withstandinge in very deede ye shall knowe to be true Yet for as much as I prouoked wyth rebukes and iniuries and depriued of the fruite of my labour and diligence opteyned not the state of dignitie as my custome is toke vpon me to defende the cause of suche as are miserable not that I want or haue not sufficient possessions to paye myne owne dettes seyng that the liberalitie of my wyfe Horistilla with her owne and her doughters goodes hath payed other mens dettes but bycause I sawe men vnworthye auaunced to honour and my selfe throughe false suspicion alienated and put from honour And for this cause I haue for the case that I am in gotten metely good hope to conserue suche dignitie as hereafter shal chaunce me As I wold haue written mo thinges it was shewed mee violence was prepared against me Nowe I commende and deliuer Horistilla to your fidelitie prayinge you for the loue that ye beare to your children defende her from iniuries Farewell ¶ Many in the citye blamed the softnes of Cicero that he suffred their enemye to go his waye Cap. xxii BVT when it was knowen at Rome by manye mennes letters and often messages that Catiline was admitted capytaine ouer the armye and that hee intended too make warre vpon his countreye there were verye manye that greatelye blamed the consull bycause he had not taken soo greuous an enemie to the coÌ„mon weale and that he had let scape the principall and chiefe of the conspiracie For at that tyme the people reasoned and commoned amonge them selfes on this maner Catiline longer this tyme ought to haue ben put to deathe by the consulles commaundement and with moste cruell and sharpe tourmentes to haue ben punished This mischief which he hath craftly imagined againste vs oughte to haue ben layde vppon his owne necke For if the consull had put hym to death as he hath deserued we had ben nowe without warre the straytes of Hetruria had not ben fylled with the tentes of our enemies the common welthe had ben nowe in quiete and rest It was no nede at that tyme to haue vsed mercy it had ben a very mercifull dede most sharply to haue punyshed oure ennemie and by the deathe of one wicked personne to haue preserued the whole common wealthe Some other vsinge the aunciente examples shewed howe that Sp. Elius desiringe to reigne alone was slayne of P. Seruilius Hala. And lykewise Tiberius Gracchus of P. Scipio and also howe that C. Marius slew L. Saturnius protectour of the commonaltie and C Seruilius Glaucia the mayre for certaine suspicions of sedicion But Cicero hath commaunded him whom he knewe to be an enemy most greuous whom also he perceiued to be loked for of their enemies to be their capâ—taine and gouernour to go vnto his armye and so to make warre ageynste his countreye ¶ O the miserable estate of them that gouerned suche coÌ„mon welthes in the which he that is diligeÌ„te is called wayward and hard to please He that is negligente dyshoneste where he that is constante and iuste is called cruell and vngentle and he that is mercifull fearfull and dissolute wherin is geuen no pardon to them that do amysse and small praise to them that do well Or euer it was spoken that L. Catiline was gone in exile it was sayde that he was not by Cicero spoyled of his armours of boldenes that he was not circumuented and weakened by the diligente labour and councel of Cicero and that he had altered his intente not bycause that he dyd greatly feare but that he vncondemned and an innocent was exiled only by the wordes and power of the consull He was not then called vnhappy but fearefull Contrary wyse the consull not diligente but cruel But seynge there were menne that spake these thinges what wolde they haue saide if Catiline had ben put to deathe Nowe for as muche as Catiline lyueth and is vnpunished they call Cicero a manne of no greate counsell but ignoraunte fearefull and dissolute Certes there is nothinge more ignorant and vnwise than the vulgare people whiche without any difference or wisedome iudgeth and onelye pondreth the chaunce of the thynge and to whom any thynge well happeneth hym they saye to be very prouident and circumspecte and to whome otherwyse he to perceyue and knowe nothinge But let vs omytte these thinges ¶ Catiline and Manlius be proclaymed ennemies vnto whom fled very many hopeâ— ostes Cap. xxiii BVT when it was surelye knowen at Rome that Catiline was admitted capitayne ouer the armye and intended to make warre vpon his countrey there was an acte of parliament made in the whiche Catiline and Manlius were iudged to be vtter enemies to the common welthe And to all other there was a daye appoynted sauynge to those that were alredy condemned that it shuld be lawful for them to departe from the army vnpunyshed And if any man after that tyme shulde go vnto Catiline the senate to take hym as a traytoure againste the common weale and agaynste all mennes safegarde and profite The senate also decreed that the consuls shulde muster and that C. Antonius with suche ayde as he myght gather shulde pursue Catiline bothe by lande and sea and Cicero to defende the citye frome al deceites and mischaunces Neuerthelesse the mindes of desperate persons were nothynge refrained by these sharpe decrees For there was none out of soo greate a company of conspiratours that departed from Catiline excepte it were eyther to spye or to doo some myschiefe but contrary wyse there were many that drewe to hym bothe out of the countrey and out of the citye But of all those that drewe to hym he refused bonde seruantes of whoÌ„ an innumerable multitude fled to hym he estemed it a thinge vnsemely that runnagates shulde haue to do in citizens matters and thynkinge this also whiche in dede shoulde haue come to passe if his companions at Rome had performed their enterprise that huge routes of snaphances and hope lostes from all partes of Italy wolde resorte to hym For not onlye they