Sallust, Bellum Chapter 18
Bella Dickenson /
- Created on 2021-09-26 03:35:48
- Modified on 2021-09-29 06:47:50
- Translated by A.J. Woodman
- Aligned by Bella Dickenson
Latin
English
sed anteā item coniūrāvēre paucī contrā rem pūblicam , in quīs Catilīna fuit ; 2 dē quā quam vērissumē poterō dicam .
L . Tullō et M’ . Lepidō cōnsulibus , P . Autrōnius et P . Sulla , dēsignātī cōnsulēs , lēgibus ambitūs interrogātī , poenās dederant . 3 post paulō Catilīna pecūniārum repetundārum reus , prohibitus erat cōnsulātum petere , quod intrā lēgitumōs diēs profitērī nequīverat . 4 erat eōdem tempore Cn . Pīsō , adulēscēns nōbilis , summae audāciae , egēns , factiōsus , quem ad perturbandam rem pūblicam inopia atque malī mōrēs stimulābant . 5 cum hōc Catilīna et Autrōnius , circiter nōnās Decembrīs cōnsiliō commūnicātō , parābant in Capitōliō kalendīs Iānuāriīs L . Cottam et L . Torquātum cōnsulēs interficere , ipsī fascibus correptīs Pīsōnem cum exercitū ad obtinendās duās Hispāniās mittere . 6 eā rē cognitā , rūrsus in nōnās Februāriās cōnsilium caedis trānstulerant . 7 iam tum nōn cōnsulibus modo , sed plērīsque senātōribus perniciem māchinābantur . 8 quod nī Catilīna mātūrāsset prō cūriā signum sociīs dare , eō diē post conditam urbem Rōmam pessumum facinus patrātum foret . quia nōndum frequentēs armātī convēnerant , ea rēs cōnsilium dirēmit .
L . Tullō et M’ . Lepidō cōnsulibus , P . Autrōnius et P . Sulla , dēsignātī cōnsulēs , lēgibus ambitūs interrogātī , poenās dederant . 3 post paulō Catilīna pecūniārum repetundārum reus , prohibitus erat cōnsulātum petere , quod intrā lēgitumōs diēs profitērī nequīverat . 4 erat eōdem tempore Cn . Pīsō , adulēscēns nōbilis , summae audāciae , egēns , factiōsus , quem ad perturbandam rem pūblicam inopia atque malī mōrēs stimulābant . 5 cum hōc Catilīna et Autrōnius , circiter nōnās Decembrīs cōnsiliō commūnicātō , parābant in Capitōliō kalendīs Iānuāriīs L . Cottam et L . Torquātum cōnsulēs interficere , ipsī fascibus correptīs Pīsōnem cum exercitū ad obtinendās duās Hispāniās mittere . 6 eā rē cognitā , rūrsus in nōnās Februāriās cōnsilium caedis trānstulerant . 7 iam tum nōn cōnsulibus modo , sed plērīsque senātōribus perniciem māchinābantur . 8 quod nī Catilīna mātūrāsset prō cūriā signum sociīs dare , eō diē post conditam urbem Rōmam pessumum facinus patrātum foret . quia nōndum frequentēs armātī convēnerant , ea rēs cōnsilium dirēmit .
Previously
a
small
number
likewise
conspired
against
the
commonwealth
,
and
one
of
them
was
Catiline
;
I
shall
speak
about
the
matter
as
briefly
as
I
can
.
In the consulship of L . Tullus and of M’ . Lepidus , P . Autronius and P . Sulla ( the designated consuls ) had been questioned under the laws of canvassing and punished . A little after , Catiline’s prosecution for extortion had prevented him from being a candidate for the consulship , because he had been unable to put forward his name within the prescribed number of days . A contemporary was Cn . Piso , an adolescent from the nobility , of the utmost daring , destitute and factious , who was being spurred by want and wicked habits to disrupt the commonwealth . It was with him that Catiline and Autronius around the Nones of December shared their scheme , and they were preparing to kill the consuls L . Cotta and L . Torquatus on the Capitol on the Kalends of January , and , having themselves seized the fasces , to send Piso with an army to hold the two Spains . But after the discovery of the affair , their response had been to transfer the murderous scheme to the Nones of February , and now they were already devising the destruction not only of the consuls but of numerous senators . And , had not Catiline been too speedy in giving the signal to his allies in front of the curia , the worst deed since the founding of the City of Rome would have been perpetrated on that day . But , because the armed men had not yet assembled in force , that circumstance caused the scheme to be broken off .
