§51#1'Omnis homines, patres conscripti, qui de rebus dubiis consultant, ab odio, amicitia, ira atque misericordia vacuos esse decet.
'It is fitting, conscript fathers, that all men who consult on doubtful matters should be free from hatred, friendship, anger, and pity.
haud facile animus verum providet, ubi illa officiunt, neque quisquam omnium lubidini simul et usui paruit.
The mind does not easily foresee the truth when those feelings obstruct, nor has anyone of all men ever obeyed his passion and his interest at the same time.
ubi intenderis ingenium, valet; si lubido possidet, ea dominatur, animus nihil valet.
When you apply your intellect, it prevails; if passion takes possession, it dominates, and the mind is of no avail.
magna mihi copia est memorandi, patres conscripti, quae reges atque populi ira aut misericordia inpulsi male consuluerint.
I have a great abundance of examples to recall, conscript fathers, of what bad decisions kings and nations, impelled by anger or pity, have made.
sed ea malo dicere, quae maiores nostri contra lubidinem animi sui recte atque ordine fecere.
But I prefer to speak of those things which our ancestors did rightly and orderly, contrary to the passion of their minds.
bello Macedonico, quod cum rege Perse gessimus, Rhodiorum civitas magna atque magnifica, quae populi Romani opibus creverat, infida et advorsa nobis fuit.
In the Macedonian war, which we waged with King Perses, the great and magnificent state of the Rhodians, which had grown by the power of the Roman people, was faithless and hostile to us.
sed postquam bello confecto de Rhodiis consultum est, maiores nostri, ne quis divitiarum magis quam iniuriae causa bellum inceptum diceret, inpunitos eos dimisere.
But after the war was finished and consultation was held concerning the Rhodians, our ancestors, lest anyone should say that the war had been begun for the sake of their wealth rather than on account of their wrongdoing, let them go unpunished.
item bellis Punicis omnibus, quom saepe Carthaginienses et in pace et per indutias multa nefaria facinora fecissent, numquam ipsi per occasionem talia fecere: magis quid se dignum foret, quam quid in illos iure fieri posset, quaerebant.
Likewise, in all the Punic wars, although the Carthaginians had often committed many wicked deeds both in peace and during truces, our ancestors themselves never did such things when opportunity offered: they sought rather what would be worthy of themselves than what might lawfully be done against them.
hoc item vobis providendum est, patres conscripti, ne plus apud vos valeat P. Lentuli et ceterorum scelus quam vostra dignitas, neu magis irae vostrae quam famae consulatis.
This likewise you must provide against, conscript fathers, lest the crime of P. Lentulus and the rest should have more weight with you than your own dignity, and lest you consult your anger more than your reputation.
nam si digna poena pro factis eorum reperitur, novom consilium adprobo; sin magnitudo sceleris omnium ingenia exuperat, his utendum censeo, quae legibus conparata sunt.
For if a punishment worthy of their deeds can be found, I approve of the novel measure; but if the magnitude of their crime exceeds the ingenuity of all men, I think we should employ those which have been provided by the laws.
Plerique eorum, qui ante me sententias dixerunt, conposite atque magnifice casum rei publicae miserati sunt.
Most of those who have spoken their opinions before me have, in well-ordered and magnificent language, lamented the plight of the republic.
quae belli saevitia esset, quae victis acciderent, enumeravere: rapi virgines, pueros; divelli liberos a parentum conplexu; matres familiarum pati quae victoribus conlubuissent; fana atque domos spoliari; caedem, incendia fieri; postremo armis, cadaveribus, cruore atque luctu omnia conpleri.
They have enumerated what the cruelty of war is, what happens to the vanquished: that virgins and boys are carried off; that children are torn from the embrace of their parents; that mothers of families suffer whatever pleases the victors; that temples and homes are plundered; that slaughter and fires are made; finally, that everything is filled with arms, corpses, blood, and grief.
sed, per deos inmortalis, quo illa oratio pertinuit? an uti vos infestos coniurationi faceret? scilicet, quem res tanta et tam atrox non permovit, eum oratio accendet.