that were confederate in the conspiracye coueted that Catiline shulde victoriousely ouercome but also whosoeuer were greatly indetted who soo euer had solde awaye their landes who so euer were in tyme paste condemned or atteinted Many also by troublynge of the common weale looked to be aduaunced to honours and moost hyghe ronmes many desired warre by reason that of such ruffeling and dissencions they opteyned power Farthermore in a greate city are alwayes many naughty yll doers hope lostes malaperte troublous sedicious and nedye felowes which with a becke are redy to disturbe the quiet and rest of a citie But most specially the delycate youth and lytle bearded yonge men or Catilines flocke wythout beardes whiche smellynge all of muske their heares featelye comed wearinge veyles and not gownes allowed Catilines counsayles And of these manye got them to catilines armye And of that number was one Fuluius the sonne of Aulus a Snatour the whyche if he coulde
more nere to the sea of Affrike The GetuliaÌ„s iÌ„habited more nere to the sunne rising not far froÌ„ the ferueÌ„t cuntrey of Inde this peple anone had roumes dwelling places for the sea bitwene theÌ„ Spaine was but narow wherfore they agreed with the Spaniards to make exchaÌ„ges bargins of merchaÌ„dise with theÌ„ The LibieÌ„s corrupted their name by litle litle changing the same at last in sted of MedeaÌ„s named theÌ„ selfe MaurieÌ„s by barbarike ê“nuÌ„ciacion of their laÌ„gage But the welth riches of the PersieÌ„s in short tyme increased multiplied In somoch that after they had named theÌ„ selfe NumidiaÌ„s thei iÌ„creased in so gret multitude that theyr fyrst couÌ„trey was not able to noryshe theÌ„ al. So that after ward many of the yong lusty people departed in sonder froÌ„ theyr frindes left their cuntrey resorting to a cuntry nere the citie of Carthage vacaÌ„t at that tyme. In which cuÌ„trey they iÌ„habited theÌ„ selfe named it Numidy after their name Shortly after this both they which remayned stil in their first cuÌ„trei these which remoued theÌ„ce assisted one an other with al maner help socour In so much that what by strength what by feare they brought vnder theyr subieccioÌ„ dominioÌ„ suche other nacions as marched nere theÌ„ so that within short tyme they much inhauÌ„ced augmented their name and glory but namely they which inhabited the part of Affrike which is ouer against Italy nere the Italian sea these most iÌ„creased in welth honor For the Libiens were not so good men of war as the GetuliaÌ„s or NumidiaÌ„s And so al the inward part of Affrike was for the most parte in possession of the Numidians so much dyd they that al the nacions of theÌ„ subdued wer called Numidians after the name of ouercomers Now haue we declared how the Getulians LibieÌ„s wer first inhabitaÌ„tes of Affrike how the Perseans MedeaÌ„s Armeniens came afterward ioyned with theÌ„ How the Perseans named theÌ„selfe Numidians And the MedeaÌ„s Armeniens by corrupcioÌ„ of langage wer called Mauriens And now coÌ„sequently I shal declare what other peple came afterward inhabited the same land of Affrike After al these nacioÌ„s before rehersed out of the land of Phenice cam much peple to inhabit theÌ„ selfe in Affrike Some bicause theyr owne countrey was not sufficieÌ„t to sustaine so grete a multitude as werof theÌ„ And other some great men of birth desirous of lordship raised vp asseÌ„bled the nedy coÌ„men people left their owne cuÌ„trey in hope to fynd some other greter dominioÌ„ els where in proces of tyme ariued at the land of Affrike there builded thre cities vpon the sea cost named Hippona AbrumentuÌ„ Leptis with other diuers cyties but not so gret and famous as these were These cities in short tyme wer so augmeÌ„ted incresed that some of theÌ„ wer honour and some socour ayd to their original cuÌ„tries But of the citie of Carthage whiche also by theÌ„ was bylded afterward became the hed citie of Affrike I thinke it is better to pas ouer with silence thaÌ„ of it to speke a litel thaÌ„ to leue the matter in the myds vnperfet and also this my busines procedeth to an other purpose Neuertheles some what shal I touch the fyrst foundacioÌ„ of this citie of Carthage not folowing mine author Salust which wrteth nothing therof but folowing the opinioÌ„ of Virgil as he writeth in the first boke of Eneas ¶ The quene Dido doughter of Belus kyng of the land of Cipre wife to Sicheus king of Phenice fled wyth her shyps laded with gold other riches out of her owne cuÌ„trey dreding the cruelte of her brother PigmalioÌ„ whiche blinded by couetise and ambicion had slayne her husband Sicheus by tresoÌ„ This Dido at last ariued with her shyps coÌ„pani at the coast of Affrike wher reigned a king named Hierbas which moued with beaute of Dido desired her to wife But for loue whiche she had to her first husbaÌ„d Sicheus she wold not coÌ„sent therto by any meanes but desired to bie of the same kyng as much grouÌ„de as might be coÌ„pased about with the hide of a bul And after that it was grauÌ„ted she cut the hide of smal that with the same she coÌ„pased .iij. myle of grouÌ„de about In which space she buylded a citie which first was named Birsa after in ê“ces of tyme it was called Tiros last of al Carthage Vnder which name bi long coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce so amply it encreased in fame welth that it contained xxiiij miles in compasse But whaÌ„ it was in most excellence it was vtterly distroied bi the Romains Publius Scipio Affricanâ— the tyme being captayne of the Romaine armye Touching the foundacion of this famous citie of Carthage so moch haue I writteÌ„ more than mine authour Salust But now wil I returne to mine institute purpose concerning the discripcion of Affrike brefely bring it to coÌ„clusion The valey of whoÌ„ I spake before named in Affricke langage CathahathmoÌ„ deuided the couÌ„trey of Affrike froÌ„ Egipt on the side saue