In the consulship of L . Tullus and of M’ . Lepidus , P . Autronius and P . Sulla ( the designated consuls ) had been questioned under the laws of canvassing and punished . A little after , Catiline’s prosecution for extortion had prevented him from being a candidate for the consulship , because he had been unable to put forward his name within the prescribed number of days . A contemporary was Cn . Piso , an adolescent from the nobility , of the utmost daring , destitute and factious , who was being spurred by want and wicked habits to disrupt the commonwealth . It was with him that Catiline and Autronius around the Nones of December shared their scheme , and they were preparing to kill the consuls L . Cotta and L . Torquatus on the Capitol on the Kalends of January , and , having themselves seized the fasces , to send Piso with an army to hold the two Spains . But after the discovery of the affair , their response had been to transfer the murderous scheme to the Nones of February , and now they were already devising the destruction not only of the consuls but of numerous senators . And , had not Catiline been too speedy in giving the signal to his allies in front of the curia , the worst deed since the founding of the City of Rome would have been perpetrated on that day . But , because the armed men had not yet assembled in force , that circumstance caused the scheme to be broken off .
Sallust 5.5-5.9
Bella Dickenson /
- Created on 2021-10-01 00:50:04
- Modified on 2021-10-01 05:36:22
- Translated by A.J. Woodman
- Aligned by Bella Dickenson
Latin
English
vāstus animus immoderāta , incrēdibilia , nimis alta semper cupiēbat . 6 hunc post dominātiōnem L . Sullae lubīdō maxuma invāserat reī pūblicae capiundae , neque id quibus modīs assequerētur , dum sibi rēgnum parāret , quicquam pēnsī habēbat . 7 agitābātur magis magisque in diēs animus ferōx inopiā reī familiāris et cōnscientiā scelerum , quae utraque iīs artibus auxerat quās suprā memorāvī . 8 incitābant praetereā corruptī cīvitātis mōrēs , quōs pessuma ac dīvorsa inter sē mala , luxuria atque avāritia , vexābant .
Rome’s moral decline ( 5 . 9–13 )
9 rēs ipsa hortārī vidētur , quoniam dē mōribus cīvitātis tempus admonuit , suprā repetere ac paucīs īnstitūta maiōrum domī mīlitiaeque , quō modō rem pūblicam habuerint quantamque relīquerint , ut , paulātim immūtāta , ex pulcherrumā atque optumā pessuma ac flāgitiōsissuma facta sit , disserere .
Rome’s moral decline ( 5 . 9–13 )
9 rēs ipsa hortārī vidētur , quoniam dē mōribus cīvitātis tempus admonuit , suprā repetere ac paucīs īnstitūta maiōrum domī mīlitiaeque , quō modō rem pūblicam habuerint quantamque relīquerint , ut , paulātim immūtāta , ex pulcherrumā atque optumā pessuma ac flāgitiōsissuma facta sit , disserere .
The
enormity
of
his
mind
always
desired
the
unrestrained
,
the
incredible
,
the
heights
beyond
reach
.
After
the
dominion
of
L
.
Sulla
,
he
had
been
assailed
by
his
greatest
urge
,
to
capture
the
commonwealth
;
and
he
attached
no
weight
to
the
methods
by
which
he
might
achieve
it
,
provided
he
acquired
kingship
for
himself
.
His
defiant
spirit
was
exercised
increasingly
each
day
by
his
lack
of
private
assets
and
a
consciousness
of
his
crimes
,
both
of
which
he
had
augmented
by
the
qualities
which
I
recalled
above
.
He
was
incited
,
too
,
by
the
community’s
corrupt
morals
,
which
were
afflicted
by
those
worst
and
mutually
different
maladies
,
luxury
and
avarice
.
Since there has been occasion to mention the morals of the community , the context seems to encourage going further back and discussing in a few words the customs of our ancestors at home and on campaign , by what means they kept the commonwealth and how great it was when they bequeathed it , and how it changed gradually from the finest and best and became the worst and most outrageous .
Since there has been occasion to mention the morals of the community , the context seems to encourage going further back and discussing in a few words the customs of our ancestors at home and on campaign , by what means they kept the commonwealth and how great it was when they bequeathed it , and how it changed gradually from the finest and best and became the worst and most outrageous .
