Cicero In Catilinam I -- Vital Notes (v)

nox nulla intercessit; interfectus est propter quasdam

seditionum suspiciones C. Gracchus, clarissimo patre,

avo, maioribus; occisus est cum liberis M. Fulvius

consularis. Simili senatus consulto C. Mario et L.

Valerio consulibus est permissa res publica;

num unum diem postea L. Saturninum tribunum plebis et

C. Servilium praetorem mors ac rei publicae poenna

remorata est?

Translation on next card. However, if you can, try translating before you look.

not one night passed; C. Gracchus, with a very famous father,

grandfather and ancestors, was killed on account of certain

charges of sedition; M. Fulvius the ex-consul was killed with

his children. By a similar decree of the senate the republic

was entrusted to the consuls Marius and Valerius the

consuls; surely death and punishment of the state did not

keep Saturnius tribune of the people and Servilius the

praetor waiting not one day?

• here, Cicero is comparing Catiline and his crimes to ancestral villains of old

• the people who were killed were famous, and would have been known by all the senators as men who were killed in order to protect the republic

• the point Cicero is making is that all these punishments (killing people who threatened the safety of the state) were done very quickly ("not one night passed") but they have delayed too long

• very strong argument for killing Catiline, without actually accusing him of anything