that an arme of the see is bitwene the first citie or habitacioÌ„ of Affrik toward this valey is called Cirene And nere to the same be other two cities the one named Tolonia the other ThercoÌ„ beiond these thre cities be two quicksaÌ„des bytwen both the saÌ„des a cite named Leptis Beyond this cite of Leptis is a place named of the Romains PhylenoruÌ„ in english the auters of two brethern called Philenis bicause these two brethern suffred theÌ„ selfe to be quicke buried in the same place for the commeÌ„ wele of their couÌ„tre wherof thistory herafter shal be writteÌ„ at more oportunite This place diuideth the dominioÌ„ of Carthage from Egipt on the side After this place on the side costs be other cities belonging to the dominioÌ„ of Punike Al the places from thens forth to Mauritany or land of the Mauriens be vnder subieccioÌ„ of the Numidians The Mauriens haue theyr habitacion nere to Hispaine But as we rede the Getulians haue theyr habitacioÌ„ beiond the NumidiaÌ„s some in pore lodgis some other more vilely wtout habitacioÌ„ wandring as vagabuÌ„des Beyonde these GetuliaÌ„s is the land of Ethiope froÌ„ thens forth be couÌ„treis so brent with feruour of the soÌ„ne that they be inhabitable But duriÌ„g this war bitwene the RomaiÌ„s Iugurth the Romains had iÌ„ their possessioÌ„ many townes of Punike much of the costes of theÌ„pire of Carthage ruled the same by officers vnder theÌ„ therto assigned A gret part of Numidy of the Getulians vnto a flode named MuluchaÌ„ was vnder the dominioÌ„ of Iugurth Ouer al the MauriaÌ„s raigned one kinge named Bocchus of whoÌ„ the RomaiÌ„s had no knowledge saue of his name only And before this bataile he was nother in peace nor in war acquainted nor knoweÌ„ of the Romains Of Affrik of thinhabitauÌ„tes of the same ynough is spoken
The Conspiracie of Catiline written by Constancius Felicius Durantinus and translated bi Thomas Paynell with the historye of Iugurth writen by the famous Romaine Salust and translated into Englyshe by Alexander Barcklaye ⸫ ¶ To the most mightie moste excellente our moste gracious soueraigne lorde Henry the eight the very Kynge of England Ireland and of Fraunce the true defender of christes faithe and in earthe supreme heade immediately vnder Christe of the churche of England his moste humble seruaunte and chaplaine Thomas Paynell desireth moste hyghe honoure and perfecte felicitie WHen I consider how we are bounde by the lawe of god to be faithful and obedient vnto our gouernour which is so many waies careful for oure welthes surelye I thynke that all that we can do to ayde and helpe hym bothe with bodye counsayle goodes and prayer is but our dutie than most gracious soueraigne lorde what manne is he naye what monstrous beaste that wolde once thynke to rebell againste or wylfully dysobey your regall power lawes ordinaunces and expresse commaundementes yet notwithstandinge wee haue seene some in oure dayes so slyppe from god that they attempted greate thynges agaynste your hyghe maiestye which by his iuste iudgemente and wyll receiued condigne punyshemente The whiche examples withoute farther authoritie and knoweledge eyther of holye scripture or other prophane histories as me semeth shoulde abaundauntlye suffice to teache men to bee euer obediente vnto theire lyege lorde for it is a thynge of all other mooste euidente and clere that god wyll not suffer so vnkynde caytiues so desperate wretches anye thinge to preuaile againste his ymage in earthe a kynge Where shall we rede in all histories that rauenous rebelles coulde obteyne againste the soueraigne gouernours Surelye if euer any possible myghte Lucius Catiline the Romaine shoulde haue done for he was in a common weale that hadde manie rulers of whome some the chiefeste fauored his faccion he hadde on his syde that conspired wyth hym the nobleste of the Senatours he hadde an armye readie at his hande abroade in the citye suche aidours confederate with hym that in maner no wisedome power or policye coulde represse he was therewithall so wyttie soo wylye soo subtile soo full of crafte and deceite soo diligente and watchefull soo bolde and hardie soo experte and polytike in warre that he seemed inuincible yet by the wysedome prudence and diligence of a fewe good and vertuous menne that then ruled the common weale hee and all his confederates weere ouerthrowen and cleane subdued as it shall appeare to the readers of thys Catilynes conspiracie whyche I haue translated oute of latine into Englyshe specially for this intente that al that be vnlerned maye se if God among the gentiles wold not suffer riottous rebelles to ouerrunne rulers distroye cōmon weales howe moche lesse then wyll he suffer them to preuayle ageynste a chrysten prynce his veray image in erthe Therfore let al mē lerne by this exaumple of Catiline what the ende of them is that rise against theyr rulers and euermore hatefully abhorre to here speke of this cursed monster this deadelye poyson in a common weale Rebellion but wyth all wytte industrie power cunnynge ryches wyshe for laboure for loue fauour and maynteyne Obedience whereof I wolde write moche more ne were it that I speke to your highnesse which hath gyuen vnto vs so manyfolde occasyons to be moost feythfullye beloued and moste entierlye obeyed For whose magnificente mayestie we are mooste derelye bounde dayly on oure knees to praye god to preserue ouer vs to reyne as many yeres as Nestor lyued Amen The table THE wytte maners deedes and affections of Catiline cap. i. fol. primo The fyrste conspiracie of L. Catiline and P. Antronius cap. ii fol. ii Of the other conspyracy farre greater and more greuouse cap. iii. fol. iii. The condicions the dedes and maners of them that were felowes of the conspyracye whyche were in the cytye ca. iiii fol. iiii The oration of L Catiline to hys felowes of the conspiracye cap. v fol. vii The confederacye concluded