§53Postquam Cato adsedit, consulares omnes itemque senatus magna pars sententiam eius laudant, virtutem animi ad caelum ferunt, alii alios increpantes timidos vocant.
After Cato sat down, all the consulars and likewise a great part of the senate praised his opinion, raised his mental virtue to the skies, and, reproaching one another, called them cowards.
Cato clarus atque magnus habetur; senati decretum fit, sicuti ille censuerat.
Cato was held to be illustrious and great; a decree of the senate was made, just as he had proposed.
Sed mihi multa legenti, multa audienti, quae populus Romanus domi militiaeque, mari atque terra praeclara facinora fecit, forte lubuit attendere, quae res maxume tanta negotia sustinuisset.
But to me, reading much and hearing much of the illustrious deeds which the Roman people performed at home and in the field, on sea and land, it happened by chance to please me to attend to what cause had especially sustained such great undertakings.
sciebam saepenumero parva manu cum magnis legionibus hostium contendisse; cognoveram parvis copiis bella gesta cum opulentis regibus, ad hoc saepe fortunae violentiam toleravisse, facundia Graecos, gloria belli Gallos ante Romanos fuisse.
I knew that they had often contended with a small band against great legions of enemies; I had learned that wars had been waged with small forces against wealthy kings, besides that they had often tolerated the violence of fortune, and that the Greeks were ahead of the Romans in eloquence, and the Gauls in the glory of war.
ac mihi multa agitanti constabat paucorum civium egregiam virtutem cuncta patravisse, eoque factum, uti divitias paupertas, multitudinem paucitas superaret.
And to me, reflecting on many things, it was clear that the extraordinary virtue of a few citizens had accomplished everything, and that it was due to this that poverty overcame wealth, and a few overcame a multitude.
sed postquam luxu atque desidia civitas corrupta est, rursus res publica magnitudine sua imperatorum atque magistratuum vitia sustentabat ac, sicuti effeta parentum ui, multis tempestatibus haud sane quisquam Romae virtute magnus fuit.
But after the state was corrupted by luxury and sloth, the republic, in turn, by its own greatness, sustained the vices of its commanders and magistrates, and, as if the strength of the parents were exhausted, for many ages there was hardly anyone at Rome great in virtue.
sed memoria mea ingenti virtute, divorsis moribus fuere viri duo, M. Cato et C. Caesar.
But in my memory there were two men of huge virtue, though of diverse characters: Marcus Cato and Gaius Caesar.
quos quoniam res obtulerat, silentio praeterire non fuit consilium, quin utriusque naturam et mores, quantum ingenio possum, aperirem.
Since fortune had presented them, it was not my plan to pass them over in silence without opening the nature and manners of both as far as I am able with my talent.
igitur iis genus aetas eloquentia prope aequalia fuere, magnitudo animi par, item gloria, sed alia alii.
Therefore, their birth, age, and eloquence were almost equal, their greatness of mind was on a par, likewise their glory, but it was of a different kind for each.
Caesar beneficiis ac munificentia magnus habebatur, integritate vitae Cato.
Caesar was held to be great by his benefits and munificence, Cato by the integrity of his life.
ille mansuetudine et misericordia clarus factus, huic severitas dignitatem addiderat.
The former became illustrious for his clemency and compassion; to the latter, severity had added dignity.
Caesar dando sublevando ignoscundo, Cato nihil largiundo gloriam adeptus est.
Caesar acquired glory by giving, relieving, and forgiving; Cato by bestowing nothing.
in altero miseris perfugium erat, in altero malis pernicies.
In the one, there was a refuge for the wretched; in the other, destruction for the wicked.
illius facilitas, huius constantia laudabatur.
The easy nature of the former and the constancy of the latter were praised.
postremo Caesar in animum induxerat laborare, vigilare; negotiis amicorum intentus sua neglegere, nihil denegare quod dono dignum esset; sibi magnum imperium, exercitum, bellum novom exoptabat, ubi virtus enitescere posset.
Finally, Caesar had resolved in his mind to labor, to watch; intent on the business of his friends, to neglect his own, and to deny nothing that was worthy of a gift; for himself, he desired a great command, an army, and a new war where his virtue could shine forth.
at Catoni studium modestiae, decoris, sed maxume severitatis erat; non divitiis cum divite neque factione cum factioso, sed cum strenuo virtute, cum modesto pudore, cum innocente abstinentia certabat; esse quam videri bonus malebat: ita, quo minus petebat gloriam, eo magis illum sequebatur.
