Cicero-Catiline Orations

Section I

Lines 1 - 3

Quō ūsque tandem abūtēre, Catilīna, patientiā nostrā? Quam diū etiam furor iste

tuus nōs ēlūdet? Quem ad fīnem sēsē effrēnāta iactābit audācia?

How long, finally will you abuse our patience, Catiline? For how long a time also will that madness of yours mock us? To what end will your unbridled rage throw itself?

Lines 3 - 7

Nihilne tē nocturnum praesidium Palātī, nihil urbis vigiliae, nihil timor populī, nihil concursus bonōrum omnium, nihil hic mūnītissimus habendī senātūs locus, nihil hōrum ōra vultūsque mōvērunt?

Has the nocturnal guard of the Palatine moved you not at all, have the watches of the city moved you not at all, has the fear of the people moved you not at all, has the gathering of all good men moved you not at all, has this most fortified location of holding the senate moved you not at all, has the expressions and the faces of these moved you not at all?

Lines 7 - 12

Patēre tua cōnsilia nōn sentīs? Cōnstrictam (esse) iam hōrum omnium scientiā (et) tenērī coniurātiōnem tuam nōn vidēs? Quid proximā, quid superiorē nocte ēgerīs, ubi fuerīs, quōs convocāverīs, quid consilī cēperīs, quem nostrum ignorāre arbitrāris?

Do you not realize that your plans are being exposed? Do you not see that your conspiracy has already been bound and is being held by the knowledge of all these men? Which of us do you think does not know what you have done last night, what you have done on the earlier night, where you have been, whom you have assembled, what (of a) plan you have formed? 

Lines 12 - 17

Ō tempora! Ō mōrēs! Senātus haec intellegit, cōnsul videt; hic tamen vīvīt. Vīvīt? Immō vērō etiam in senātum venit, fit pūblicī particeps, notat et dēsignat oculīs ad caedem ūnum quemque nostrum. Nōs autem fortēs vivī satis facere reī pūblicae vidēmur, sī istīus furōrem ac tēla vītēmus.

Oh the times! Oh the customs! The senate understands these things, the consul (Cicero) sees (these things); nevertheless, this man lives. He lives? On the contrary, indeed, he has even come into the senate, he becomes a participant of public (debate), he notes and designates with his eyes each one of us to kill. However, we ‘brave’ men seem to do enough for the republic, if we should avoid the madness and weapons of that man.

Skip to lines 26 - 32

Fuit, fuit ista quondam in hāc rē pūblicā virtūs, ut virī fortēs ācriōribus suppliciīs civem perniciōsum quam acerbissiumum hostem coercērent. Habēmus senatus consultum in tē, Catilina, vehemens et grave; nōn dēest reī pūblicae consilium neque auctoritas huius ordinis: nōs, nōs dicō aperte, consulēs dēsumus.

There has been, there has once been such courage in this republic, that brave men punished a dangerous citizen with harsher penalties than the most bitter enemy. We have the decree of the senate against you, Catiline, strong and serious; a plan is not lacking for the republic nor is the authority of this order (lacking): we, we I say openly, we consuls are lacking.

Section IV

Lines 1 - 9

Recognosce tandem mecum noctem illam superiorem: iam intelleges multo me vigiliare acrius ad salutem quam te ad perniciem rei publicae. Dico te priore nocte venisse inter falcarios—non agam obscure—in M. Laecae domum; convenisse eodem complures eiusdem amentiae scelerisque socios. Num negare audes? Quid taces? Convincam, si negas; video enim esse hīc in senatu quosdam qui tecum una fuerunt.

Finally, recall with me that previous night: now you will understand that I am watching much more sharply for the safety of the republic than you (are watching) for the destruction (of the republic). I say that you came on the previous night among the scythe makers—I shall not speak obscurely—into the house of Marcus Laeca; that several allies of the same madness and wickedness came together at the same place. You do not dare to deny (it), do you? Why are you silent? I will convince (you), if you deny (it); for I see that here in the senate there are certain (men) who were together with you.

Lines 17 - 23

Fuisti igitur apud Laecam illa nocte, Catilina; distribuisti partes Italiae; statuisti quo quemque proficisci placeret, delegisti quos Romae relinqueres, quos tecum educeres, discripsisti urbis partes ad incendia, confirmasti te ipsum iam esse exiturum, dixisti paulum tibi esse etiam nunc morae, quid ego viverem.

Therefore you have been at the house of Laeca on that night, Catiline; you have assigned parts of Italy; you have determined to where it was pleasing that each (man) depart, you have chosen (the men) whom you would leave behind in Rome, whom you would lead out with you, you have designated the parts of the city for fires, you have confirmed that you yourself were about to leave, you have said that now there was a little of a delay to you, because I was living. 

Lines 23 - 26

Reperti sunt duo equites Romani qui te ista cura liberarent et sese illa ipsa nocte paulo ante lucem me in meo lectulo interfectuoros esse pollicerentur.

Two Roman equestrians have been discovered who would free you from that concern and who would promise that they would kill me in my (little) bed on that night itself before light by a little.

Lines 26 - 28

Haec ego omnia, vixdum etiam coetu vestro dimisso, comperi; domum meam maioribus praesidiis munivi atque firmavi; exclusi eos, quos tu ad me salutatum mane miseras, cum illi ipsi venissent…

I have found out all these things, with your meeting hardly even having been dismissed; I have fortified and strengthened my house with greater defences; I have shut out those men, whom you had sent to me to greet (me) early in the morning, when those men themselves had come…