and knytte vp wyth mannes blond cap vi fol. x Of seuen that desyred the consulshyp amonge whome Cicero preuayled cap. vii fo eodem Power that had ben geuen to the Decemuiri by the lawe Agraria if Cicero had not resysted ca viii fol. xii Cicero commeth by knowledge of the conspyracy ca ix fol. xiiii Cicero gaue ouer the busynes of Fraunce to C Antonius and reconciled the chiualry of Rome to the fauoure of the Senatours cap x. fol eodem Catylynes endeuoure and dylygence in augmentynge the conspyracy cap xi fol. xv Howe Cicero opened the conspyracy before the Senatours ca xii fo xvi The decree of the Senate that the common weale shoulde take none harme cap xiii fol xviii Howe Manlyus and other Catylynes companyons prepared warre abrode cap xiiii fol xix The oration of Manlyus ambassadours to Q Martius ca xv fol. xx The furye and fyercenes of Catilyne cap xvi fol. xxii Cicero and Catylyne in the Senate cap xvii fo xxiii The oration of M. T. Cicero agaynste L. Sergyus Catilyne cap. xviii fol. xxiiii Catilynes answere to Cicero in the Senate cap xix fol xxxiii Catilyne in great wrathe departeth out of the court exhorteth his companyons to stycke to their enterpryse he voydeth the cytye prepareth warre cap xx fol. xl Catilyne sente diuers letters into the citye againste Cicero in whyche he feyned hym selfe to be exiled cap. xxi fol xli Many in the citye blamed the softenes of Cicero that he sufferrd they re ennemye to go his waye cap. xxii fol. xlii Catilyne and Manlyus are proclaymed ennemyes vnto whom fled very many hopelostes cap. xxiii fol xliii Ambassadoures are sente frome the Senate into diuers prouynces of Italy to wythstande the rebellyon cap. xxiiii fol. xliiii The preparation of the rebelles in the citye and they re councelles wyth ambassadours of Delphinois cap xxv fol. xlv Ciceros watcheful dilygence and hys monicions to the Frenche ambassadours whyche vttered secretes of the conspiracy ca. xxvi fo eodē The vayne braggynge of Lentulus and cruell councell of the conspyratours in the citye cap xxvii fol. xlvii The nyght appoynted to crueltye the fury and wrathe of Cethegus the deceyte of Lentulus cap. xxviii fol. xlvi L. Vulturtius wyth letters of Lentulus to Catylyne and the Frenche ambassadours be taken in theyr iourney cap xxix fol. xlix The conspyratours are by Cicero brought into the Senate and wytnesses agaynste them and accusers are examyned cap. xxx fol eodem The thankes and moste ample preyses geuen of the Senate to Cicero for detection of the conspiracy cap xxxi fol. li The sentence of the Senate concernyng the conspirators cap xxxii fo eodem Why in ciuile warre tryumph after vyctory is to none graunted cap xxxiii fol. lii L. Tarquinius caused M. Crassus to be suspecte of the conspiracye cap. xxxiiii fol. lii The oration defensiue made for M. Crassus by hys fryndes cap. xxxv fol.
the goddes and men and thought euery houre eyther to be put in pryson or to be banished For the misdoers fere always to be punished And this semed to Catiline to make highly for his purpose that there was none armye in Italye and that euery place was ful of desperate vnthrifty and naughty persones Wherfore Catiline surely trusted by so manye and soo great oportunities easely to oppresse the comon weale got vnto hym very many frendes and alies of al sortes of men The condicions the dedes and maners of them that were felowes of the conspyracy whiche were in the city Cap. iiii THERE WAS neither at Rome nor yet in no corner of Italy any poysoner sword plaier thefe murderer parentes sleer forger of false testamentes horemonger riottoure or aduouterer but that he was somewhat familiarlye acqueynted with Catiline And who so euer at Rome had prodigally spent awaye his landes and ryottouisy consumed his goodes suche were Catilines moste nere and dereste frendes And loke whom he knewe folehardye him moste gladlye wolde he reteyne into his frendeship For he saide they that muste be called to be assocyate in a ciuyll warre shulde in no wise be feareful and coward caytyues Farthermore he intyced to hym manye noble yonge men to some promysynge bodilye luste and pleasure to some the deathe of theyr parentes some he wan with money some with fauoure some withe bodelye labour ye with the helpe of a myscheuous dede if nede required and as he sawe in them diuers inclinacions so withe diuers reasons he allured them to be his frendes Also he enterteyned certayne men of greate power and honestye by dissimulacion and cloked vertue For as we sayde he was adourned with many noble qualities the whiche I woulde to god he had turned and applyed to a better intent and purpose ¶ Thus whan Catiline had got together a huge multitude of ryottous hopelostes and vnthriftye caytyues about the fyrste daye of Iune L. Iulius Cesar and C. Marius Fygulus beynge consuls fyrste he beganne to proue euery mans courage aparte secretely to declare what great aduauncementes they shulde haue by reason of the conspiracie to some that were couetous he sayde theyr tyme was come to haue inoughe to some desirous thereof he behighte roume and auctorite some he put in remembraunce of greate spoyle pillage and robberye And so after he perceiued they were redye and prompt to the matter all the moste noble and moste valiante and hardye enterprisers and them with whom he was most familiar and nerest alied he assembled together into the house of M. Lecca This house Catiline chose oute for hym bycause it stode farre from the frequence and resorte of people for he demed an oute corner or a solytary place moste conueniente for hys purpose So thither resorted to this assembly of the most noble linage of the Cornelians P. Lentulus Sura a manne lykelye to be consull and was nephewe to that moste noble and worthy Lentulus which beinge armed pursued Gracchus into the hyll Auentine This Lentulus in feruente desyre of roume and auctorite was egall to