Cicero

IGCSE CIE Cicero: Diana of Segesta + On his Quaestorship

Segesta est oppidum pervetus in Sicilia, iudices, quod ab Aenea fugiente a Troia atque in haec loca ventiente conditum esse demonstrant.

Segesta is an ancient town in Sicily, judges, which they say was founded by Aeneas fleeing from Troy and arriving in these areas.

itqaue Segestani non solum perpetua societate atque amicitia, verum etiam cognatione se cum populo Romano coniunctos esse arbitrantur.

hoc quondam oppidum, cum illa civitas cum Poenis suo nomine ac sua sponte bellaret, a Carthaginiensibus vi captum atque deletum est, omniaque quae ornamento urbi esse possent Carthaginem sunt ex illo loco deportata.

This town, once fought against by the Cartheginians under its own name and will, was captured and destroyed by the Carthaginians, who carried everything that could adorn a city to Carthage.

fuit apud Segestanos ex aere Dianae simulacrum, cum summa atque antiquissima praeditum religione tum singulari opere artificioque perfectum. hoc translatum Carthaginem locum tantum hominesque mutarat, religionem quidem pristinam conservabat; nam propter eximiam pulchritudinem etiam hostibus digna quam sanctissime colerent videbatur.

The Segestans once had a statue of Diana, made of bronze, which was not only endowed with the greatest and most ancient sanctity, but also which was finished with exceptional work and craftsmanship.

This statue, when it was transferred to Carthage, had changed its place and people only, but still conserved its former sanctity; for on account of its outstanding beauty even to the enemies it seemed worthy of being worshipped in a most holy way.

Illo tempore Segestanis maxima cum cura haec ipsa Diana, de qua dicimus, redditur; reportatur Segestam; in suis antiquis sedibus summa cum gratulatione civium et laetitia reponitur.

At that time, this same Diana about which we are speaking, was returnned to the Segestans with the greatest care. It was transported back to Segesta, and replaced in its ancient home with the greatest celebration and rejoicing of the citizens.

Haec erat postia Segestae sane excelsa in basi, in qua grandibus litteris P. Africani omen erat incisum eumque Carthagine capta restituisse perscriptum.

The statue was placed in Segesta on a very high pedestal, on which the name of Publius Africanus was incised in large letters, with an inscription to say that he had restored it after capturing Carthage.

Colebatur a civibus, ab omnibus advenis visebatur; cum questor essem, nihil mihi ab illis est demonstratum prius.

It was worshiped by the citizens and used to be visited by all newcomers; when I was quaestor, it was the first thing I was shown by them.

erat admodum amplum et excelsum signum cum stola; verum tamen inerat in illa magnitudine aetas atque habitus virginalis; sagittae pendebant ab umero, sinistra manu retinebat acrum, extra ardentem facem praeferebat.

It was an extremely large and tall statue wearing a dress; but despite its size it had the years and appearance of a girl. Arrows were hanging from her shoulder; in her left hand she was holding a bow, and in her right she was carrying in front of her a burning torch.

hanc cum iste sacrorum omnium et religionum hostis praedoque vidisset, quasi illa ipsa face percussus esset, ita flagrare cupiditate atque amentia coepit; imperat magistratibus ut eam demoliantur et sibi dent; nihil sibi gratius ostendit futurum.

When that enemy and plunderer of all sacred and holy things saw this diana, just as if he had been struck by that very torch, he began to blaze with greed and insanity. He commanded the local officials to dismantle it and give it to him; he indicated that nothing would be more pleasing to him.

illi vero dicere sibi id nefas esse, seseque cum summa religione tum summo metu legum et iudicorum teneri. iste tum petere ab illis, tum minari, tum spem, tum metum ostendere. opponebant illi nomen interdum P. Africani; populi Romani illud esse dicebant; nihil se in eo potestatis habere quod imperator clarissimus urbe hostium capta monumentum victoriae populi Romani esse voluisset.

They, however, kept telling him that it was a sin for them, and tha thtey were restrained not only by the very great holiness but also by the greatest fear of the laws and the courts. That man kept begging htem, then theatening them, showing them now hope, now fear. At times they would object the name of Publius Africanus, they said that the statue was the property of the Roman people, they said that they themselves had no power over it, isnce the most famous commander, after capturing a city of the enemies, had wished it to be a monument to a victory of the Roman people.

cum iste nihilo remissus atque etiam multo vehementius instaret cotidie, res agitur in senatu: vehementer ab omnibus reclamatur. itaque illo tempore ac primo istius adventu pernegatur.

When that man of yours carried on insisting no less forcefully but even more vehemently every day, the matter was brought up in the local senate; itw as shouted down vehemently by everyone. And so on that occasion and on the first visit of that man, his request was refused.

