Chapter 8

55. Postquam, ut dixi, senatus in Catonis sententiam discessit,[308] consul optimum factu ratus, noctem, quae instabat, antecapere, ne quid eo spatio novaretur, III. viros[309] quae supplicium postulabat parare jubet; ipse, praesidiis dispositis, Lentulum in carcerem deducit;[310] idem fit ceteris per praetores. Est in carcere locus, quod[311] Tullianum appellatur, ubi paululum descenderis ad laevam, circiter duodecim pedes humi depressus.[312] Eum muniunt undique parietes atque insuper camera lapideis fornicibus vineta,[313] sed incultu,[314] tenebris, odore foeda atque terribilis ejus facies est. In eum locum postquam demissus est Lentulus, viridices rerum capitalium,[315] quibus praeceptum erat, laqueo gulam fregere. Ila ille patricius ex gente clarissima Corneliorum, qui consulare imperium Romae habuerat,[316] dignum moribus factisque suis exitium vitae invenit. De Cethego, Statilio, Gabinio, Caepario eodem modo supplicium sumptum est.[317]

[308] _Dicessit_; that is, after the senate, a division having taken place, had decided in favour of Cato's opinion. Compare p. 50, note 2 [note 245]. [309] Read _tresviros_; each one by himself was called _triumvir_ 'one of the college of the three.' These officers belonging to the magistratus minores, had the superintendence of the public prison, and the carrying of the sentence into execution; whence their complete title was _tresviri capitales_. The singular, _triumvir_, does not justify the plural _triumviri_, since the ordinary grammatical laws require _tres viri_. In manuscripts, we usually had _III. viri_. Compare Zumpt, S 124. [310] The preposition _de_ in this compound adds to the idea of the simple verb _ducere_, that of the place to which a person is led, and in which he is to remain; hence it is frequently used in the expression _domum deducere_, 'to take' or 'lead a person home.' [311] _Locus, quod_. Respecting the gender of the relative pronoun, see Zumpt, S 372. [312] The whole structure was called _carcer Mamertinus_, and its main parts still exist, being changed into a Christian church, _San Pietro in carcere_. It is situated not far from the ancient _forum Romanum_, to the north-east, at the foot of the Capitoline hill. According to Sallust's description, persons on entering had to go down a few steps leading to the entrance of the _Tullianum_, a subterraneous apartment cut into the rock, and covered over with a roof; and this was the place where prisoners were executed. Their corpses were afterwards publicly exhibited in the adjoining _Scalae Gemoniae_. The name Tullianum is derived by the Romans from their king, Tullius Hostilius. [313] 'The roof is bound together by arches of stone,' to make it strong, for otherwise, wooden beams were used for such purposes. [314] _Incultus_, a substantive of rare occurrence, denoting 'want of cleanliness,' 'the absence of care.' [315] 'Punishers of capital offences' is only a paraphrase for _carnifices_, 'executioners.' [316] _Cornelius Lentulus_ had been consul as early as B.C. 71, but the year after, he had been ejected from the senate by the censors, on account of his base conduct. In order to be able to re-enter the senate, he caused himself to become praetor a second time in this year, B.C. 63, in which he ended his life so disgracefully. It is mentioned that he was of a manly and handsome appearance; but the baseness of his character is attested also by other authors. [317] The only one among the others who was a member of the senate was Cornelius Cethegus; Gabinius and Statilius were men of equestrian rank, and Caeparius was a native of the municipium of Terracina.

56. Dum ea Romae geruntur, Catilina ex omni copia,[318] quam et ipse adduxerat et Manlius habuerat, duas legiones instituit, cohortes pro numero militum complet,[319] deinde, ut quisque voluntarius aut ex sociis in castra venerat, aequaliter distribuerat, ac brevi spatio legiones numero hominum expleverat, quum initio non amplius duobus milibus[320] habuisset. Sed ex omni copia circiter pars quarta erat militaribus armis instructa; ceteri, ut quemque casus armaverat, sparos aut lanceas,[321] alii praeacutas sudes portabant. Sed postquam Antonius[322] cum exercitu adventabat, Catilina per montes iter facere, modo ad urbem, modo in Galliam versus castra movere, hostibus occasionem pugnandi non dare; sperabat propediem magnas copias sese habiturum, si Romae socii incepta patravissent. Interea servitia repudiabat, cujus[323] initio ad eum magnae copiae concurrebant, opibus conjurationis fretus, simul alienum suis rationibus existimans, videri[324] causam civium cum servis fugitivis communicavisse.