Sallust 4 and 5 Bella Dickenson
Bella Dickenson /
- Created on 2021-10-01 20:35:23
- Modified on 2021-10-04 20:23:10
- Translated by A.J. Woodman
- Aligned by Bella Dickenson
Latin
English
igitur , ubi animus ex multīs miseriīs atque perīculīs requiēvit et mihi relicuam aetātem ā rē pūblicā procul habendam dēcrēvī , nōn fuit cōnsilium socordiā atque dēsidiā bonum ōtium conterere , neque vērō agrum colundō aut vēnandō , servīlibus officiīs , intentum aetātem agere ; 2 sed ā quō inceptō studiōque mē ambitiō mala dētinuerat eōdem regressus , statuī rēs gestās populī Rōmānī carptim , ut quaeque memoriā digna vidēbantur , perscrībere ; eō magis quod mihi ā spē , metū , partibus reī pūblicae animus līber erat . 3 igitur dē Catilīnae coniūrātiōne quam vērissumē poterō paucīs absolvam ; 4 nam id facinus in prīmīs ego memorābile exīstumō sceleris atque perīculī novitāte . 5 dē cuius hominis mōribus pauca prius explānanda sunt quam initium nārrandī faciam .
An introduction to Catiline ( 5 . 1–5 . 8 )
[ 5 ] L . Catilīna , nōbilī genere nātus , fuit magnā vī et animī et corporis , sed ingeniō malō prāvōque . 2 huic ab adulēscentiā bella intestīna , caedēs , rapīnae , discordia cīvīlis grāta fuēre , ibique iuventūtem suam exercuit . 3 corpus patiēns inediae , algōris , vigiliae , suprā quam cuiquam crēdibile est . 4 animus audāx , subdolus , varius , cuius reī lubet simulātor ac dissimulātor ; aliēnī appetēns , suī profūsus ; ārdēns in cupiditātibus ; satis ēloquentiae , sapientiae parum . 5 vāstus animus immoderāta , incrēdibilia , nimis alta semper cupiēbat . 6 hunc post dominātiōnem L . Sullae lubīdō maxuma invāserat reī pūblicae capiundae , neque id quibus modīs assequerētur , dum sibi rēgnum parāret , quicquam pēnsī habēbat . 7 agitābātur magis magisque in diēs animus ferōx inopiā reī familiāris et cōnscientiā scelerum , quae utraque iīs artibus auxerat quās suprā memorāvī . 8 incitābant praetereā corruptī cīvitātis mōrēs , quōs pessuma ac dīvorsa inter sē mala , luxuria atque avāritia , vexābant .
Rome’s moral decline ( 5 . 9–13 )
9 rēs ipsa hortārī vidētur , quoniam dē mōribus cīvitātis tempus admonuit , suprā repetere ac paucīs īnstitūta maiōrum domī mīlitiaeque , quō modō rem pūblicam habuerint quantamque relīquerint , ut , paulātim immūtāta , ex pulcherrumā atque optumā pessuma ac flāgitiōsissuma facta sit , disserere .
An introduction to Catiline ( 5 . 1–5 . 8 )
[ 5 ] L . Catilīna , nōbilī genere nātus , fuit magnā vī et animī et corporis , sed ingeniō malō prāvōque . 2 huic ab adulēscentiā bella intestīna , caedēs , rapīnae , discordia cīvīlis grāta fuēre , ibique iuventūtem suam exercuit . 3 corpus patiēns inediae , algōris , vigiliae , suprā quam cuiquam crēdibile est . 4 animus audāx , subdolus , varius , cuius reī lubet simulātor ac dissimulātor ; aliēnī appetēns , suī profūsus ; ārdēns in cupiditātibus ; satis ēloquentiae , sapientiae parum . 5 vāstus animus immoderāta , incrēdibilia , nimis alta semper cupiēbat . 6 hunc post dominātiōnem L . Sullae lubīdō maxuma invāserat reī pūblicae capiundae , neque id quibus modīs assequerētur , dum sibi rēgnum parāret , quicquam pēnsī habēbat . 7 agitābātur magis magisque in diēs animus ferōx inopiā reī familiāris et cōnscientiā scelerum , quae utraque iīs artibus auxerat quās suprā memorāvī . 8 incitābant praetereā corruptī cīvitātis mōrēs , quōs pessuma ac dīvorsa inter sē mala , luxuria atque avāritia , vexābant .
