarem
,
a
quo
et
tam
crudelis
insidias
rei
publicae
factas
et
me
potissimum
consule
constitutas
putarem
?
Quod
si
iam
essem
oblitus
severitatis
et
constantiae
meae
,
tamne
amens
eram
ut
,
cum
litterae
posteritatis
causa
repertae
sint
,
quae
subsidio
oblivioni
esse
possent
,
ego
recentem
putarem
memoriam
cuncti
senatus
commentario
meo
posse
superari
?
Was the safety of any one of such consequence to me as to induce me to forget my own? or to make me contaminate the truth, which I had laid open, by any lie? Or do you suppose that I would assist any one by whom I thought that a cruel plot had been laid against the republic, and most especially against me the consul? But if I had been forgetful of my own severity and of my own virtue, was I so mad, as, when letters are things which have been devised for the sake of posterity, in order to be a protection against forgetfulness, to think that the fresh recollection of the whole senate could be beaten down by my journal?
46
Fero
ego
te
,
Torquate
,
iam
dudum
fero
,
et
non
numquam
animum
incitatum
ad
ulciscendam
orationem
tuam
revoco
ipse
et
reflecto
,
permitto
aliquid
iracundiae
tuae
,
do
adulescentiae
,
cedo
amicitiae
,
tribuo
parenti
.
Sed
nisi
tibi
aliquem
modum
tute
constitueris
,
coges
oblitum
me
nostrae
amicitiae
habere
rationem
meae
dignitatis
.
Nemo
umquam
me
tenuissima
suspicione
perstrinxit
quem
non
perverterim
ac
perfregerim
.
Sed
mihi
hoc
credas
velim
:
non
eis
libentissime
soleo
respondere
quos
mihi
videor
facillime
posse
superare
.
I have been bearing with you, O Torquatus, for a long time. I have been bearing with you; and sometimes I, of my own accord, call back and check my inclination, when it has been provoked to chastise your speech. I make some allowance for your violent temper; I have some indulgence for your youth, I yield somewhat to our own friendship, I have some regard to your father. But unless you put some restraint upon yourself you will compel me to forget our friendship, in order to pay due regard to my own dignity. No one ever attempted to attach the slightest suspicion to me, that I did not defeat him; but I wish you to believe me in this;—those whom I think that I can defeat most easily, are not those whom I take the greatest pleasure in answering.
47
Tu
quoniam
minime
ignoras
consuetudinem
dicendi
meam
,
noli
hac
nova
lenitate
abuti
mea
,
noli
aculeos
orationis
meae
,
qui
reconditi
sunt
,
excussos
arbitrari
,
noli
id
omnino
a
me
putare
esse
amissum
si
quid
est
tibi
remissum
atque
concessum
.
Cum
illae
valent
apud
me
excusationes
iniuriae
tuae
,
iratus
animus
tuus
,
aetas
,
amicitia
nostra
,
tum
nondum
statuo
te
virium
satis
habere
ut
ego
tecum
luctari
et
congredi
debeam
.
Quod
si
esses
usu
atque
aetate
robustior
,
essem
idem
qui
soleo
cum
sum
lacessitus
;
nunc
tecum
sic
agam
tulisse
ut
potius
iniuriam
quam
rettulisse
gratiam
videar
.
Do you, since you are not at all ignorant of my ordinary way of speaking, forbear to abuse my lenity. Do not think that the stings of my eloquence are taken away, because they are sheathed. Do not think that that power has been entirely lost, because I show some consideration for; and indulgence towards you. In the first place, the excuses which I make to myself for your injurious conduct, your violent temper; your age, and our friendship, have much weight with me; and, in the next place, I do not yet consider you a person of sufficient power to make it worth my while to contend and argue with you. But if you were more capable through age and experience, I should pursue the conduct which is habitual to me when I have been provoked; at present I will deal with you in such away that I shall seem to have received an injury rather than to have requited one.
48
Neque
vero
quid
mihi
irascare
intellegere
possum
.