Postea, quidquid erat oneris in nautis remigibusque exigendis, in frumento imperando, Segestanis praeter ceteros imponebat, aliquanto amplius quam ferre possent. Praeterea magistratus eorum evocabat, optimum quemque et nobilissimum ad se arcessebat, circum omnia provinciae fora rapiebat, singilliatim uni quique calamitati fore se denuntiabat, universis se funditus eversurum esse illam civitatem minabatur.

Afterwards, whatever burden there was in demanding sailors and oarsmen, or in levying wheat, he used to impose it on the Segestans more than on other peoples, rather more than they were able to bear. In addition he used to call out their public officials, and summon all the richest and most noble people to him, he woudl drag them around all the forums ofthe province, and gave notice to each one that he would be the ruin of them individually, and threatened them all as a group that he would completely destroy that city.

itaque aliquando multis malis magnoque metu victi Segestani praetoris parendum esse ecreverunt.

And eventually, defeated by many evils and great fear, the Segestans decreed that the Governor’s command must be obeyed.

Magno cum luctu et gemitu totius civitatis, multis cum lacrimis et lamentationibus virorum mulierumque omnium simulacrum Dianae tollendum locatur.

With great mourning and wailing of the whole community, with many tears and lamentations of all the men and women, the image of Diana was put out to tender for removal.

Videte quanta religio fuerit apud Segestanos. Repertum esse, iudices, citote neminem, neque liberum neque servum, neque civen neque peregrinum, qui illud signum auderet attingere; barbaros quosdam Lilybaeo citote adductos esse operarios; ii denique illud ignari totius negoti ac religionis mercede accepta sustulerunt.

See how great religious feeling was for the Segestans! Know that no one at all was found, neither free or enslaved, neither citizen nor foreigner, who dared to touch that statue! Know that certain barbarian workmen were brought from Lilybaeum; those men finally, ignorant of the whole business and the religious feeling, removed the statue in return for pay.

quod cum ex oppido exportabatur, quem conventum mulierum factum esse arbitramini, quem fletum maiorum natu?

And when it was bein gtransported out of the town, what a throng of women do you think gathered, what weeping of older people?

quorum non nulli etiam illum diem memoria tenebant cum illa eadem Diana Segestam Carthagine revecta victoriam populi romani reditu suo nuntiasset.

Of whom there were some who remembered the day when that same Diana on being carried back to Segesta from Carthage had announced the victory of the Roman people with its return.

quam dissimilis hic dies illi tempori videbatur! tum imperator populi Romani, vir clarissimus, deos patrios reportabat Segestanis ex urbe hostium ecuperatos: nunc ex urbe sociorum praetor eiusdem populi turpissimus atque impurissimus eosdem illos deos nefario scelere auferebat.

How different this day seemed from that time! On that occasion a commander of the Roman people, a most famous man, was carrying back the ancestral gods recovered for the Segestans from a city of the enemies; but now from a city of allies, a most shameful and most unholy governor appointed by the verys ame people was carrying away those same gods by a sinful crime.

quid hoc tota Sicilia est clarius, quam omnes Segestae matronas et virgines convenisse cum Diana exportaretur ex oppido, unxisse unguentis, complesse coronis et floribus, ture, odoribus incesis usque ad agri fines prosecutas esse?

What is more famous in the whole of Sicily than this, that all the married and unmarried women of Segesta gathered when the Diana was being transported out of the town , anointed it with scented oils, filled it with wreaths and flowers, and followed it with burning incense and perfumes out as far as. theboundaries of the farmland?

hanc tu tantem religionem si tum in imperio propter cupiditatem atque audaciam non pertimescebas, ne nunc quidem in tanto tuo liberorumque tuorum periculo perhorrescis?

Even if, at the time, when you were in power, on account of your greed and audacity you had no rverence for this great holiness, are you still not afraid of it even now at a time of such great danger to yourself and your children?

quem tibi aut hominem invitis dis immortalibus aut vero deum tantis eorum religionibus violatis auxilio futurum putas?

What man do you think is going ot help you in future against the will of the immortal gods, or indeed what god will help you after their objects of such great holiness have been violated?

tibi illa Diana in pace atque in otio religonem nullam attulit?

Did that diana in time of peace and leisure bring no feeling of reverence to you?

quae cum duas urbes in quibus locata fuerat captas incensasque vidisset, bis ex duorum bellorum flamma ferroque servata est; que Carthaginiensium victoria loco mutato religionem tamen non amisit, P. Africani virtute religionem simul cum loco recuperavit.