Rome’s moral decline ( 5 . 9–13 )
9 rēs ipsa hortārī vidētur , quoniam dē mōribus cīvitātis tempus admonuit , suprā repetere ac paucīs īnstitūta maiōrum domī mīlitiaeque , quō modō rem pūblicam habuerint quantamque relīquerint , ut , paulātim immūtāta , ex pulcherrumā atque optumā pessuma ac flāgitiōsissuma facta sit , disserere .
Therefore
,
when
my
mind
sought
repose
from
the
many
miseries
and
dangers
,
and
I
determined
that
the
remainder
of
my
life
must
be
kept
far
away
from
politics
,
it
was
not
my
intention
to
waste
the
good
of
my
leisure
time
in
lethargy
and
indolence
,
nor
to
spend
my
life
in
agriculture
or
hunting
,
concentrating
on
the
duties
of
slaves
;
but
,
returning
to
a
project
and
enthusiasm
from
which
my
wicked
ambition
had
detained
me
,
I
decided
to
write
of
the
affairs
of
the
Roman
people
-
selectively
,
according
as
each
subject
seemed
worthy
of
recollection
,
and
with
the
additional
reason
that
my
mind
was
free
from
hope
,
dread
and
political
partisanship
.
Therefore
I
shall
dispatch
,
in
a
few
words
,
the
conspiracy
of
Catiline
as
truthfully
as
I
am
able
:
for
I
think
his
deed
especially
deserving
of
recollection
owing
to
the
newness
of
the
crime
and
of
its
danger
.
But
a
few
things
must
be
explained
about
his
behaviour
and
habits
before
I
can
begin
my
narrative
.
L . Catilina , born of a noble line , had great strength of both mind and body , but a wicked and crooked disposition . From adolescence , internal wars , slaughter , seizures and civil disharmony were welcome to him , and there he spent his young manhood . His body was tolerant of hunger , cold and wakefulness beyond the point which anyone finds credible ; his mind was daring , cunning and versatile , capable of any simulation and dissimulation ; acquisitive of another’s property , prodigal with his own ; burning in desires ; his eloquence was adequate , scant his wisdom . The enormity of his mind always desired the unrestrained , the incredible , the heights beyond reach . After the dominion of L . Sulla , he had been assailed by his greatest urge , to capture the commonwealth ; and he attached no weight to the methods by which he might achieve it , provided he acquired kingship for himself . His defiant spirit was exercised increasingly each day by his lack of private assets and a consciousness of his crimes , both of which he had augmented by the qualities which I recalled above . He was incited , too , by the community’s corrupt morals , which were afflicted by those worst and mutually different maladies , luxury and avarice .
Since there has been occasion to mention the morals of the community , the context seems to encourage going further back and discussing in a few words the customs of our ancestors at home and on campaign , by what means they kept the commonwealth and how great it was when they bequeathed it , and how it changed gradually from the finest and best and became the worst and most outrageous .
L . Catilina , born of a noble line , had great strength of both mind and body , but a wicked and crooked disposition . From adolescence , internal wars , slaughter , seizures and civil disharmony were welcome to him , and there he spent his young manhood . His body was tolerant of hunger , cold and wakefulness beyond the point which anyone finds credible ; his mind was daring , cunning and versatile , capable of any simulation and dissimulation ; acquisitive of another’s property , prodigal with his own ; burning in desires ; his eloquence was adequate , scant his wisdom . The enormity of his mind always desired the unrestrained , the incredible , the heights beyond reach . After the dominion of L . Sulla , he had been assailed by his greatest urge , to capture the commonwealth ; and he attached no weight to the methods by which he might achieve it , provided he acquired kingship for himself . His defiant spirit was exercised increasingly each day by his lack of private assets and a consciousness of his crimes , both of which he had augmented by the qualities which I recalled above . He was incited , too , by the community’s corrupt morals , which were afflicted by those worst and mutually different maladies , luxury and avarice .
Since there has been occasion to mention the morals of the community , the context seems to encourage going further back and discussing in a few words the customs of our ancestors at home and on campaign , by what means they kept the commonwealth and how great it was when they bequeathed it , and how it changed gradually from the finest and best and became the worst and most outrageous .
