Cicero In Catilinam I -- Vital Notes (iIi)

The Latin, the English translation and some vital notes on the first section of Cicero's In Catilinam I speech, as relevent to the AS Latin Exam.

Part (iii) of the notes.

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  • Created by: Tiula
  • Created on: 21-04-11 09:54

Latin

Ad mortem te, Catilina, duci iussu consulis iam pridem

oportebat, in te conferri pestem, quam tu in nos machinaris.

[3] An vero vir amplissimus, P. Scipio, pontifex maximus,

Ti. Gracchum mediocriter labefactantem statum rei publicae

privatus interfecit; Catilinam orbem terrae caede atque

incendiis vastare cupientem nos consules perferemus?

Nam illa nimis antiqua praetereo, quod C. Servilius Ahala

Sp. Maelium novis rebus studentem manu sua occidit.

Translation on the next card. However, if you feel confident, try translating without looking first.

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English

Now a long time ago, Catiline, it was right by the order of the

senate for you to be led to death, for plague to be bestowed

on you, which you now design for us. [3] But indeed very

glorious P. Scipio, high priest, killed Ti. Gracchus as a

private man for causing the condition of the state to totter a

little, shall we the consuls endure Catiline wanting to destroy

the world by fire and slaughter? For I pass over those very

old things, the fact that C. Servilius Ahala killed Sp. Maelius,

eager for new things with his own hand.

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Notes

  • ad mortem brought to the beginning of the line for emphasis
  • compares Catiline to figures of history that were killed for small things, so shouldn't Catiline be killed?
  • his technique "I pass over this thing", but then mentions it
    • so he gets credit for mentioning it, and not mentioning it
  • harsh words "caede atque incendiis" -- fire and slaughter
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