But, by the immortal gods, to what did that speech tend? Was it to make you hostile to the conspiracy? Doubtless, the man whom a matter so great and so atrocious did not move, a speech will inflame!
non ita est, neque quoiquam mortalium iniuriae suae parvae videntur, multi eas gravius aequo habuere.
It is not so; nor do his own wrongs seem small to any mortal; many have regarded them more seriously than is fair.
sed alia aliis licentia est, patres conscripti.
But different people have different licenses, conscript fathers.
qui demissi in obscuro vitam habent, si quid iracundia deliquere, pauci sciunt, fama atque fortuna eorum pares sunt;
Those who, lowborn, pass their lives in obscurity, if they err at all through anger, few know of it; their reputation and their fortune are equal.
qui magno imperio praediti in excelso aetatem agunt, eorum facta cuncti mortales novere.
Those who, endowed with great command, spend their lives on high, all mortals know their deeds.
ita in maxuma fortuna minuma licentia est; neque studere neque odisse, sed minume irasci decet;
Thus in the greatest fortune there is the least license; it is fitting neither to favor nor to hate, and least of all to be angry.
quae apud alios iracundia dicitur, ea in imperio superbia atque crudelitas appellatur.
What is called hot-temperedness in others is named arrogance and cruelty in command.
equidem ego sic existumo, patres conscripti. omnis cruciatus minores quam facinora illorum esse.
For my part, I think thus, conscript fathers: that all torments are less than their crimes.
sed plerique mortales postrema meminere et in hominibus inpiis sceleris eorum obliti de poena disserunt, si ea paulo severior fuit.
But most mortals remember the last things, and in the case of impious men, forgetting their crime, they discuss the punishment, if it was a little too severe.
D. Silanum, virum fortem atque strenuom, certo scio quae dixerit studio rei publicae dixisse, neque illum in tanta re gratiam aut inimicitias exercere: eos mores eamque modestiam viri cognovi.
I know for certain that what D. Silanus, a brave and energetic man, said, he said from zeal for the republic, and that in so great a matter he is not exercising favor or enmity; I have known such character and such moderation in the man.
verum sententia eius mihi non crudelis — quid enim in talis homines crudele fieri potest? — sed aliena a re publica nostra videtur.
But his opinion seems to me, not cruel—for what can be done that is cruel against such men?—but alien to our republic.
nam profecto aut metus aut iniuria te subegit, Silane, consulem designatum genus poenae novom decernere.
For surely either fear or wrongdoing has forced you, Silanus, as consul-elect, to decree a novel kind of punishment.
de timore supervacuaneum est disserere, quom praesertim diligentia clarissumi viri consulis tanta praesidia sint in armis.
Concerning fear, it is superfluous to argue, especially since through the diligence of that most illustrious man, the consul, so many guards are under arms.
de poena possum equidem dicere, id quod res habet, in luctu atque miseriis mortem aerumnarum requiem, non cruciatum esse; eam cuncta mortalium mala dissolvere; ultra neque curae neque gaudio locum esse.
Concerning punishment, indeed, I can say what the reality is: that in grief and misery death is a rest from troubles, not a torment; that it dissolves all human ills; that beyond it there is place neither for care nor for joy.
sed, per deos inmortalis, quam ob rem in sententiam non addidisti, uti prius verberibus in eos animadvorteretur? an quia lex Porcia vetat? at aliae leges item condemnatis civibus non animam eripi, sed exilium permitti iubent. an quia gravius est verberari quam necari? quid autem acerbum aut nimis grave est in homines tanti facinoris convictos? sin quia levius est, qui convenit in minore negotio legem timere, quon eam in maiore neglexeris?
But, by the immortal gods, why did you not add to your opinion that they should first be punished with scourging? Was it because the Porcian law forbids it? But other laws likewise order that life should not be taken from condemned citizens, but that exile should be permitted. Or was it because it is more grievous to be scourged than to be put to death? But what is harsh or too grievous against men convicted of so great a crime? But if it is because it is lighter, how is it consistent to fear the law in a lesser matter when you have neglected it in a greater?"