But Cato had a zeal for moderation, decency, but most of all, for severity; he did not contend in wealth with the wealthy, nor in faction with the factious, but in virtue with the active, in modesty with the moderate, and in abstinence with the innocent; he preferred to be good rather than to seem so: thus, the less he sought glory, the more it followed him.
§55Postquam, ut dixi, senatus in Catonis sententiam discessit, consul optumum factu ratus noctem quae instabat antecapere, ne quid eo spatio novaretur, tresviros quae ad supplicium postulabantur parare iubet.
After the senate, as I said, divided in favor of Cato's opinion, the consul, thinking it best to anticipate the night which was pressing on, lest anything should be innovated in that interval, ordered the triumvirs to prepare what was required for the execution.
ipse praesidiis dispositis Lentulum in carcerem deducit; idem fit ceteris per praetores.
He himself, having posted guards, led Lentulus into the prison; the same was done for the others by the praetors.
est in carcere locus, quod Tullianum appellatur, ubi paululum ascenderis ad laevam, circiter duodecim pedes humi depressus; eum muniunt undique parietes atque insuper camera lapideis fornicibus iuncta; sed incultu tenebris odore foeda atque terribilis eius facies est.
There is in the prison a place called the Tullianum, when you have ascended a little to the left, sunk about twelve feet into the ground; walls secure it on all sides, and above it, a vaulted roof joined with stone arches; but its appearance is foul and terrible from neglect, darkness, and stench.
in eum locum postquam demissus est Lentulus, vindices rerum capitalium, quibus praeceptum erat, laqueo gulam fregere.
After Lentulus was let down into this place, the executioners of capital matters, who had been commanded, broke his neck with a noose.
ita ille patricius ex gente clarissuma Corneliorum, qui consulare imperium Romae habuerat, dignum moribus factisque suis exitium vitae invenit.
Thus that patrician from the most illustrious house of the Cornelii, who had held the consular command at Rome, found an end of his life worthy of his manners and deeds.
de Cethego, Statilio, Gabinio, Caepario eodem modo supplicium sumptum est.
Punishment was inflicted in the same manner on Cethegus, Statilius, Gabinius, and Caeparius.
§56Dum ea Romae geruntur, Catilina ex omni copia, quam et ipse adduxerat et Manlius habuerat, duas legiones instituit, cohortis pro numero militum conplet.
While these things were being done at Rome, Catiline, from the whole force which he himself had brought and Manlius had held, formed two legions, and filled up the cohorts according to the number of soldiers.
deinde, ut quisque voluntarius aut ex sociis in castra venerat, aequaliter distribuerat, ac brevi spatio legiones numero hominum expleverat, quom initio non amplius duobus milibus habuisset.
Then, as each volunteer or ally came into the camp, he distributed them equally, and in a short time had filled the legions with the number of men, although at the beginning he had not had more than two thousand.
sed ex omni copia circiter pars quarta erat militaribus armis instructa; ceteri, ut quemque casus armaverat, sparos aut lanceas, alii praeacutas sudis portabant.
But of the whole force, about a fourth part was equipped with military weapons; the rest, as chance had armed each one, carried hunting-spears or lances, and others sharp-pointed stakes.
sed postquam Antonius cum exercitu adventabat, Catilina per montis iter facere, modo ad urbem, modo Galliam vorsus castra movere, hostibus occasionem pugnandi non dare.
But after Antonius was approaching with his army, Catiline made his march through the mountains, moved his camp now toward the city, now toward Gaul, and gave the enemy no opportunity of fighting.
sperabat propediem magnas copias sese habiturum, si Romae socii incepta patravissent.
He hoped that he would soon have great forces, if his allies at Rome had accomplished their undertakings.
interea servitia repudiabat, quoius initio ad eum magnae copiae concurrebant, opibus coniurationis fretus, simul alienum suis rationibus existumans videri causam civium cum servis fugitivis communicavisse.
Meanwhile, he rejected the slaves, of whom great numbers flocked to him at the beginning, relying on the resources of the conspiracy, and at the same time thinking it foreign to his interests to appear to have shared the cause of citizens with runaway slaves.