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Plutarch · Life of Flamininus §19.1-19.4

Expulsion of Lucius from the Senate and His Reinstatement

Passage 19 of 21 · Greek

Summary

Cato as censor expels Lucius from the senate; despite Titus's political retaliation against Cato, Lucius later excites public sympathy at the theater and is welcomed back into the consular seats.

§19.1ἐπὶ τούτῳ Κάτων τιμητὴς γενόμενος καὶ καθαίρων τὴν σύγκλητον ἀπήλασε τῆς βουλῆς τὸν Λεύκιον, ὑπατικοῦ μὲν ἀξιώματος ὄντα, συνατιμοῦσθαι δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ δοκοῦντος αὐτῷ.
Upon this, Cato, having become censor and purging the senate, expelled Lucius from the council, although he was of consular dignity, and his brother also was thought to be disgraced along with him.
διὸ καὶ προελθόντες εἰς τὸν δῆμον ἀμφότεροι ταπεινοὶ καὶ δεδακρυμένοι μέτρια δεῖσθαι τῶν πολιτῶν ἐδόκουν, ἀξιοῦντες αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν τὸν Κάτωνα καὶ λόγον, ᾧ χρησάμενος οἶκον ἔνδοξον ἀτιμίᾳ τοσαύτῃ περιβέβληκεν.
For this reason, both of them coming forward to the people in a humble and tearful state, seemed to make a moderate entreaty to the citizens, demanding that Cato state his reason and account, by using which he had cast such great disgrace upon an illustrious house.
§19.2οὐδὲν οὖν ὑποστειλάμενος ὁ Κάτων προῆλθε, καὶ καταστὰς μετὰ τοῦ συνάρχοντος ἠρώτησε τὸν Τίτον εἰ γινώσκει τὸ συμπόσιον.
Cato, therefore, without shrinking at all, came forward, and standing with his colleague, asked Titus if he knew about that banquet.
ἀρνουμένου δὲ ἐκείνου, διηγησάμενος εἰς ὁρισμὸν προεκαλεῖτο τὸν Λεύκιον εἴ τί φησι τῶν εἰρημένων μὴ ἀληθὲς εἶναι, τοῦ δὲ Λευκίου σιωπήσαντος, ὁ μὲν δῆμος ἔγνω δικαίαν γεγονέναι τὴν ἀτιμίαν καὶ τὸν Κάτωνα προέπεμψε λαμπρῶς ἀπὸ τοῦ βήματος,
When Titus denied it, Cato, after relating the story, challenged Lucius to a formal oath if he said that any of the things spoken was not true. Since Lucius remained silent, the people recognized that the disgrace was just, and escorted Cato splendidly from the rostra.
§19.3ὁ δὲ Τίτος τῇ συμφορᾷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ περιπαθῶν συνέστη μετὰ τῶν πάλαι μισούντων τὸν Κάτωνα καὶ πάσας μὲν ἃς ἐκεῖνος ἐποιήσατο τῶν δημοσίων ἐκδόσεις καὶ μισθώσεις καὶ ὠνὰς ἠκύρωσε καὶ ἀνέλυσεν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ κρατήσας, πολλὰς δὲ καὶ μεγάλας δίκας κατʼ αὐτοῦ παρεσκεύασεν, οὐκ οἶδὲ ὅπως εὖ καὶ πολιτικῶς πρὸς ἄρχοντα νόμιμον καὶ πολίτην ἄριστον ὑπὲρ ἀνδρὸς οἰκείου μέν, ἀναξίου δὲ καὶ τὰ προσήκοντα πεπονθότος ἀνήκεστον ἔχθραν ἀράμενος.
But Titus, being deeply affected by his brother's misfortune, allied himself with those who had long hated Cato, and having prevailed in the senate, he annulled and canceled all the leases, contracts, and purchases of public works that Cato had made, and prepared many great lawsuits against him. I know not how it can be considered well and statesmanlike that, for the sake of a man who, though a relative, was unworthy and had suffered only what was fitting, he took up an implacable enmity against a lawful magistrate and a most excellent citizen.
§19.4οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ τοῦ Ῥωμαίων ποτὲ δήμου θέαν ἔχοντος ἐν τῷ θεάτρῳ καὶ τῆς βουλῆς, ὥσπερ εἴωθε, κόσμῳ προκαθημένης, ὀφθεὶς ὁ Λεύκιος ἐπʼ ἐσχάτοις που καθήμενος ἀτίμως καὶ ταπεινῶς οἶκτον ἔσχε· καὶ τὸ πλῆθος οὐκ ἠνέσχετο τὴν ὄψιν, ἀλλʼ ἐβόων μεταβῆναι κελεύοντες, ἕως μετέβη, δεξαμένων αὐτὸν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς τῶν ὑπατικῶν.
Nevertheless, once when the Roman people were holding a spectacle in the theater, and the senate, as is customary, was sitting in front in orderly state, Lucius, being seen sitting somewhere in the last rows, disgraced and humbled, excited pity; and the multitude could not bear the sight, but kept shouting, bidding him to change his seat, until he did so, the consulars receiving him among themselves.

Notes

  1. 19.1συνατιμοῦσθαι δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ δοκοῦντος αὐτῷ — A genitive absolute construction where τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ (Titus) is the subject. αὐτῷ is a dative of association governed by the συν- prefix in συνατιμοῦσθαι. It expresses that 'his brother also seemed to be disgraced together with him.'
  2. 19.2εἰς ὁρισμὸν προεκαλεῖτο — This phrase refers to challenging Lucius to a formal or legal definition/trial by oath (sponsio) to settle the truth of the matter. The noun ὁρισμός here has a technical sense of a formal determination or challenge to an oath.
  3. 19.3οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως εὖ καὶ πολιτικῶς — The indirect question οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως ('I know not how') modifies the adverbs εὖ καὶ πολιτικῶς ('well and statesmanlike') and is connected to the participle phrase ἀνήκεστον ἔχθραν ἀράμενος ('taking up an implacable enmity'). This syntax conveys the author's critical view that Titus's relentless hostility was neither noble nor proper for a public figure.

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Life of Flamininus §19.1-19.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg028.humanitext-grc2:19.1-19.4

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