SALLUSTII CATILINA

CHAPTER 6

Nonne praestat emori per virtutem, quam amittere miseram

Is it not better to die by valor, then to lose a wretched

.

atque inhonestam vitam per dedecus, ubi fueris ludibrio

and dishonorable life by disgrace, when you may have been a laughing stock

.

alienae superbiae? Verum enimvero, pro fidem deum atque

to other's pride? But Truly, such faith of gods and

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hominum, victoria est nobis in manu; aetas viget animus

men, victory is to us inhand; (our) age flourishes, mind

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valet: contra omnia consenuerunt illis annis atque divitiis.

prevales: on the other hand all (things) have grown old to them in years and in riches.

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Est opus tantummodo incepto, res expediet caetera. Etenim

Its need only for a beginning, things will prepare the rest. For

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quis mortalium, cui est virile ingenium, potest tolerara

who of mortals, to whom is a manly disposition, can endure

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divitias superare illis, quas profundunt in extruendo mari,

riches to abound to them, which they squander in building the sea;

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et montibus coaequandis familiarem rem deesse nobis etiam ad

and mountains to be leveled, Private things to be wanting to us even to (for)

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necessaria. Illos continuare binas domos aut amplius;

necessary matters. (Who can endure) Those to extend two houses or more;

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ullum familiarem larem nusquam nobis?

any private household god no where to us? (While we have nowhere a home of our own)

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Cum emunt tabulas, signa, toreumata diruunt

When they buy pictures, statues, chased vessels (plate), pull down

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nova, aedificant alia:

new, (buildings) build others

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postremo, trahunt, vexant pecuniam omnibus modis; tamen

finally, they draw (consume), torture money [squander money] in all manners; yet

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nequeunt vincere suas divitias summa lubidine.

are-unable to exceed their riches by the utmost extravagance. (of expenditure)

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At inopia est nobis domi, alienum-aes

But want is to us at home, debt

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foris, res mala, spes multo asperior.

abroad, thing (our situation) bad, hope by much rougher(worse)

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Denique, quid reliqui habemus

Finally, what of remaining have-we (what have we left)

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praeter miseram animam? Quin igitur

except a wretched life? But therefore

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expergiscimini? En! illa, illa libertas, quam

do you awake? so! that, that liberty, which

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optastis saepe; paeterea divitiae, decus, gloria,

you have wished for often; besides riches, honour, glory

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sita-sunt in oculis: fortuna posuit omnia ea

are placed in eyes (view): fortune has placed all those (as)

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praemia victoribus. Res, tempus,

rewards to the conquerors. The thing (circumstanee), time,

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pericula, egestas, magnifica spolia belli hortentur

dangers, want, the magnificent spoils of war may exhort

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vos magis quam mea oratio. Utemini me vel

you more than my speech. You shall use me either (as)

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imperatore vel milite: neque animus neque

general or (fellow) soldier: neither (my) mind nor

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corpus aberit a vobis. Consul agam, ut

body shall be absent from you. (As) consul I shall do, as

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spero, haec ipsa una, vobiscum: nisi forte

I hope, those very (things) together with you: unless by chance

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animus fallit me, et vos parati-estis

my) mind deceive me, and you have been prepared (disposed)

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servire magis quam imperare.

to serve rather than to commmd.

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Postquam homines eccepere ea,

After the men received (heard) those (things)

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quibus omnia mala erant abunde, sed neque res

to whom all evils were abundantly, but neither thing

.

neque ulla bona spes: tametsi videbatur

(property) nor any good hope: although it did seem

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illis magna merces movere quieta; tamen

to them a great reward to move quiet (things); notwithstanding

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plerique postulare uti proponeret, quae

many (began) to require that he would propose, what

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foret conditio belli: quae praemia peterent

would be the condition of war: what rewards they might seek

.

armis: quid que ubi opis ant spei haberent.

by arms: what and where of resource or hope they might have.

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Tum Catilina polliceri novas tabulas

Then Catiline (began) to promise new tablets (a remission of debts)

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proscriptionem locupletium, magistratus,

a proscription of the wealthy, magistrates,

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sacerdotia, rapines, omnia alia quae bellum

priesthoods, rapines, all other(things) which war

.

atque lubido victorum fert: praeterea,

and [the] lust of conquerors bears (brings): moreover,

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Pisonem esse in citeriore Hispania, Publium

[that] Piso to be (was) in hither Spain, Publius

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Sittium Nucerinum cum exercitu in Mauritania,

Sittius Nucerinus with an army in Mauritania,

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participes sui consilii: Caium Antonium

partakers of his design: [that] Caius Antony

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petere consulatum, quem speraret

to seek [sought] the consulship, whom he would hope (he hoped)

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fore collegium sibi, hominem et

to be-about to be [would be a] colleague to himself, a man and

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familiarem et circumventum omnibus

(both) familiar and beset by all

.

necessitudinibus:

obligations: [his familiar acquaintance, and under many obligations to him]

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se consulem facturum

himself (Catiline) consul about to make (would make)

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initium agendi cum eo. Ad-hoc increpabat

a beginning of acting with him. Besides he did revile

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maledictis omnea bonos: nominans

[with imprecations] all good (men): naming

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unumquemque suorum, landare, admonere

each of his own, (he began) to praise (him), to remind

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alium egestatis, alium sue cupiditatis,

one of (his) poverty, another of his desire

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complures periculi aut ignominiae, multos Sullana

many of danger or disgrace, many of the Syllanian

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victoriae, quibus ea fuerat praedae.

of victory, to whom that had been for booty.