Sallust 4 Guided
Bella Dickenson /
- Created on 2021-10-04 02:36:26
- Modified on 2021-10-04 02:41:12
- Translated by A.J. Woodman
- Aligned by Bella Dickenson
Latin
English
igitur , ubi animus ex multīs miseriīs atque perīculīs requiēvit et mihi relicuam aetātem ā rē pūblicā procul habendam dēcrēvī , nōn fuit cōnsilium socordiā atque dēsidiā bonum ōtium conterere , neque vērō agrum colundō aut vēnandō , servīlibus officiīs , intentum aetātem agere ; 2 sed ā quō inceptō studiōque mē ambitiō mala dētinuerat eōdem regressus , statuī rēs gestās populī Rōmānī carptim , ut quaeque memoriā digna vidēbantur , perscrībere ; eō magis quod mihi ā spē , metū , partibus reī pūblicae animus līber erat . 3 igitur dē Catilīnae coniūrātiōne quam vērissumē poterō paucīs absolvam ; 4 nam id facinus in prīmīs ego memorābile exīstumō sceleris atque perīculī novitāte . 5 dē cuius hominis mōribus pauca prius explānanda sunt quam initium nārrandī faciam .
Therefore
,
when
my
mind
sought
repose
from
the
many
miseries
and
dangers
,
and
I
determined
that
the
remainder
of
my
life
must
be
kept
far
away
from
politics
,
it
was
not
my
intention
to
waste
the
good
of
my
leisure
time
in
lethargy
and
indolence
,
nor
to
spend
my
life
in
agriculture
or
hunting
,
concentrating
on
the
duties
of
slaves
;
but
,
returning
to
a
project
and
enthusiasm
from
which
my
wicked
ambition
had
detained
me
,
I
decided
to
write
of
the
affairs
of
the
Roman
people
selectively
,
according
as
each
subject
seemed
worthy
of
recollection
,
and
with
the
additional
reason
that
my
mind
was
free
from
hope
,
dread
and
political
partisanship
.
Therefore
I
shall
dispatch
,
in
a
few
words
,
the
conspiracy
of
Catiline
as
truthfully
as
I
am
able
for
I
think
his
deed
especially
deserving
of
recollection
owing
to
the
newness
of
the
crime
and
of
its
danger
.
But
a
few
things
must
be
explained
about
his
behaviour
and
habits
before
I
can
begin
my
narrative
Sallust 16
Bella Dickenson /
- Created on 2021-10-05 17:04:04
- Modified on 2021-10-07 18:50:07
- Translated by A.J. Woodman
- Aligned by Bella Dickenson
Latin
English
sed iuventūtem quam , ut suprā dīximus , illēxerat , multīs modīs mala facinora ēdocēbat . 2 ex illīs testīs signātōrēsque falsōs commodāre ; fidem , fortūnās , perīcula vīlia habēre , post , ubi eōrum fāmam atque pudōrem attrīverat , maiōra alia imperābat . 3 sī causa peccandī in praesēns minus suppetēbat , nihilō minus īnsontīs sīcutī sontīs circumvenīre , iugulāre ; scīlicet nē per ōtium torpēscerent manūs aut animus , grātuītō potius malus atque crūdēlis erat .
4 hīs amīcīs sociīsque cōnfīsus Catilīna , simul quod aes aliēnum per omnīs terrās ingēns erat , et quod plērīque Sullānī mīlitēs , largius suō ūsī , rapīnārum et victōriae veteris memorēs , cīvīle bellum exoptābant , opprimundae reī pūblicae cōnsilium cēpit . 5 in Ītaliā nūllus exercitus ; Cn . Pompeius in extrēmīs terrīs bellum gerēbat ; ipsī cōnsulātum petentī magna spēs ; senātus nihil sānē intentus ; tūtae tranquillaeque rēs omnēs ; sed ea prōrsus opportūna Catilīnae .
4 hīs amīcīs sociīsque cōnfīsus Catilīna , simul quod aes aliēnum per omnīs terrās ingēns erat , et quod plērīque Sullānī mīlitēs , largius suō ūsī , rapīnārum et victōriae veteris memorēs , cīvīle bellum exoptābant , opprimundae reī pūblicae cōnsilium cēpit . 5 in Ītaliā nūllus exercitus ; Cn . Pompeius in extrēmīs terrīs bellum gerēbat ; ipsī cōnsulātum petentī magna spēs ; senātus nihil sānē intentus ; tūtae tranquillaeque rēs omnēs ; sed ea prōrsus opportūna Catilīnae .
As
for
the
young
men
whom
(
as
we
said
above
)
he
had
enticed
,
he
taught
them
wicked
deeds
in
numerous
ways
.