[318] A regular military force is more commonly called _copiae_, but the singular, _copia_, also occurs in the sense of 'army,' especially when it consists of an irregular mass of troops. [319] _Cohortes complet_ cannot mean in this passage, 'he makes the cohorts complete,' for such a completeness (consisting of at least 420 men) is incompatible with the addition _pro numero militum_, 'according to the number of his soldiers' in each cohort was not the usual number of a complete cohort. _Complet_ refers to the number of cohorts, ten of which made a legion. Translate therefore, 'he makes the full number of cohorts.' [320] _Duobus milibus_, Sallust might have said _duo milia_, with the ellipsis of _quam_ so customary with _plus_, _amplius_, and _minus_. See Zumpt, S 485. [321] _Sparus_ is said to be a wooden kind of weapon, resembling a shepherd's staff, turned at the top; and _lancea_ a spear with a handle in the middle. Both these weapons were not used by Roman soldiers, for the latter, besides the short and broad _gladius_, used the _pilum_, as long as a man is high, and as thick as a fist, the upper end of which was strongly provided with iron, and sometimes the _hasta_, which was still longer, and had an iron point. [322] _L. Antonius_, the colleague of Cicero in the consulship, B.C. 63. [323] _Servitia, cujus magnae copiae_; a singular construction, which cannot be explained otherwise than by taking _cujus_ as a neuter, 'slaves, _of which_ large numbers flocked to him.' This explanation, however, is supported by the consideration that slaves were regarded as things, and were designated by names of the neuter gender, as _servitia_, _mancipia_. In ordinary language, we should say _cujus generis_, 'of which class of men.' [324] _Videri_ for _se videri_, 'he thought it contrary to his interest to appear to have maintained the cause of citizens with the aid of runaway slaves.' Respecting the omission of the subject of the infinitive when it is a personal pronoun, see Zumpt, S 605.

57. Sed postquam in castra nuntius pervenit Romae conjurationem patefactam, de Lentulo et Cethego ceterisque, quos supra memoravi, supplicium sumptum; plerique, quos ad bellum spes rapinarum aut novarum rerum studium illexerat, dilabuntur; reliquos Catilina per montes asperos magnis itineribus in agrum Pistoriensem[325] abducit, eo consilio, uti per tramites occulte perfugeret in Galliam Transalpinam. At Q. Metellus Celer cum tribus legionibus in agro Piceno praesidebat, ex difficultate rerum eadem illa existimans, quae supra diximus, Catilinam agitare. Igitur, ubi iter ejus ex perfugis cognovit, castra propere movet ac sub ipsis radicibus montium consedit, qua illi descensus erat in Galliam properanti. Neque tamen Antonius procul aberat, utpote qui magno exercitu locis aequioribus expeditos in fuga sequeretur.[326] Sed Catilina postquam videt montibus atque copiis hostium sese clausum, in urbe res adversas, neque fugae neque praesidii ullam spem, optimum factu ratus, in tali re fortunam belli temptare, statuit cum Antonio quam primum confligere. Itaque contione advocata hujuscemodi orationem habuit:

[325] The territory of Pistoria, in the north of Etruria, not far from Faesulae, and to the north of Florentia, is in the Apennines. The regular road from Pisae to Genoa, and thence across the Alps into Transalpine Gaul, ran along the sea-coast. Cisalpine Gaul was likewise protected against Catiline by Metellus, so that he could reach his goal (Transalpine Gaul) only by mountain passes. [326] Antonius followed the bands of Catiline, which were not inconvenienced by baggage, as they were fleeing (_in fuga_; that is, _fugientes_). Antonius's army marched on smoother roads, but had to carry heavier baggage. From all this, we see why Antonius, though not far from the enemy, yet could not reach him. Respecting the adverb _utpote_, see Zumpt, S 271. _Utpote qui_, 'the which,' is used as a conjunction for _quippe qui_, generally with the subjunctive, and indicates the cause of the preceding statement.

