SALLUSTII CATILINA

CHAPTER 11

Testamur deos que hommes, imperator, nos

We attest gods and men, [O commander,] us

.

cepisse arma neque contra

to have taken (that we have taken) arms neither against [our]

.

patriam, neque quo faceremus periculum aliis,

country, nor in-order-that we might make danger to others,

.

sed uti nostra corpora forent tuta ab injuria:

but that our bodies might be safe from injury:

.

qui miseri, egentes, plerique sumus expertes,

who retched, needing, most (of us) are deprived,

.

violentia atque crudelitate foeneratorum, patriae,

by the violence and cruelty of usurers, (of) country,

.

sed omnes fama atque fortuna: neque

but all [from] of character and fortune: and

.

licuit cuiquam nostrum, more majorum

has it been-lawfu1 for any of us, in the manner of (our) ancestors

.

uti lege, neque habere liberum corpus,

to use the 1aw, nor to have a free body (person), (our)

.

patrimonio amisso: tanta fuit saevitia foeneratorum

patrimony having been lost: so-great has been the cruelty of the usurers

.

atque praetoris. Saepe majores

and pretor (chancellor). Often the ancestors

.

vestrlim miseriti Romanae plebis, opitulati-sunt

of you having pitied the Roman commonalty, relieved

.

inopiae ejus suis decretis: ac propter magnitudinem

the want of it by their decrees: and on-account-of the magnttude

.

alieni-aeris argentum solutum-est aere novissume,

of debt silver was paid by brass very lately,

.

vestra. memoria, omnibus bonis volentibus.

in your memory, all good (persons) willing (assenting)

.

Saepe plebes ipsa, permota aut studio

Often the commons themselves, influenced either by a zeal

.

dominandi aut superbia magistratuum, secessit

of ruling or by the pride of the magistrates, seceded

.

armata a patribus. At nos petimus non imperium

armed from the fathers. But we seek not command

.

neque divitias, causa quarum omnia bella atque

nor riches, on-account of which all wars and

.

certamina sunt inter mortalis (mortales): sed

contests are among mortals: but

.

libertatem, quam nemo bonus amittit, nisi

liberty, which no good (man) loses, unless

.

simul cum anima. Obtestamur to atque senatum,

together with life. We conjure you and the senate,

.

consulatis miseris civibus;

(that) you may consult (that you provide) for wretched citizens;

.

restituatis praesidium legis, quod iniquitas

may restore the security of the law, which the iniquity

.

praetoris eripuit, neve-imponatis nobis

of the pretor has taken-away, and (that) you impose-not on us

.

necessitudinem, ut quaeramus quonam modo

the necessity, that we may seek (to seek) in what manner

.

pereamus, ulti maxuma nostrum sanguinem.

we may perish, (having avenged-chiefly best) our blood after having sold our lives dearly.

.

Quintus Martius respondit ad haec, Si

Quintus Martius answered to these (things), If

.

vellent petere quid ab senatu,

they would [they wished] to seek any (thing) from the senate,

.

discedant ab armis, proficiscantur supplices Romam:

they may depart from arms, may set-out suppllant to Rome [they should lay down their arms, and go as suppliants to Rome]

.

senatum que Romanum populum

(he answers) [that] the senate and Romau people

.

fuisse semper ea misericordi

to have been always with (of) [always posesed] that pity

.

atque mansuetudine, ut nemo unquam petiverit

and gentleness, that no-one ever may have sought

.

auxilium ab co frustra. At Catilina ex

(has sought) aid from it in vain. But Catiline on

.

itinere mittit literas plerisque consularibus,

(his) journey sends letters to most consular-men,

.

praeterea cuique optumo:

moreover to each most excellent [and distinguished] (person):

.

se circumventum falsis criminibus, quoniam

himself being beset by false accusations, since

.

nequiverit resistere factioni

he may have been-unable to withstand to the faction

.

inimicorum, proficisci Massiliam in exilium;

of (his) enemies, to set-out to Massilia into banishment;

.

non quod esset conscius sibi tanti sceleris,

not because be might be conseious to himself of so-great a crime,

.

sed uti respublica foret quieta; ve ne seditio

but that the republic might be peaceable; or lest a sedition

.

oriretur ex sua contentione. Quintus Catulus

might arise out-of his dispute. Quintos Catulus

.

recitavit in senatu literas longe diversas ab

read-aloud in the senate letters (a letter), far different from

.

his; quas dicebat redditas sibi nomine

these (this); which he did say (to be) delivered to him in the name

.

Catilinae. Exemplum earum scriptum-est infra.

of Catiline. The copy of those (it) has been written beneath.

.

Lucius Catilina Quinto Catnlo salutans. Tua egregia

Lucius Cataline to Quintus Catulus greeting. Your excellent

.

fides, grata mihi, re cognita,

faith (honour), [so] agreeable to me, the thing having been known

.

tribuit fiduciam meae

[and known to me by experience], has afforded me confidence to my

.

commendationi meis magnis periculis. Quamobrem

recommendation in my great dangers. Wherefore

.

statui non parare defensionem in novo

[have resolved not to prepare a defence in (my) new

.

consilio: decrevi proponere satisfactionem ex

design : I have determined to propose satisfaction from

.

nulla conscientia de culpa, quae medius-fidius

no consoiousness of fault, which by Jove's-son (Hercules]

.

licet recognoscas mecum vera. Concitatus

it-is-lawful you may reeognise with me (to be) true. Provoked

.

injuriis que contumeliis, quod privatus

by injuries and insults, that having been deprived [that have

.

fructu laboris que meae industriae,

deprived me] (of) the fruit of [my] labour and my industry,

.

obtinebam non statum dignitatis,

I did possess not the station of dignity [and which prevented me

.

suscepi, pro

from obtaining the dignity or consul], I have undertaken, according-to

.

mea consuetudine, publicam causam miserorum:

my custom, the public cause of the wretched:

.

non quin possem solvere alienum-aes meis

not but, I might be-able to discharge the debt in-my-own

.

nominibus ex possessionibus;

names (on my own account) out-of (my) possesions;

.

cum et liberalitas Aureliae Orestillae persolveret

when and (also) the liberality of Aurella Orestllla would discharge

.

aliis nominibus,

(debt) under other names (the securities for his debts) [his suretyship

.

suis que copiis

for the debts or others], from her-own and the resources of (her)

.

filiae: sed quod videbam non-dignos homines

daughter: but because I did see unworthy men

.

honestatos honore, que sentiebam me

dignified by honour (preferment), and did feel myself

.

alienatum falsa suspicione. Hoc nomine

estranged by a false suspicion. With this name (consideration)

.

secutus-sum satis honestas spes reliquae dignitatis

I have-followed sufficiently honourable hopes of remaining dignity,

.

conservandae pro

to-be-preserved (of preserving my remaining dignity) according-to

.

meo casu. Cum vellem scribere plura, nuneiatum-est

my condition. When I would to write more, it has been told

.

vim parari mihi. Nunc

violence to be prepared (that violence was designed) for me. Now

.

commendo Orestillam tibi, que trado tuae fidei.

I commend Orestilla to you, and I deliver (her) to your honour.

.

Rogatus per tuos liberos defendas eam

Entreated by your children (that) you may defend her

.

ab injuria.

from injury.