She, who, after she had seen the two cities in which she had been located, captured and set aflame, was twice saved from the flaems and swords of two wars; and who , when, on the victory of the Carthaginians, she changed her place, nonetheless did not lose her sanctity, but by the valour of Publius Africanus recovered her sanctity along with her place.

quo quidem celere suscepto cum insanis esset basis et in ea P. Africani nomen incisum, res indigna atque intoleranda videbatur omnibus non solum religiones esse vilatas, verum etiam P. Africani, viri fortissimi, rerum gestarum gloriam, memoriam virtutis, monumenta victoriae C. Verrem sustulisse. quod cum isti renuntiaretur de basi ac litteris, existimavit homines in oblivionem totius negoti esse venturos si etiam basim tamquam indicem sui sceleris sustulisset.

WHen the crime had been undertaken and the pedestal with the name of Publius Africanus incised on it was empty, it seemed a scandalous and intolerable thing to everyone not merely that the sanctity of the statue had been violated, but also that Gaius Verres had removed the glory of the military achievements, the memory of the valour and the monument of the victory of Publius Africanus, a most courageous man. But when it was reported to Verres about the pedestal and the inscription, he reckoned that people would forget about the whole thing if he removed even the pedestal, as if. itwere an informer of his crime.

itaque tollendam istius imperio locaverunt; quae vobis locatio ex pulicis litteris segestanorum priore actione recitata est.

And so by his commmand they issued a contract for its removal. this issuing of a contract was recited to you from the public records of the Segestans in the previous hearing.

te nunc, P. Scipio, te, inquam, lectissimum ornatissimumque adulescentem, apello, abs te officium tuum debitum generi et nomini requiro et flagito.

Now I call upon you, Publius Scipio, you, I say, a most excellent and distinguished young man, and I request and demand from you the duty which you owe to your family and name.

cur pro isto, qui laudem honoremque familiae vestrae depeculatus est, pugnas, cur eum defensum esse vis, cur ego tuas partes suscipio, cur tuum munus sustineo, cur M. Tullius P. Africani monumenta requirit, maiorum ita suorum quisque defendat ut ea ne ornari quidem nomine aliorum sinat, tu isti aderis, qui non obstruxit aliqua ex parte monumento P. Scipionis sed it funditus delevit ac sustulit?

Why are you fighting on behalf of that man, who has diminished the praise and honour of your family, why do you wish him to be defended, why am I performing your role, why am I undertaking your duty, why am I, Marcus Tullius, asking for the monuments of Publius Africanus to be returned, while Publius Scipio is defending the one who removed them?

When the custom had been handed down from our ancestors, that each man should defend the monuments of this own ancestors in such a way that he should not allow them even to be decorated in the name of other men, are you going to be standing by that man, who not merely obstructed in some way the monument of Publius Scipio, but completely destroyed and removed it?

quisnam igitur, per does immortalis, tuebitur P. Scipionis memoriam mortui, quis monumenta atque indicia virtutis, si tu ea relinques aut deseres, nec solum spoliata illa patieris sed etiam eorum spoliatorem vexatoremque defendis?

Who, therefore, by the immortal gods, will protect the momory of the late Publius Scipio? Who will protect the monuments and the evidence of his valour, if you are going to abandon or desert them, and not only going to allow them to be looted but are even defending the looter and destroyer of them?

Adsunt Segestani, clientes tui, socii populi Romani atque amici; certiorem te faciunt P. Africanum Carthagine deleta simulacrum Dianae maioribus suis restituisse, idque apud Segestanos eius imperatoris nomine positum ac dedicatum fuisse; hoc Verrem demoliendum et asportandum nomenque omnio P. Scipionis delendum tollendumque curasse;

The Segestans are here, clients of yours, allies and friends of the Roman People. They are informing you that Publius Africanus, having destroyed Carthage, restored the statue of Diana to her ancestors, and that it was once placed and dedicated in Segesta in the name. ofthat commander; that Verres saw to it that it should be demolished and carried off and that the name of Publius Scipio should be destroyed and removed altogether.

orant te atque obsecrant ut sibi religionem, generi tuo laudem gloriamque restituas, ut, quod per P. Africanum ex urbe hostium recuperarint, id per te ex praedonis domo conservare possint.

They are begging and beseechign you to restore the holy object to them and the praise and glory to your family, and that what they recovered from the city of the enemy through Publius Africanus, they may be able to rescue through you from the house of its plunderer.

quid aut tu his respondere honeste potes aut illi facere, nisi ut te ac fidem tuam implorent? adsunt et implorant.

What can you honorably reply to these men, or what can they do, but implore you and your good faith?

They are here, and they are imploring you.