SALLUSTII CATILINA

CHAPTER 23

Sed postquam civitas corrupta-est luxu atque

But after the state was corrupted by luxury and

.

desidia, respublica sustentabat rursus vitia

by inactivity, the republic did support again the vices of (its)

.

imperatorum atque magistratuum sua magnitudine ;

generals and magistrates from its-own greatness;

.

ac sicuti parente effeta, sane haud quisquam

and as-if the parent (having been) worn-out, indeed not any-one

.

magnus virtute fuit Romae multis tempestatibus.

great in virtue has been at Rome for many seasons (periods),

.

Sed fuere mea memoria duo viri, Marcus Cato

But (there) were in my memory two men, Marcus Cato

.

et Caius Caesar, ingenti virtute, diversis moribus,

and Caius Caesar, with (of) great virtue, with different manners,

.

quos quoniam res obtulerat, fuit non

whom since the thing (the subject) has presented, it has been not (my)

.

consilium praeterire silentio, quin aperirem

design to pass-by in silenee, but (that) I might disclose

.

naturam et mores utriusque, quantum possem

the nature and manners of each, as-much-as I might be-able to

.

ingenio. Igitur genus, aetas, eloquentia fuere prope

by ability. Therefore extraction, age, eloquence were nearly

.

aequalia his; magnitudo animi par, item

equal to these; (their) greatness of mind equal, likewise (their)

.

gloria, sed alia alii. Caesar

glory, but other (different) to the other (to each). Caesar

.

habebatur magnus beneficiis ac munificentia,

was had (accounted) great by kindnesses and munificence,

.

Cato integritate vitae. Ille factus clarus

Cato by integrity of life. He (the former) (was) made renowned

.

mansuetudine et misericordia; severitas addiderat

by mildness and by compassion; severity had added

.

dignitatem huic. Caeser adeptus-est gloriam

dignity to this (the latter). Caesar obtained glory

.

dando, sublevando, ignoscendo; Cato largiundo nihil.

by giving, by relieving, by pardoning; Cato by bestowing nothing.

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Perfugium miseris in altero pernicies

A refuge to the wretched (was) in the other (one), destruetion

.

malis in altero. Facilitas illius,

to the bad in the other. The easiness (of access ) of that (the former),

.

constantia hujus landabatur. Postremo, Caesar

the constancy or this (the latter) was praised, Finally, Caesar

.

induxerat in animum laborare, vigilare,

had induced into (his) mind (had resolved) to labour, to watch,

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intentus negotiis amicorum, negligere sua,

intent to (on) the affairs of friends, to neglect his-own,

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denegare nihil, quod esset (imp. sub.) dignum dono;

to deny nothing, which might be (was) worthy a gift;

.

exoptabat sibi magnum imperium, exercitum, novum

he did wish for himself great command, an army, a new

.

bellum, ubi virtus posset enitescere. At

war, where (his) valour might be-able to shine-forth. But

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studium modestiae, decoris, sed maxuma severitatis,

a zeal of (for) moderation, of propriety, but chiefly of strictness,

.

erat Catoni. Certabat non cum divite divitiis, neque

was to Cato. He did contend not with the rich in riches, neither

.

cum factioso factione; sed cum strenuo virtute,

with the factions in faction; but with the strenuous in virtue,

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cum modesto pudore, cum innocente abstinentia:

with the modest in modosty, with the innocent in abstinence. [and purity]

.

malebat esse bonus quam videri; ita,

he had-rather to be good than to seem (so); thus,

.

quo minus petebat gloriam, eo magis

by what (how much) less he did seek glory, by that the more

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adsequebatur. Postquam, uti dixi, senatus discessit

it did attend (him). After, as I have said, the senate departed

.

in sententiam Catonis: consul ratus

into [adopted] the opinion of Cato: the consul having deemed

.

optumum factu antecapere noctem, quae instabat,

(It) best to be done to anticipate the night, which did press-on

.

ne quid novaretur eo

lest any (thing) might be renewed (might be changed) in the

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spatio, jubet trium viros parare, quae

space [or time], orders the triumviri (sheriffs) to prepare, what

.

supplicium postulabat; ipse, praesidiis dispositis,

the punishment did require; he, the guards having been arranged,

.

deducit Leutulum in carcerem ; idem fit caeteris

leads-down Lentulus into prison; the same is done to the rest

.

per praetores. Est locus in carcere, quod

by the pretors, There is a place in the prison, which

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appellatur Tullianum, depressus circiter duodecim

called Tullianum, sunk about twelve

.

pedes humi, ubi ascenderis paululum

feet of (in) the ground, where you shall have ascended a little

.

ad laevam. Parietes atque camera insuper, vincta

to the left. Walls and a vault from above, bound

.

lapideis fornicibus, muniunt eum undique: sed

by stone arches, secure it on-every-side: but

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facies ejus est foeda atque terribilis incultu,

the appearance of it is filthy and terrible from dirt [from neglect],

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tenebris, odore. Postquam Lentulus

darkness, [and] stench. After that Lentulus

.

demissus in eum locum, vindices capitalium

was sent-down into that place, the avenger of capital

.

rerum, quibus praeceptum-erat, fregere

things (executioner), to whom it bad been commanded, broke (his)

.

gulam laqueo. Ita ille patricius ex

throat with a rope [strangled him]. Thus that patrician of

.

clarissimi gente Corneliorum, qui habuerat

the most-renowned nation (family) of the Cornelii, who had had

.

consulare imperium Romae, invenit exitum vitae

the consular authority of (at) Rome, found an end of life

.

dignum suis moribus que factis. Supplicium

worthy his manners and deeds. Punishment

.

sumptum-est eodem modo de Cethego, Statilio

was-taken in the same manner of (on) Cethegus, Statilius,

.

Gabinio, Cepario.

Gabinius, Ceparlus.

.

Dum ea geruntur Romae, Catilina

While those (things) are carried-on at Rome, Catiline

.

instituit duas legiones ex omni copis, quam ipse

formed two legions out-of all the force, which he

.

adduxerat, et Manlius habuerat;

had led [had brought with him], and Manlius had had;

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complet cohortes pro numero militum;

he fills-up the cohorts according-to [his] number of soldiers ]

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dein uti quisque voluntarius, aut ex sociis

afterwards as each volunteer, or [those] out-of the allies

.

venerat in castra, distribuerat aequaliter; ac

had come into the camp, he had distributed (them) equally; and

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expleverat legiones numero hominum

he had filled-up the legions with the number of men in a

.

brevi spatio; cum non-habuisset

short space (of time) when (whereas) he might not have had (he had not)

.

initio amplius duobus millibus. Sed circiter

in the beginning more (than) two thousand. But about

.

quarta pars ex omni copia instructa-erat militaribus

a fourth part out-of all the force had been furnished with military

.

armis; caeteri, ut casus armaverat quemque, portabant

arms; the rest, as chance had armed each, did carry

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sparos aut lanceas, alii praeacutas sudes.

javelins or lances, some sharp-pointed stakes.