Si
,
quod
eum
defendo
quem
tu
accusas
,
cur
tibi
ego
non
suscenseo
,
quod
accusas
eum
quem
ego
defendo
? '
Inimicum
ego
, '
inquis
, '
accuso
meum
. '
Et
amicum
ego
defendo
meum
. '
Non
debes
tu
quemquam
in
coniurationis
quaestione
defendere
. '
Immo
nemo
magis
eum
de
quo
nihil
umquam
est
suspicatus
quam
is
qui
de
aliis
multa
cognovit
. '
Cur
dixisti
testimonium
in
alios
? '
Quia
coactus
sum
. '
Cur
damnati
sunt
? '
Quia
creditum
est
. '
Regnum
est
dicere
in
quem
velis
et
defendere
quem
velis
. '
Immo
servitus
est
non
dicere
in
quem
velis
et
non
defendere
quem
velis
.
Ac
si
considerare
coeperis
utrum
magis
mihi
hoc
necesse
fuerit
facere
an
istud
tibi
,
intelleges
honestius
te
inimicitiarum
modum
statuere
potuisse
quam
me
humanitatis
.
Nor, indeed, can I make out why you are angry with me. If it is because I am defending a man whom you accusing, why should not I also be angry with you, who are accusing a man whom I am defending? “I,” say you, “am accusing my enemy.” And I am defending my friend. “But you ought not to defend any one who is being tried for conspiracy.” On the contrary, no one ought to be more prompt to defend a man of whom he has never suspected any ill, than he who has had many reasons for forming opinions about other men. “Why did you give evidence against others?” Because I was compelled. “Why were they convicted?” Because my evidence was believed. “It is behaving like a king to speak against whomsoever you please and to defend whomsoever you please.” Say, rather, that it is slavery not to be able to speak against any one you choose and to defend any one you choose. And if you begin to consider whether it was more necessary for me to do this or for you to do that, you will perceive that you could with more credit fix a limit to your enmities than I could to my humanity.
49
At
vero
,
cum
honos
agebatur
familiae
vestrae
amplissimus
,
hoc
est
consulatus
parentis
tui
,
sapientissimus
vir
familiarissimis
suis
non
suscensuit
,
pater
tuus
,
cum
Sullam
et
defenderent
et
laudarent
?
intellegebat
hanc
nobis
a
maioribus
esse
traditam
disciplinam
ut
nullius
amicitia
ad
pericula
propulsanda
impediremur
.
At
erat
huic
iudicio
longe
dissimilis
illa
contentio
.
Tum
adflicto
P
.
Sulla
consulatus
vobis
pariebatur
,
sicuti
partus
est
;
honoris
erat
certamen
;
ereptum
repetere
vos
clamitabatis
,
ut
victi
in
campo
in
foro
vinceretis
;
tum
qui
contra
vos
pro
huius
salute
pugnabant
,
amicissimi
vestri
,
quibus
non
irascebamini
,
consulatum
vobis
eripiebant
,
honori
vestro
repugnabant
,
et
tamen
id
inviolata
vestra
amicitia
,
integro
officio
,
vetere
exemplo
atque
instituto
optimi
cuiusque
faciebant
.
But when the greatest honours of your family were at stake, that is to say, the consulship of your father that wise man your father was not angry with his most intimate friends for defending and praising Sulla. He was aware that this was a principle handed down to us from our ancestors that we were not to be hindered by our friendship for any one from warding off dangers from others. And yet that contest was far from resembling this trial. Then, if Publius Sulla could he put down, the consulship would be procured for your father as it was procured, it was a contest of honour you were crying out, that you were seeking to recover what had been taken from you, in order that, having been defeated in the Campus Martius, you might succeed in the forum. Then those who were contending against you for Sulla's safety your greatest friends, with whom you were not angry. On, that account, deprived you of the consulship, resisted your acquisition of honour; and yet they did so without any rupture of your mutual friendship, without violating any duty according to ancient precedent and the established principles of every good man.
50
Ego
vero
quibus
ornamentis
adversor
tuis
aut
cui
dignitati
vestrae
repugno
?
Quid
est
quod
iam
ab
hoc
expetas
?
Honos
ad
patrem
,
insignia
honoris
ad
te
delata
sunt
.
Tu
ornatus
exuviis
huius
venis
ad
eum
lacerandum
quem
interemisti
,
ego
iacentem
et
spoliatum
defendo
et
protego
.
Atque
hic
tu
et
reprehendis
me
quia
defendam
et
irasceris
;
ego
autem
non
modo
tibi
non
irascor
sed
ne
reprehendo
quidem
factum
tuum
.
