§51#2At enim quis reprehendet quod in parricidas rei publicae decretum erit? tempus dies fortuna, quoius lubido gentibus moderatur.
But indeed, who will find fault with what shall be decreed against the parricides of the republic? Time, days, and fortune, whose caprice rules over nations, will do so.
illis merito accidet quicquid evenerit; ceterum vos, patres conscripti, quid in alios statuatis, considerate.
Whatever happens to them will happen deservedly; but you, conscript fathers, consider what you are establishing against others.
omnia mala exempla ex rebus bonis orta sunt.
All bad precedents have arisen from good things.
sed ubi imperium ad ignaros eius aut minus bonos pervenit, novom illud exemplum ab dignis et idoneis ad indignos et non idoneos transfertur.
But when command falls to those ignorant of it or to those less good, that new precedent is transferred from the worthy and fit to the unworthy and unfit.
Lacedaemonii devictis Atheniensibus triginta viros inposuere, qui rem publicam eorum tractarent.
The Lacedaemonians, having defeated the Athenians, imposed thirty men to manage their republic.
ii primo coepere pessumum quemque et omnibus invisum indemnatum necare: ea populus laetari et merito dicere fieri.
At first, these men began to put to death without trial all the worst individuals and those hated by all; the people rejoiced at this and said it was done deservedly.
post ubi paulatim licentia crevit, iuxta bonos et malos lubidinose interficere, ceteros metu terrere: ita civitas servitute oppressa stultae laetitiae gravis poenas dedit.
Afterwards, when license gradually increased, they put to death both good and bad alike at their whim, and terrified the rest with fear. Thus the state, oppressed by servitude, paid a heavy penalty for its foolish joy.
nostra memoria victor Sulla quom Damasippum et alios eius modi, qui malo rei publicae creverant, iugulari iussit, quis non factum eius laudabat? homines scelestos et factiosos, qui seditionibus rem publicam exagitaverant, merito necatos aiebant.
In our own memory, when the victor Sulla ordered Damasippus and others of that kind, who had grown powerful to the ruin of the republic, to be put to death, who did not praise his deed? They said that wicked and factious men, who had harassed the republic with seditions, were deservedly put to death.
sed ea res magnae initium cladis fuit.
But that affair was the beginning of a great calamity.
nam uti quisque domum aut villam, postremo vas aut vestimentum aliquoius concupiverat, dabat operam, uti is in proscriptorum numero esset.
For as soon as anyone coveted another's house or villa, or finally even a vessel or a garment, he exerted himself that this person might be among the number of the proscribed.
ita illi, quibus Damasippi mors laetitiae fuerat, paulo post ipsi trahebantur, neque prius finis iugulandi fuit, quam Sulla omnis suos divitiis explevit.
Thus those to whom the death of Damasippus had been a joy, were themselves dragged off a little later; nor was there an end to the slaughter until Sulla filled all his followers with wealth.
atque ego haec non in M. Tullio neque his temporibus vereor, sed in magna civitate multa et varia ingenia sunt.
And I do not fear these things in M. Tullius nor in these times, but in a great state there are many and varied characters.
potest alio tempore, alio consule, quoi item exercitus in manu sit, falsum aliquid pro vero credi.
It is possible at another time, under another consul, who likewise has an army at his disposal, for something false to be believed as true.
ubi hoc exemplo per senatus decretum consul gladium eduxerit, quis illi finem statuet aut quis moderabitur?
Maiores nostri, patres conscripti, neque consili neque audaciae umquam eguere; neque illis superbia obstabat, quo minus aliena instituta, si modo proba erant, mitarentur.
When, with this precedent, the consul has drawn the sword by a decree of the senate, who will set a limit for him, or who will restrain him? Our ancestors, conscript fathers, never lacked counsel or boldness; nor did arrogance prevent them from adopting foreign institutions, provided they were good.
arma atque tela militaria ab Samnitibus, insignia magistratuum ab Tuscis pleraque sumpserunt.
They took their military armor and weapons from the Samnites, and most of the insignia of magistrates from the Tuscans.
postremo, quod ubique apud socios aut hostis idoneum videbatur, cum summo studio domi exequebantur: imitari quam invidere bonis malebant.
In short, whatever seemed suitable anywhere among allies or enemies, they executed at home with the greatest zeal: they preferred to imitate rather than to envy the good.
sed eodem illo tempore Graeciae morem imitati verberibus animadvortebant in civis, de condemnatis summum supplicium sumebant.
But at that very same time, imitating the custom of Greece, they punished citizens with scourging, and inflicted the extreme penalty on those condemned.
postquam res publica adolevit et multitudine civium factiones valuere, circumveniri innocentes, alia huiusce modi fieri coepere, tum lex Porcia aliaeque leges paratae sunt, quibus legibus exilium damnatis permissum est.
After the republic grew and factions became powerful through the multitude of citizens, innocent men began to be circumvented, and other things of this kind to be done; then the Porcian law and other laws were prepared, by which laws exile was permitted to the condemned.
ego hanc causam, patres conscripti, quo minus novom consilium capiamus, in primis magnam puto.
I think this cause, conscript fathers, is particularly great in preventing us from making a novel decision.
profecto virtus atque sapientia maior illis fuit, qui ex parvis opibus tantum imperium fecere, quam in nobis, qui ea bene parta vix retinemus.
Surely there was greater virtue and wisdom in those who from small resources made so great an empire, than in us, who scarcely retain what was well acquired.
Placet igitur eos dimitti et augeri exercitum Catilinae? minume.
Is it my pleasure, then, that they be released and the army of Catiline be increased? By no means.
sed ita censeo: publicandas eorum pecunias, ipsos in vinculis habendos per municipia, quae maxume opibus valent; neu quis de iis postea ad senatum referat neve cum populo agat; qui aliter fecerit, senatum existumare eum contra rem publicam et salutem omnium facturum. '
But this is my opinion: that their property should be confiscated, they themselves should be kept in custody throughout the municipia which are strongest in resources; and that no one should later bring their case before the senate or treat with the people concerning them; whoever does otherwise, the senate should hold that he will act against the republic and the safety of all."