Catiline but touchynge the greate diligence wit and polyce vsed in warre he was nothynge comparable to hym Ne the lesse he was a man of goodlye personne and righte eloquente in wordes and beinge induced by diuinacion he beleued that his name was predestinate to destroye the common weale For he sayde that by the bokes of Sybill and answeres of the southesayers there shoulde be three of that name Cornelius that shulde be souerayne gouernours and that he him selfe was the thyrde Cornelius to whome the empire and kingdome of the Romaynes ought of necessitie to come For he sayde that Sinna and Sylla had bene before him ¶ Miserable and wretched ar those men that put truste in suche southsaiers to whome the punishement of Lentulus ought to be a good example on how many rough rockes and perils they make men to runne ¶ In this lentulus noughte remayned of the noble bloude of his ancestoures ne nothing of theyr glorious and famous dedes but all thynges contrary to theym for in stede of they re honestie temperaunce manlinesse and prudence he was indewed with fylthynesse lechery sluggishe slouthe and foolehardynesse But yet he was twyse Senatour and twise accused in iudgemente and escaped ¶ Also thither came C. Cethegus this man passed Catiline in lewde enterprises and foolehardynesse but in feates of warre nobilitie and strength of body he was in maner egall to hym For he beinge but a souldioure in the warres dyd many greate and notable dedes full oft his ennemy in armes he ouerthrewe he was a right good horseman and a perfect man of armes And there was no businesse so weyghty nor none so harde and difficile but that it semed to him lighte and easy So grete so large and so immoderate was his hart and courage This man had afore time fore wounded the moste noble and worthye man Q. Metelius Pius And had an other tyme as it was saide conspired agaynst the common weale ¶ Also of this band was P. Cimber Gabinius a great man of birthe but hee was dishoneste cruell a poller proude deceitfull vnshamefaste and gyuen to bodelye luste ¶ Also of this confideraci were L Crassus Longinus and P. Antronius bothe noble men bothe eloquente boothe hadde in great honour and estimacion and both were consuls at diuers times those two were lyke in carnall luste in cruelnes in shamefastenes and their audacitie double of the whiche the tone by force and violence thruste men out of theyr possessions slewe and murthered and robbed churches and chapels the tother commytted many abuoutries and fornications It were to longe for me to diseriue euery mannes lyfe and maners namely sythe I haste me to declare the thyngs that are more necessary to be spoken ¶ Soo there assembled together in this house beside those that are afore rehersed L. Vargunteius a Senatour P. Seruius Silla Q. Curius Q. Annius P. M. Lecca L. Calphurmus Bestia M. Fuluius Nobilior P. Satilius P. Furius Manlius Chilo and P. Tongillus And more ouer straungers borne and inhabitantes of townes that were vnder the dominion of the Romaines suche as were chiefest and of moste estimacion they made of counsaile with them ¶ Also there were some that woulde not come at thys assemble but they were priuelye parteners to this myscheuous dede and secretly dyd ayde and helpe Catiline Amonge the whiche some saide that M. Crassus and C. Cesar had knowledge of this conspiracie and were bothe helpers and furtherers of the same They sayde that Crassus was driuen thereto by reason that he was sore greued in his mynde to se G. Pompei hys ennemye to be of al men for the noble dedes and conquestes that he had done both by lande and sea demed and estemed as chiefe and soueraigne of the citye and for that cause Crassus trusted if the conspiratours dydde vanquishe and ouercome that he hym selfe myghte easelye bee the
prince and soueraigne of all the worlde They sayde Cesar was driuen therto by reason that through his great and large liberalitie he owed aboue DCCC.xxx talentes Some saye that all these thynges were feyned and blowen abrode by their enemies and shoulde in no wyse be beleued that so noble men shoulde confederate them selues with Lentulus Catiline and Cethegus desperate caitiues What certeine knowledge I haue of eyther of them I wyl after in place conuenient declare But when these men that I haue rehersed were there assembled together Catiline tooke them a parte and thus he sayde ¶ The oracion of L Catiline to hys felowes of the conspiracie Cap. v. YOVRE incredible faythefulnes and the great fortitude and manhode that I haue alwaye perceiued in you dothe encourage my herte yea and putteth me in greate hope not onelye to recouer libertie but also to enlarge and augmente our olde dignitie For whan I loke and well beholde eche of you I se no man in this companye that hath not done some noble and worthye acte ne no man but that he derely tēdereth my welth ne no man but either he hath done me pleasure or els I him ne no man but that I am bounde to remembre for euer more his goodnes toward me And therfore now I haue no feare to disclose and open vnto you what I purpose and intende nor I haue no drede nor mistruste but that eche of you wil endeuour hym to the vttermoste of your power to accomplysshe and bringe to effecte that that I shall shewe you For the olde lawe of iuste and trewe amitie that of a longe time hath ben betwene vs is that frendes shulde alwaye wyll one thynge nor there is no bonde of frendshyppe more certayne and sure then the consent and societie of counsayll and wyll And therfore in this cause most specially your wyls and myne ought to be one for soo moche as ye shall well perceiue that those thinges that my harte so sore desyreth to bringe to passe are egally good and euyll bothe for you and me Oftentimes by my selfe thinking on the miseries that we many yeres haue benne wrapped in and as me semeth shall be styll onlesse your moste prudente wysedomes