From
them
he
provided
false
witnesses
and
signatories
;
he
commanded
of
them
,
first
,
that
they
should
regard
loyalty
,
fortunes
and
danger
as
cheap
,
and
then
,
when
he
had
worn
away
their
reputation
and
sense
of
shame
,
other
and
still
greater
deeds
.
If
reasons
for
wrongdoing
were
temporarily
in
short
supply
,
he
would
nonetheless
entrap
and
butcher
the
guiltless
no
differently
from
the
guilty
.
(
It
was
of
course
to
prevent
their
muscles
or
minds
from
languishing
through
inactivity
that
he
was
gratuitously
wicked
and
cruel
instead
.
)
These were the friends and allies on whom Catiline relied ; and , both because there was mighty debt across every land , and because many Sullan soldiers — too lavish with their own property , and mindful of the seizures of their old victory — were longing for civil war , he conceived the scheme of an assault upon the commonwealth . There was no army in Italy , and Cn . Pompeius was waging war in the most distant lands ; he had high hopes of his own candidacy for the consulship , and the senate was of course not concentrating : conditions on all fronts were settled and calm , but that was favourable to Catiline .
These were the friends and allies on whom Catiline relied ; and , both because there was mighty debt across every land , and because many Sullan soldiers — too lavish with their own property , and mindful of the seizures of their old victory — were longing for civil war , he conceived the scheme of an assault upon the commonwealth . There was no army in Italy , and Cn . Pompeius was waging war in the most distant lands ; he had high hopes of his own candidacy for the consulship , and the senate was of course not concentrating : conditions on all fronts were settled and calm , but that was favourable to Catiline .
Sallust 58
Bella Dickenson /
- Created on 2021-11-18 04:52:58
- Translated by A.J. Woodman
- Aligned by Bella Dickenson
Latin
English
nunc vērō quō locō rēs nostrae sint iuxtā mēcum omnēs intellegitis . 6 exercitūs hostium duo , ūnus ab urbe , alter ā Galliā obstant . diūtius in hīs locīs esse , sī maxumē animus ferat , frūmentī atque aliārum rērum egestās prohibet . 7 quōcumque īre placet , ferrō iter aperiundum est . 8 quāpropter vōs moneō utī fortī atque parātō animō sītis et , cum proelium inībitis , meminerītis vōs dīvitiās , decus , glōriam , praetereā lībertātem atque patriam in dextrīs vostrīs portāre . 9 sī vincimus , omnia nōbīs tūta erunt ; commeātus abundē , mūnicipia atque colōniae patēbunt . 10 sī metū cesserīmus , eadem illa advorsa fīent : neque locus neque amīcus quisquam teget quem arma nōn tēxerint .
11 " praetereā , mīlitēs , nōn eadem nōbīs et illīs necessitūdō impendet : nōs prō patriā , prō lībertāte , prō vītā certāmus ; illīs supervacuāneum est pugnāre prō potentiā paucōrum . 12 quō audācius aggrediminī , memorēs prīstinae virtūtis . 13 licuit vōbīs cum summā turpitūdine in exiliō aetātem agere ; potuistis nōnnūllī Rōmae , āmissīs bonīs , aliēnās opēs exspectāre . 14 quia illa foeda atque intoleranda virīs vidēbantur , haec sequī dēcrēvistis . 15 sī haec relinquere voltis , audāciā opus est ; nēmō nisi victor pāce bellum mūtāvit . 16 nam in fugā salūtem spērāre , cum arma quibus corpus tegitur ab hostibus āvorterīs , ea vērō dēmentia est . 17 semper in proeliō iīs maxumum est perīculum quī maxumē timent ; audācia prō mūrō habētur .
18 " cum vōs cōnsīderō , mīlitēs , et cum facta vostra aestumō , magna mē spēs victōriae tenet . 19 animus , aetās , virtūs vostra mē hortantur , praetereā necessitūdō , quae etiam timidōs fortīs facit . 20 nam multitūdō hostium nē circumvenīre queat prohibent angustiae locī .