58. 'Compertum ego habeo, milites, verba virtutem non addere, neque ex ignavo strenuum neque fortem ex timido exercitum oratione imperatoris fieri. Quanta cujusque animo audacia natura aut moribus inest, tanta in bello patere solet. Quem neque gloria neque pericula excitant, nequidquam hortere; timor animi auribus officit.[327] Sed ego vos, quo pauca monerem, advocavi; simul uti causam mei consilii aperirem. Scitis equidem, milites, socordia atque ignavia Lentuli quantam ipsi nobisque cladem attulerit; quoque modo, dum ex urbe praesidia opperior, in Galliam proficisci nequiverim.[328] Nunc vero quo in loco[329] res nostrae sint, juxta mecum omnes intellegitis. Exercitus hostium duo, unus ab urbe, alter a Gallia obstant; diutius in his locis esse, si maxime animus ferat, frumenti atque aliarum rerum egestas[330] prohibet. Quocunque ire placet, ferro iter aperiundum est. Quapropter vos moneo; uti forti atque parato animo sitis et, quum proelium inibitis, memineritis vos divitias, decus, gloriam, praeterea libertatem atque patriam in dexteris vestris portare. Si vincimus, omnia nobis tuta erunt, commeatus abunde, municipia atque coloniae patebunt; sin metu cesserimus, eadem illa adversa fient: neque locus neque amicus quisquam teget, quem arma non texerint. Praeterea, milites, non eadem nobis et illis necessitudo impendet; nos pro patria, pro libertate, pro vita certamus: illis supervacaneum est pro potentia paucorum pugnare. Quo audacius aggredimini, memores pristinae virtutis. Licuit vobis cum summa turpitudine in exilio aetatem agere; potuistis nonnulli Romae amissis bonis alienas opes expectare: quia illa foeda atque intoleranda viris videbantur, haec[331] sequi decrevistis. Si haec relinquere vultis, audacia opus est; nemo nisi victor pace bellum mutavit.[332] Nam in fuga salutem sperare, quum arma, quis[333] corpus tegitur, ab hostibus averteris, ea vero dementia est. Semper in proelio iis maximum est periculum, qui maxime timent; audacia pro muro habetur. Quum vos considero, milites, et quum facta vestra aestimo, magna me spes victoriae tenet. Animus, aetas, virtus vestra me hortantur;[334] praeterea necessitudo, quae etiam timidos fortes facit. Nam multitudo hostium ne circumvenire queat, prohibent angustiae loci. Quodsi virtuti vestrae fortuna inviderit, cavete,[335] inulti animam amittatis, neu capti potius sicuti pecora trucidemini, quam virorum more pugnantes cruentam atque luctuosam victoriam hostibus relinquatis.'

[327] _Officere_ is properly 'to oppose,' 'obstruct,' _aliquid alicui rei_; then omitting the object (_aliquid_) with the dative alone, 'to be an obstacle to,' or 'to hinder,' therefore, _officia famae tuae_, 'I oppose something to your fame.' 'Internal fear is a hindrance to the ear,' so that admonitions are either not heard at all, or do not penetrate into the mind. [328] Catiline assigns the circumstance that he had expected aid and succours from Rome itself, as the cause of his not having set out for Gaul earlier, when he might have accomplished his end. _Opperior_, 'I wait for,' or _expecto dum aliquis veniat_. [329] _Quo in loco_, 'in which situation.' The preposition _in_ might have been omitted. See Zumpt, S 481. [330] _Egestas_, 'want,' with the genitive of the thing wanted, is of rare occurrence for _inopia_ or _penuria_. _Egestas_ is commonly used absolutely in the sense of 'poverty,' 'neediness.' [331] _Haec_ is here used in the general sense of 'these circumstances;' that is, this honourable but difficult war. This we must infer from the _haec_ following. [332] For the construction of _mutare_, see Zumpt, S 456. [333] _Quis_ for _quibus_. _Ea_, not _id_. Zumpt, S 372. [334] 'Give me courage,' or 'give me hope,' for _hortari_ is applied to persons doing good things, and _admonere_ to persons doing bad ones: _hortamur properantem, admonemus cunctantem_. [335] _Cavete--amittatis, neu trucidemeni_ for _cavete, ne amittatis, neve (neu) trucidemini_. See Zumpt, S 586.

59. Haec ubi dixit, paululum commoratus, signa canere jubet,[336] atque instructos ordines in locum aequum deducit. Dein, remotis omnium equis, quo militibus exaequato periculo animus amplior esset, ipse pedes exercitum pro loco atque copiis instruit. Nam, uti planities erat inter sinistros montes et ab dextera rupe aspera,[337] octo cohortes in fronte constituit, reliquarum signa[338] in subsidio artius collocat. Ab his centuriones omnes, lectos et evocatos, praeterea ex gregariis militibus optimum quemque armatum in primam aciem subducit.[339] G. Manlium in dextera, Faesulanum quendam in sinistra parte curare[340] jubet; ipse cum libertis et colonis propter aquilam assistit,[341] quam bello Cimbrico G. Marius in exercitu habuisse dicebatur. At ex altera parte G. Antonius, pedibus aeger,[342] quod proelio adesse nequibat, M. Petreio legato[343] exercitum permittit. Ille cohortes veteranas, quas tumulti[344] causa conscripserat, in fronte post eas ceterum exercitum in subsidiis locat. Ipse equo circumiens, unum quemque nominans appellat, hortatur, rogat, ut meminerint, se contra latrones inermes, pro patria, pro liberis, pro aris atque focis suis certare. Homo militaris, quod amplius annos triginta tribunus aut praefectus aut legatus aut praetor cum magna gloria in exercitu fuerat, plerosque ipsos factaque eorum fortia noverat; ea commemorando militum animos accendebat.