woll prouide remedy I am wonte to call to remembraunce what a wretched life we shal leade in time to come without we set our selfe at libertie For I nede not to reherse to you your selfe beare it well inoughe in in remembraunce howe many and dyuers hurtes and griefes we haue endured sithe the moste common wele through the crueltie of certayne vngratious persones was permitted and let slippe to be vnder the rule order and power of a fewe and suche as began to take more vpon them then all the rest besyde For I lettinge passe to reherse the mishappe and chaunce that ech of vs hath had you maye with one regarde beholde all vs that be here noble stronge and valiante men whiche often tymes for the common weale haue not eschewed perylles moste greate and greuous and hauynge neyther lande nor rent lefte as wretches nedy sorowfull and out castes haue as moche as we can do to defende our liues fame citie and goodes But they whiche violate vexe and trouble all together bothe the lawe of god and mā not onely walowinge in riches and welthe pleasantlye passe awaye theyr tyme where they luste but also euery thynge beinge done at theyr commaundement and wyl seke wayes and meanes to attrappe and destroye the moste noble and valiant men of our citie and they them selfe are in doubte of nothinge finallye theye haue and exercise a regall power I haue no word more greuous when I name this royal power but surely theyr power is greatter than a kinges What kingdome was there euer that had mo kynges at one tyme what kinge was there euer so mightie and soo stronge the whiche had a power to constitute and make kynges But these men haue full power to rule all prouinces and depriue free nacions of theyr landes and to geue and dispose other mennes royalmes and kyngedomes To these men all the whole world kynges princes and straunge nacions haue ben alwaies tributours And so they haue all the power fauoure ryches worshyp and honoure To the satisfiynge of the whole couetousenes surelye it semeth all the whole worlde is to lyttell and ouer straite But nowe if they wolde seeke only to haue the power riches and honoure they shulde be to vs greuous but yet they mought be suffered and borne But what is he that can endure and suffer that they hauynge abundance of cattell golde syluer iuorie ryche araye costlye howsholde stuffe and other thynges shulde daylye lye in awaite to catche vs in some snare that are nedy and want al these thynges and that are with their boastynges and bragges greuouslye wronged ye and beside that to goo aboute styl to depriue vs of this oure sorowfull and most wretched lyfe We are sore thretened and are in perpetuall peryll and dreede of them oure iudgementes and puttynge from all roumes and offices are prepared Whyche thynges howe longe wyll you most valiaunte and noble men pacientlye beare and suffer Were it not better for a man a thousande tymes to dye then to lyue in that citye where he is an abiecte contemned and despised of all other desperate and forsaken tremblynge and quakynge mistrustinge his owne affaires not so hardye to speke without lybertie without auctorite and wythout any shappe of free man Yea and to be subiecte to those the whiche if wee had a common weale wolde be in feare and dreede of vs. Wherfore moste hardy and valiant men let vs at laste shake of our stuggishenesse and let vs take suche hart and courage as besemeth noble Romaynes borne Our forefathers coulde not suffre the proude kynge Tarquimus and canne we suffer not one kynge but many moste cruell tyrantes Surely I will neuer leaue you I wyll monishe you I wyll teache and instructe you I wyll alwaye declare to you what I thynke beste to be done there shall no tyme escape me neyther night nor daye but that I woll minde and imagine what soo euer concerninge oure libertye ought to be thought on that thynge that oughte to be entreprised and done wyll not I make courtsye to doo but shall desyre and praye you to haue the doinge therof fynally I wyll do that that becometh a worthy Romayne to do that is for our libertie I wyll put my life in ieoperdy But I protest before god and man that the victorie is in our handes if we wyll playe the men We haue here at hande Syllas souldiours withe all theyr fauour strengthe and one assente redye to ayde vs by whose sodeyne commynge we shall shortelye haue a stronge and sure hoste of men With like diligence fauour and loue to recouer libertie the moste bolde and valiante men Gn. Piso and P. Siccinius Nucerius haue conspired with vs of the whiche the tone is in the hither Spayne with a great
armye the tother is capytayne and ruleth Mauritaine Those two shal we haue as felowes in counsaylynge and moste trusty and sure helpers in our nedes and busynesse But other menne good lorde what routes and withe what fauoure and hardy courage they agree with vs to recouer liberte I let passe here to speake of the noble citizens the whiche hauinge neither lande nor rent left and being wrapped in great wretchednesse and nede can vnneth suffer and endure that this so noble and mighty a citie shoulde be subiecte to the wyll and power of a fewe persons For who is the moste noble and valiante men the whose ryches worshyp honour prouynces roumes offyces and hyghe auctorities are not dere and pleasante Whereto shulde I reherse to you the good wylles of poore men whiche vnfortunate felowes beinge oppressed with excedynge greate dette and trouble with infinite wronges can not be safe and sure by none other meane than by ciuile warre But what nedethe me to remembre to you these men the whiche very nede the whiche priuate iniuries the whiche feare of iugementes and the which necessitie compellethe vnto warre I swere to you my faythe there is no citizen without this dominacion of the mighty men the whiche wold not with al his harte resiste and withstande these cruell tyrantes There are but ouer many redy