11 " praetereā , mīlitēs , nōn eadem nōbīs et illīs necessitūdō impendet : nōs prō patriā , prō lībertāte , prō vītā certāmus ; illīs supervacuāneum est pugnāre prō potentiā paucōrum . 12 quō audācius aggrediminī , memorēs prīstinae virtūtis . 13 licuit vōbīs cum summā turpitūdine in exiliō aetātem agere ; potuistis nōnnūllī Rōmae , āmissīs bonīs , aliēnās opēs exspectāre . 14 quia illa foeda atque intoleranda virīs vidēbantur , haec sequī dēcrēvistis . 15 sī haec relinquere voltis , audāciā opus est ; nēmō nisi victor pāce bellum mūtāvit . 16 nam in fugā salūtem spērāre , cum arma quibus corpus tegitur ab hostibus āvorterīs , ea vērō dēmentia est . 17 semper in proeliō iīs maxumum est perīculum quī maxumē timent ; audācia prō mūrō habētur .
18 " cum vōs cōnsīderō , mīlitēs , et cum facta vostra aestumō , magna mē spēs victōriae tenet . 19 animus , aetās , virtūs vostra mē hortantur , praetereā necessitūdō , quae etiam timidōs fortīs facit . 20 nam multitūdō hostium nē circumvenīre queat prohibent angustiae locī .
You
all
understand
now
,
as
well
as
I
do
,
the
position
our
affairs
are
in
.
Two
enemy
armies
—
one
towards
the
City
,
the
other
towards
Gaul
—
stand
in
our
way
;
a
lack
of
grain
and
of
other
things
prevents
our
being
any
longer
in
this
place
,
even
if
we
really
had
the
heart
for
it
.
Wherever
we
decide
to
go
,
the
route
must
be
opened
up
with
steel
.
Therefore
I
advise
you
to
be
courageous
and
prepared
in
spirit
,
and
,
when
you
enter
the
battle
,
to
remember
that
in
your
hands
you
carry
riches
,
honour
and
glory
,
to
say
nothing
of
freedom
and
the
fatherland
.
If
we
win
,
the
world
will
be
safe
for
us
:
we
shall
have
access
to
supplies
in
abundance
,
municipalities
and
colonies
;
but
,
if
we
yield
through
dread
,
those
same
things
will
be
against
us
:
neither
place
nor
friend
will
protect
the
man
who
has
not
been
protected
by
his
arms
.
‘Besides , soldiers , the constraint looming over us and them is different . Our struggle is for fatherland , for freedom , for life ; theirs is a superfluous fight , for the power of a few . Therefore attack all the more daringly , mindful of your old-time prowess . It was open to you to lead a life of the utmost disgrace in exile ; some of you , having lost your property , could have anticipated wealth from other quarters in Rome ; but , because those alternatives seemed foul and intolerable to true men , you decided to follow this path . If you wish to abandon it , daring is required : no one but the victor exchanges war for peace . For to expect safety in flight , when you turn away from the enemy the arms which protect your body , that indeed is madness . In battle there is always the greatest danger for those whose fear is greatest ; but to have daring is like a barrier .
‘When I contemplate you , soldiers , and when I assess your deeds , I am gripped by a great hope of victory . I am encouraged by your spirit , your age and your prowess , to say nothing of that constraint which makes even cowards courageous . The enemy is present in numbers , yet the narrowness of the place prevents them from surrounding us . But , if Fortune begrudges you your prowess , make sure you neither gasp your last without taking vengeance nor be captured and butchered like cattle , but , fighting in the manner of true men , leave the enemy with a bloody and grievous victory . ’
‘Besides , soldiers , the constraint looming over us and them is different . Our struggle is for fatherland , for freedom , for life ; theirs is a superfluous fight , for the power of a few . Therefore attack all the more daringly , mindful of your old-time prowess . It was open to you to lead a life of the utmost disgrace in exile ; some of you , having lost your property , could have anticipated wealth from other quarters in Rome ; but , because those alternatives seemed foul and intolerable to true men , you decided to follow this path . If you wish to abandon it , daring is required : no one but the victor exchanges war for peace . For to expect safety in flight , when you turn away from the enemy the arms which protect your body , that indeed is madness . In battle there is always the greatest danger for those whose fear is greatest ; but to have daring is like a barrier .
‘When I contemplate you , soldiers , and when I assess your deeds , I am gripped by a great hope of victory . I am encouraged by your spirit , your age and your prowess , to say nothing of that constraint which makes even cowards courageous . The enemy is present in numbers , yet the narrowness of the place prevents them from surrounding us . But , if Fortune begrudges you your prowess , make sure you neither gasp your last without taking vengeance nor be captured and butchered like cattle , but , fighting in the manner of true men , leave the enemy with a bloody and grievous victory . ’