[336] _Canere_ is used in different ways: _tubicen canit signum_, 'the trumpeter blows the signal;' _tubicen canit_, 'the trumpeter blows (his instrument);' _signa canuntur_, 'signals are blown' or 'given;' and lastly, _signa canunt_, 'the signals sound.' The last expression is the one used in our passage. [337] _Rupe aspera_, &c. 'For in accordance with the nature of the plain between hills on the left-hand side, and on the right a rugged rock, he drew up (only) eight cohorts in front.' A simpler construction would have been _et rupem asperam a dextra_, but the manuscripts are decidedly in favour of the ablative, which must be considered as an ablative absolute, and as forming a distinct clause. Other editions have the correction _rupis aspera_, 'the rough part of a rock' (_aspera_ being the neut. plur.), but this is a poetical expression. See Zumpt, S 435. [338] Literally, 'The signals (_vexilla_) of the other cohorts he places in the rear as a reserve, more closely together.' _Signa_ here denotes the separate divisions of the troops; that is, the cohorts and the three maniples in each cohort, which are distinguished from one another by their flags or banners (_vexilla_). When an army was drawn up in a spacious plain, a space was left between the several divisions, but in this case, the plain being too narrow, there were no such spaces. [339] 'From among these who were drawn up as a reserve, he draws, for the purpose of strengthening the van, all centurions, picked men (in apposition), and the volunteers who had not been enlisted, as well as the ablest of the common soldiers who were provided with arms.' The word _lectos_ belonging to _centuriones_, shows that Catiline had appointed to the office of centurions only chosen men who were personally known to him as able soldiers. _Evocati_ were those soldiers in a Roman army who did not serve in the ranks of the other common soldiers, but as a separate corps, and were exempt from the ordinary military duties of standing as sentinels, making fortifications, foraging, and the like. They derived their name from the fact that they were invited (_evocare_) by the general to serve in the army as volunteers; they, moreover, were generally more advanced in years than the regular troops. [340] _Curare_, 'to command.' [341] Catiline himself stood nearest the standard (eagle) with his most faithful followers, whose personal fate depended upon him; that is, the freedmen of his family and the tenant farmers of his estates. The Roman nobles, as early as that time, used to parcel out their estates in small farms, which were tenanted especially by their freedmen, who were thus patronised by their former masters. [342] _Pedibus aeger_. He had the gout. Dion Cassius, a later historian of Rome, who wrote in Greek, states that Antonius only pretended to be ill, in order not to have to fight against his friend Catiline. [343] A _legatus_, in this sense (for it also means 'ambassador'), supplied, in a Roman army, the place of a commander possessing the _imperium_. Accordingly, consuls and praetors, when intrusted with the command of an army, had one or more legates, according to the number of legions which they had under their command. The office of legate was given by the senate to such men as had held a magistracy, generally the praetorship, or at least the quaestorship, and the senate appointed them on the proposal of the commander-in-chief. When there were several legates, the commander-in-chief might intrust one of them with the command of the whole army; but the commander-in-chief was answerable for all the acts of his legate. [344] _Tumulti_ for _tumultus_, as _senati_ for _senatus_.

60. Sed ubi, omnibus rebus exploratis, Petreius tuba signum dat, cohortes paulatim incedere jubet, idem facit hostium exercitus. Postquam eo ventum est, unde a ferentariis[345] proelium committi posset, maximo clamore cum infestis signis[346] concurrunt; pila omittunt, gladiis res geritur. Veterani, pristinae virtutis memores, comminus acriter instare; illi haud timidi resistunt; maxima vi certatur. Interea Catilina cum expeditis in prima acie versari, laborantibus succurrere; integros pro sauciis accersere, omnia providere, multum ipse pugnare saepe, hostem ferire; strenui militis et boni imperatoris officia simul exequebatur. Petreius, ubi videt Catilinam, contra ac ratus erat, magna vi tendere, cohortem praetoriam[347] in medios hostes inducit, eosque perturbatos atque alios alibi resistentes interficit; deinde utrimque ex lateribus ceteros aggreditur. Manlius et Faesulanus in primis pugnantes cadunt. Postquam fusas copias seque cum paucis relictum videt Catilina, memor generis atque pristinae suae dignitatis, in confertissimos hostes incurrit ibique pugnans confoditur.