to recouer liberti the market place is ful of those men al the townes of Italye are ful all Italie is reysed vp men of al states and condicion and finally men of euery age agree and consent all on this one thynge And it doth not a litle helpe forwarde that the riches of these men is spited amonge stronge nations theyr might hated the consuls power withe whiche at the next election I truste you shal se me adourned Do you than doubte I beinge your consul and capitaine the souldioures myndes styrred and kendeled herto and all Italy conspiring with vs to recouer agayne your libertie For goddes sake moste strong and valiant men let not slyppe but take sure holde on this occasion offered vnto you and at last cal to your remembraunce that you be Romaine princes We haue suche a time as neuer man hadde before vs. And if you lette this scape you shall neuer haue suche an other tyme agayne I am longe in exhortinge you There is nothynge elles that I will monishe you for there is no man so foolyshe but that he perceiueth that we can be none other way in saftie Wherfore necessitie perill the large rewardes that shal aryse by thys warre shoulde moche more stere and prouoke you therto then mine ooracion You shal haue me to bee your capitaine or elles your companion or rather bothe twayne Neyther my mynde nor body shal euer fayle you And although my mynde and corage hath euer ben prompte and redy yet the time hathe fayled vs but alwaye as soone as oportunite appered I was my selfe the chiefe and principal that wold haue recouered agayne your libertie Soo that I beinge consull and prince and you the auctoures and capitaines the goddes beinge helpers surelye in shorte tyme we shall be free and out of al bondage excepte we had rather be in thraldome then lyke men by feate of armes and dente of swâ—rde to trye the matter ¶ Whan he had saide euery man moste highlye lauded Catiline they gaue him greate thankes and approued his counsaile And vnto manye of them that asked him what the condition of this warre shulde be and what rewardes and winninges shulde ensue and folow of this conspiracye Catiline fyrste promysed them the deathe of great riche men newe proscriptions prouinces offyces and honoures Than he discriued vnto them al the hole maner of this warre And lastly he exhorted them that they shuld moste fauourably sticke to him in the request of the consulshyp And after they hadde embraced and taken eche other by the hande he let them departe ¶ The confederacie concluded and knytte vp with manâ—â—s bloude Cap. vi I WYL NOT in thys place omytte that Linius and Saluste haue lefte in writing After Catiline had ended his oration and had with all kynde of assurances and othes knytte vnto him felowes of his furie to go forthe with they re wicked and vengeable enterpryse he powred wyne and mannes bloude together in a cuppe and firste he beganne and after gaue it to hys felowes to drinke Some other wryters haue added hereunto that this confideracie was not onelye concluded wythe mannes bloude but also it was stablyshed and conâ—yrmed withe the fastinge of the flesshe of a certayne man that Catiline had slayne And they say he dyd it for this consideracion that throughe suche a cruell deede they shulde be the more faythfull one to an other Some other consideringe the great cruelnesse of the dede thinke it is but a feyned matter and incredible But I am not onlye sone perswaded to thynke that it was so done but also I deme hym not to haue doone that to the entente that they shulde be the more faythful among them selfe But I beleue he dyd it to reache the conspiratoures by example the maner and vse of wilde beastes of whiche there are none more cruel and mortal then they as men saye whiche haue ones tasted mannes fleshe So likewise whan they had ones take a taste of mannes bloud there shuld be no enterprise so fierse and fel nor no dede so cruel that they ought to feare and abhorre to do And to beleue this thinge that I lerned of a certayne greate auctour induceth me how Catiline was borne in hand by southesayers that a certaine Egle or standarde of Siluer that C. Maryus had in the warres agaynste the Cimbrians was predestinate to be the destruction and ruine of the common weale to the whiche as we rede he erected aulters and ordeyned and oratorye at home in his house and was wonte to worshyppe it is a godly thynge whan he wente in hande with any enterprise O crueltie that neuer was harde of before those dayes that there shulde be than some founde the which vnder the shappe of men were in harte fierce and cruell wilde beastes ¶ Of .vii. that desired the consulshyppe amongâ— whome Cicero preuayled Cap. vii IN THE MEANE whyle when they wente to electe newe consuls there came foorthe .vij. that desyred to bee consulles of the whiche twoe were descended of noble linage L. Catiline and P. Galba Foure were meaner personnes of the whiche two were moore noble C. Antonius the sonne of the moste wittye and eloquent Oratour M. Antonius L. Cassus Longinus that was amonge them at the foresayde vngratious assemblye Q Cornificius C. Licinius sacerdos and oone of theym a knyghtes sonne borne M. Tullius Cicero the whiche in noble birthes was inferioure to the other but in wytte counsayle eloquence and stoutenesse of stomacke he far passed them all When this man through the great fouour good wyll and loue of the people had bene Tresourer Gardian of the temples and