Te
enim
existimo
tibi
statuisse
quid
faciendum
putares
et
satis
idoneum
offici
tui
iudicem
esse
potuisse
.
But now what promotion of yours am I opposing? or what dignity of yours am I throwing obstacles in the way of? what is there which you can at present seek from this proceeding? Honour has been conferred on your father; the insignia of honour have descended to you. You, adorned with his spoils, come to tear the body of him whom you have slain; I am defending and protecting him who is lying prostrate and stripped of his arms. And on this you find fault with me, and are angry because I defend him. But I not only am not angry with you, but I do not even find fault with your proceeding. For I imagine that you have laid down a rule for yourself as to what you thought that you ought to do, and that you have appointed a very capable judge of your duty.
51
At
accusat
C
.
Corneli
filius
et
id
aeque
valere
debet
ac
si
pater
indicaret
.
O
patrem
Cornelium
sapientem
qui
,
quod
praemi
solet
esse
in
indicio
,
reliquerit
,
quod
turpitudinis
in
confessione
,
id
per
accusationem
fili
susceperit
!
Sed
quid
est
tandem
quod
indicat
per
istum
puerum
Cornelius
?
Si
vetera
,
mihi
ignota
,
cum
Hortensio
communicata
,
respondit
Hortensius
;
sin
,
ut
ais
,
illum
conatum
Autroni
et
Catilinae
,
cum
in
campo
consularibus
comitiis
,
quae
a
me
habita
sunt
,
caedem
facere
voluerunt
,
Autronium
tum
in
campo
vidimus
sed
quid
dixi
vidisse
nos
?
ego
vidi
;
vos
enim
tum
,
iudices
,
nihil
laborabatis
neque
suspicabamini
,
ego
tectus
praesidio
firmo
amicorum
Catilinae
tum
et
Autroni
copias
et
conatum
repressi
.
“Oh, but the son of Caius Cornelius accuses him, and that ought to have the same weight as if his father had given information against him.” O wise Cornelius,—the father; I mean—who left all the reward which is usually given for information, but has got all the discredit which a confession can involve, through the accusation brought by his son! However; what is it that Cornelius gives information of by the mouth of that boy? If it is a part of the business which is unknown to me, but which has been communicated to Hortensius, let Hortensius reply. If as you say, his statement concerns that crew of Autronius and Catiline, when they intended to commit a massacre in the Campus Martius, at the consular comitia, which were held by me; we saw Autronius that day in the Campus. And why do I say we saw? I myself saw him (for you at that time, O judges, had no anxiety, no suspicions; I, protected by a firm guard of friends at that time, checked the forces and the endeavours of Catiline and Autronius).
52
Num
quis
est
igitur
qui
tum
dicat
in
campum
aspirasse
Sullam
?
Atqui
,
si
tum
se
cum
Catilina
societate
sceleris
coniunxerat
,
cur
ab
eo
discedebat
,
cur
cum
Autronio
non
erat
,
cur
in
pari
causa
non
paria
signa
criminis
reperiuntur
?
Sed
quoniam
Cornelius
ipse
etiam
nunc
de
indicando
dubitat
,
et
,
ut
dicitis
,
informat
ad
hoc
adumbratum
indicium
filium
,
quid
tandem
de
illa
nocte
dicit
,
cum
inter
falcarios
ad
M
.
Laecam
nocte
ea
quae
consecuta
est
posterum
diem
Nonarum
Novembrium
me
consule
Catilinae
denuntiatione
convenit
?
quae
nox
omnium
temporum
coniurationis
acerrima
fuit
atque
acerbissima
.
Tum
Catilinae
dies
exeundi
,
tum
ceteris
manendi
condicio
,
tum
discriptio
totam
per
urbem
caedis
atque
incendiorum
constituta
est
;
tum
tuus
pater
,
Corneli
,
id
quod
tandem
aliquando
confitetur
,
illam
sibi
officiosam
provinciam
depoposcit
ut
,
cum
prima
luce
consulem
salutatum
veniret
,
intromissus
et
meo
more
et
iure
amicitiae
me
in
meo
lectulo
trucidaret
.
