§21Postquam accepere ea homines, quibus mala abunde omnia erant, sed neque res neque spes bona ulla, tametsi illis quieta movere magna merces videbatur, tamen postulavere plerique, ut proponeret, quae condicio belli foret, quae praemia armis peterent, quid ubique opis aut spei haberent.
When the men who had all evils in abundance, but no property or any good hope, received these words, although to disturb the peace seemed to them a great reward, yet most of them demanded that he should set forth what the condition of the war would be, what rewards they would seek by arms, and what help or hope they would have everywhere.
tum Catilina polliceri tabulas novas, proscriptionem locupletium, magistratus, sacerdotia, rapinas, alia omnia, quae bellum atque lubido victorum fert; praeterea esse in Hispania citeriore Pisonem, in Mauretania cum exercitu P. Sittium Nucerinum, consili sui participes; petere consulatum C. Antonium, quem sibi collegam fore speraret, hominem et familiarem et omnibus necessitudinibus circumventum; cum eo se consulem initium agundi facturum.
Then Catiline began to promise new account books, the proscription of the wealthy, magistracies, priesthoods, plundering, and all other things which war and the lust of victors bring; moreover, he stated that Piso was in Hither Spain, and P. Sittius of Nuceria in Mauretania with an army, both sharers in his plan; and that C. Antonius was seeking the consulship, whom he hoped would be his colleague, a man who was both an intimate friend and beset by all kinds of difficulties; and that with him as consul he would make a beginning of action.
ad hoc maledictis increpabat omnis bonos, suorum unum quemque nominans laudare: admonebat alium egestatis, alium cupiditatis suae, compluris periculi aut ignominiae, multos victoriae Sullanae, quibus ea praedae fuerat.
In addition to this, he upbraided all the good men with insults, and praised each of his own followers, calling them by name: he reminded one of his poverty, another of his desire, several of danger or ignominy, and many of the Sullan victory, to whom it had been a source of plunder.
postquam omnium animos alacris videt, cohortatus, ut petitionem suam curae haberent, conventum dimisit.
When he saw that the minds of all were eager, having encouraged them to have his candidacy at heart, he dismissed the assembly.
§22fuere ea tempestate qui dicerent Catilinam oratione habita, quom ad ius iurandum popularis sceleris sui adigeret, humani corporis sanguinem vino permixtum in pateris circumtulisse: inde quom post execrationem omnes degustavissent, sicuti in sollemnibus sacris fieri consuevit, aperuisse consilium suom, atque eo ita fecisse, quo inter se fidi magis forent alius alii tanti facinoris conscii.
¦p.19 There were those at that time who said that Catiline, after his speech had been delivered, when he was binding the accomplices of his crime to an oath, handed around human blood mixed with wine in bowls: and that when all had tasted it after the curse, as is accustomed to be done in solemn sacred rites, he opened his plan, and did this for the purpose that they might be more faithful among themselves, each being conscious to the other of so great a crime.
nonnulli ficta et haec et multa praeterea existumabant ab iis, qui Ciceronis invidiam quae postea orta est leniri credebant atrocitate sceleris eorum, qui poenas dederant.
Quite a few believed that both this and many other things were invented by those who believed that the odium against Cicero, which arose afterwards, would be softened by the atrocity of the crime of those who had paid the penalty.
nobis ea res pro magnitudine parum comperta est.
To us, this matter is insufficiently established considering its magnitude.
§23Sed in ea coniuratione fuit Q. Curius, natus haud obscuro loco, flagitiis atque facinoribus coopertus, quem censores senatu probri gratia moverant.
But in that conspiracy was Q. Curius, born of no obscure rank, but covered in vices and crimes, whom the censors had removed from the senate because of his disgraceful conduct.
huic homini non minor vanitas inerat quam audacia: neque reticere quae audierat, neque suamet ipse scelera occultare, prorsus neque dicere neque facere quicquam pensi habebat.
In this man there was no less vanity than boldness: he could neither keep silent about what he had heard, nor conceal his own crimes; in short, he had no regard for what he said or did.
erat ei cum Fulvia, muliere nobili, stupri vetus consuetudo.
He had an old liaison of illicit love with Fulvia, a noble woman.
quoi cum minus gratus esset, quia inopia minus largiri poterat, repente glorians maria montisque polliceri coepit et minari interdum ferro, ni sibi obnoxia foret, postremo ferocius agitare quam solitus erat.
When he became less pleasing to her because, owing to his poverty, he was less able to make lavish gifts, he suddenly began to boast and promise seas and mountains, and sometimes to threaten her with the sword unless she remained submissive to him; finally, he began to behave more fiercely than he was accustomed to.
at Fulvia insolentiae Curi causa cognita tale periculum rei publicae haud occultum habuit, sed sublato auctore de Catilinae coniuratione quae quoque modo audierat compluribus narravit.
But Fulvia, having learned the cause of Curius's unusual behavior, did not keep such a danger to the republic secret, but, withholding her source, told many people what she had heard about Catiline's conspiracy and in what manner.
Ea res in primis studia hominum accendit ad consulatum mandandum M. Tullio Ciceroni.
This matter especially kindled the zeal of men to entrust the consulship to M. Tullius Cicero.
namque antea pleraque nobilitas invidia aestuabat, et quasi pollui consulatum credebant, si eum quamvis egregius homo novos adeptus foret.
For before this, most of the nobility was burning with jealousy, and they believed that the consulship would be as if polluted if a "new man", however outstanding, should obtain it.
sed ubi periculum advenit, invidia atque superbia post fuere.
But when danger arrived, jealousy and pride became secondary.
§24igitur comitiis habitis consules declarantur M. Tullius et C. Antonius.
Therefore, the comitia having been held, M. Tullius and C. Antonius were declared consuls.
quod factum primo popularis coniurationis concusserat.
This event had at first shaken the accomplices of the conspiracy.
neque tamen Catilinae furor minuebatur, sed in dies plura agitare: arma per Italiam locis opportunis parare, pecuniam sua aut amicorum fide sumptam mutuam Faesulas ad Manlium quendam portare, qui postea princeps fuit belli faciundi.
Nor, however, was Catiline's madness diminished, but day by day he set more schemes in motion: he prepared arms throughout Italy in suitable places, and carried money, borrowed on his own credit or that of his friends, to Faesulae to a certain Manlius, who was afterwards the leader in making war.
ea tempestate plurumos quoiusque generis homines adscivisse sibi dicitur, mulieres etiam aliquot, quae primo ingentis sumptus stupro corporis toleraverant, post ubi aetas tantummodo quaestui neque luxuriae modum fecerat, aes alienum grande conflaverant.
At that time, he is said to be joined by very many men of every class, and also some women, who at first had supported their huge expenses by the prostitution of their bodies, but later, when age had set a limit only to their gain but not to their luxury, had contracted a huge debt.
per eas se Catilina credebat posse servitia urbana sollicitare, urbem incendere, viros earum vel adiungere sibi vel interficere.
Through them Catiline believed he could stir up the city slaves, set fire to the city, and either join their husbands to himself or kill them.