[345] _Ferentarii_ are light-armed troops fighting at a distance with javelins. [346] The banners being turned hostilely against one another. Respecting _cum_, see Zumpt, S 473; for we also find _infestis signis concurrere_, without _cum_, as an ablative of the instrument. [347] The _cohors praetoria_ was a battalion which, in forming an army, was composed of the ablest and most tried soldiers, as the bodyguard of the commander-in-chief. They had to protect him, and assist him in contriving to bring any engagement to the point where he wished it to be. Under the emperors, the _cohortes praetoriae_, nine or ten in number--the emperors having several armies under their command--formed the body-guard of the emperor and the garrison of Rome.

61. Sed confecto proelio, tum vero cerneres,[348] quanta audacia quantaque vis animi fuisset in exercitu Catilinae. Nam fere, quem quisque vivus pugnando locum ceperat, eum amissa anima corpore tegebat. Pauci autem, quos medios[349] cohors praetoria disjecerat, paulo diversius, sed omnes tamen adversis vulneribus[350] conciderant. Catilina vero longe a suis inter hostium cadavera repertus est, paululum etiam spirans ferociamque animi, quam habuerat vivus, in vultu retinens. Postremo ex omni copia neque in proelio neque in fuga quisquam[351] civis ingenuus captus est: ita cuncti suae hostiumque vitae juxta[352] pepercerant. Neque tamen exercitus populi Romani laetam aut incruentam victoriam adeptus erat; nam strenuissimus quisque aut occiderat in proelio aut graviter vulneratus discesserat. Multi autem, qui de castris visundi aut spoliandi gratia processerant, volventes hostilia cadavera, amicum alii, pars hospitem aut cognatum reperiebant; fuere item, qui inimicos suos cognoscerent. Ita varie per omnem exercitum laetitia, moeror, luctus atque gaudia[353] agitabantur.

[348] 'There you might indeed have seen.' See Zumpt, S 528, note 2. [349] In the centre of the army where they were drawn up. [350] _Adversa vulnera_, 'wounds in the breast,' or 'in the front part of the body' generally. _Aversa vulnera_, on the other hand, are 'wounds in the back,' such as are inflicted on cowards that run away. [351] _Quisquam_ for ullus_. See Zumpt, S 676. [352] _Juxta_, 'equally little.' They had spared the life of their enemy as little as their own. Compare p. 41, note 3 [note 194]. [353] These four substantives form contrasts, though intentionally not in the regular way, for _gaudium_ and _moeror_ denote a joyous and sad state of mind, 'joy' and 'sadness;' _laetitia_ and _luctus_ at the same time express the audible expressions of joy and grief. Accordingly, _laetitia_ contrasts with _luctus_, and _gaudia_ with _moeror_. Respecting the omission of the conjunction in describing contrasts of this nature, see Zumpt, S 783.

* * * * *

C. SALLUSTII CRISPI

BELLUM JUGURTHINUM.

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1. Falso queritur de natura sua genus humanum quod imbecilla atque aevi brevis[1] forte potius quam virtute regatur. Nam contra reputando neque majus aliud neque praestabilius invenias,[2] magisque naturae industriam hominum quam vim aut tempus deesse. Sed dux atque imperator vitae mortalium animus est, qui, ubi ad gloriam virtutis via grassatur,[3] abunde pollens potensque et clarus est, neque fortuna eget, quippe probitatem, industriam aliasque artes bonas neque dare neque eripere cuiquam potest. Sin captus pravis cupidinibus ad inertiam et voluptates corporis pessumdatus est, perniciosa libidine paulisper[4] usus, ubi per socordiam vires, tempus, ingenium diffluxere, naturae infirmitas accusatur; suam quisque culpam auctores ad negotia transferunt.[5] Quodsi[6] hominibus bonarum rerum tanta cura esset, quanto studio aliena ac nihil profutura multumque etiam periculosa[7] petunt; neque regerentur[8] magis quam regerent casus, et eo magnitudinis[9] procederent, ubi pro mortalibus gloria aeterni fierent.