Is there, then, any one who says that Sulla at that time had any idea of coming into the Campus? And yet, if at that time he had united himself with Catiline in that society of wickedness, why did he leave him? why was not he with Autronius? why, when their cases were similar, are not similar proofs of criminality found? But since Cornelius himself even now hesitates about giving information against him, he, as you say, contents himself with filling up the outline of his son's information what then does he say about that night, when, according to the orders of Catiline, he came into the Scythemakers' street, to the house of Marcus Lecca, that night which followed the sixth of November; in my consulship? that night which of all the moments of the conspiracy was the most terrible and the most miserable. Then the day in which Catiline should leave the city, then the terms on which the rest should remain behind, then the arrangement and division of the whole city, with regard to the conflagration and the massacre, was settled. Then your father, O Cornelius, as he afterwards confessed, begged for himself that especial employment of going the first in the morning to salute me as consul, in order that, laving been admitted, according to my usual custom and to the privilege which his friendship with me gave him, he might slay me in my bed.
53
Hoc
tempore
,
cum
arderet
acerrime
coniuratio
,
cum
Catilina
egrederetur
ad
exercitum
,
Lentulus
in
urbe
relinqueretur
,
Cassius
incendiis
,
Cethegus
caedi
praeponeretur
,
Autronio
ut
occuparet
Etruriam
praescriberetur
,
cum
omnia
ornarentur
,
instruerentur
,
pararentur
,
ubi
fuit
Sulla
,
Corneli
?
num
Romae
?
Immo
longe
afuit
.
Num
in
eis
regionibus
quo
se
Catilina
inferebat
?
Multo
etiam
longius
.
Num
in
agro
Camerti
,
Piceno
,
Gallico
,
quas
in
oras
maxime
quasi
morbus
quidam
illius
furoris
pervaserat
?
Nihil
vero
minus
.
Fuit
enim
,
ut
iam
ante
dixi
,
Neapoli
,
fuit
in
ea
parte
Italiae
quae
maxime
ista
suspicione
caruit
.
At this time, when the conspiracy was at its height; when Catiline was starting for the army, and Lentulus was being left in the city; when Cassius was being appointed to superintend the burning of the city, and Cethegus the massacre; when Autronius had the part allotted to him of occupying Italy; when, in short, everything was being arranged, and settled, and prepared; where, O Cornelius, was Sulla? Was he at Rome? No, he was very far away. Was he in those districts to which Catiline was betaking himself? He was still further from them. Was he in the Camertine, Picenian, or Gallic district? lands which the disease, as it were, of that frenzy had infected most particularly. Nothing is further from the truth; for he was, as I have said already, at Naples. He was in that part of Italy which above all others was free from all suspicion of being implicated in that business.
54
Quid
ergo
indicat
aut
quid
adfert
aut
ipse
Cornelius
aut
vos
qui
haec
ab
illo
mandata
defertis
?
Gladiatores
emptos
esse
Fausti
simulatione
ad
caedem
ac
tumultum
? '
Ita
prorsus
;
interpositi
sunt
gladiatores
. '
Quos
testamento
patris
deberi
videmus
. '
Adrepta
est
familia
. '
Quae
si
esset
praetermissa
,
posset
alia
familia
Fausti
munus
praebere
.
Vtinam
quidem
haec
ipsa
non
modo
iniquorum
invidiae
sed
aequorum
exspectationi
satis
facere
posset
! '
Properatum
vehementer
est
,
cum
longe
tempus
muneris
abesset
. '
Quasi
vero
tempus
dandi
muneris
non
valde
appropinquaret
. '
Nec
opinante
Fausto
,
cum
is
neque
sciret
neque
vellet
,
familia
est
comparata
. '
What then does he state in his information, or what does he allege—I mean Cornelius, or you who bring these messages from him? He says that gladiators were bought, under pretence of some games to be exhibited by Faustus, for the purposes of slaughter and tumult.—Just so;—the gladiators are mentioned whom we know that he was bound to provide according to his father's will. “But he seized on a whole household of gladiators; and if he had left that alone, some other troop might have discharged the duty to which Faustus was bound.” I wish this troop could satisfy not only the envy of parties unfavourable to him, but even the expectations of reasonable men. “He was in a desperate hurry, when the time for the exhibition was still far off.” As if in reality, the time for the exhibition was not drawing very near. This household of slaves was got without Faustus having any idea of such a step; for he neither knew of it nor wished it.