wolde and to make and call kinges whome they pleased to knowe and to hear the causes of al maner of peple to taxe men wythout counsaile to punyshe men withoute any appellacion and it was permitted to theym for the space of fyue yeres to iudge the consuls and protectoures of the comontie and no man myght iudge them They myght remayne at Rome when they wolde and mought be absent when it was to them commodious Also it was laufull for them to deuide and sel all the fieldes that weere common in the countrey of Campana Stellata Bithinia and the common fieldes that were in Paphlagonia in Ponto Capadocia in Macedonia in Alexandria in Affrica and in Hispania Further they myghte sende men to inhabite certeine places or renewe the olde inhabitours and infinite power was geuen to them to make money innumerable And truely they had the name of Decemuiri but in verye dede they shulde haue constituted tenne Lordes ouer all the hole worlde The Senatoures were of these lawes sore in drede and the people had therby great hope of large liberalitie and rewards and of newe businesses for their profite These perturbacions and troubles of the citie weere very meete and oportune for Catiline and shulde moste speciallye haue holpen forwarde the conspiracie that gan to growe apace if the moste prudente pollicie of the consull had not prouided remedie for the matter For Cicero calling the protectours of the commontie to parliamente before the Senatours with suche greuous and sharpe wordes rebuked them that Rullus a man full of audacitie and wordes was sore afrayde and durste not ones speake After all this Cicero perceyuinge that they craked and bosted them selfe vehemently amonge the people and that the people moste highly lauded and praysed them he made an oration of suche grauitie that although the people had greatlye allowed the soresayde lawe yet in so turned mennes myndes and playnelye declared the sayde lawe to be contrarye to the profyte of the commontie that nothynge was so plausyble to the people as perswasion agaynste the lawe Agraria Then the peple forth with reproued the lawe and forsoke contemned and dispised theym that wente aboute to haue the lawe estahlyshed Thus the lawe Agraria that had beÌ„ alwayes so acceptable to the commons and that had caused so many and so greate troubles and busynesses was all hole throughe the counsayle and eloquence of Cicero repudiate and caste awaye So pleasaunte and swete of so greate strengthe and so copius ware Ciceros wordes that with tellynge his tale he coulde bring to passe what so euer he wolde ¶ Elas what a time be we in For nowe a dayes onlye the schole maysters in a maner do giue and lerne vs the preceptes of Eloquence and euery man for desire of luker and money gothe in hande to studye the lawe Whereof it folowethe that all we be but as baabes and can not declare and expresse that we haue conceiued in our myndes But nowe let vs retourne agayne to our purpose ¶ Cicero commeth by knowlege of the conspiracie Cap. ix THE lawe Agraria beinge reiected the consull intended fullye to take peyne to redresse and amende manye thynges that were amisse in the common weale And when he harde that manye troublous couÌ„sayles agaynste the state and quiete of the comon weale were taken partely before and partely siâ—he he was chosed consul he toke peyne bothe daye anâ— nighte to the ende to knowe what felowes they were that enterprysed and went about suche matters Thus moste diligeÌ„tly serchynge and inquiringe out the grounde of this rumour he founde that it came out fyrste by Fuliua and priuely he sente for her to come and speake with him to thentente she shulde enforme hym what she knew of the conspiracye he promysed her greate rewardes and also other whyle he thretned her that without she dyd open and confesse to hym the trouthe by fayre meanes he wolde constrayne her therto by torturs and peynes After that Fuluya had tolde hym that she herde it of Curius incontinent he sent for Curius And with moche fayre intreatinge monisshinge wythe manye fayre promyses and ofte threteninge be broughte to passe that D. Curius opened vnto hym all the fashion and order of the conspiracie Then Cicero exhorted Curius to disseÌ„ble the matter as moch as he might and so sente hym away in greate hope and trust to be wel rewarded But the consull perceyuynge that Catiline was chiefe and principall of the conspiracye and dredynge lest Antonius his companyon in office a troublous man and moste familiar frend to Caâ—iline shuld to hym consent and withe hym conspyre for he vnderstode nowe that Catiline had attempted him therto and that it was no thinge displesant to hym to heare speake of the conspiracie he lefte not to accuse him to stere hym to eschew infamy and prouoked and exhorted hym to folow that course wherin is gotte honoure and laude and to agre and conforme hym selfe to them that were in dede good and honorable and to holde on that waye that he sawe his noble auncestoures had gone At length with wisdome and lowely diligence he remoued him frome the counsayles of the conspyracy and broughte hym to folow his minde ¶ Cicero gaue ouer his businesse of Fraunce to C. Antonius and reconciled the chiualrye of Rome to the fauour of the Senatours Cap. x. THAN BY auctorytie of the Senatoures the prouince of Fraunce was decreed too Cicero the cause and matter of triumphes with an armye and moneye appoynted and furnyshed at the ful But he deemed it farre better for the common weale if he coulde deliuer it frome the snares and deceytes at home than if he shulde subdue that prouince to the publike weale for the vertue is no greatter to enlarge the marches of the empire than to defend them that were al redy won Nor the prayses of warre are no greatter then the ciuil policies for these consiste in counsayle and wisedome the other stand in the handes of fortune Wherfore the consull assembled a greate multitude together sayde ¶ Bycause the time and nede of the comman weale so required it he wolde not take on hym the busynes of Fraunce And leste that his companyon shoulde hyndre hym in defendynge the common weale by hys wisedome brought about that the busynes of Fraunce was appyonted to Antonius For if Cicero had not at that time bi some honorable meanes remoued Antonius froÌ„ counsaylynge with Catiline and from the citie I shal saye as I thynke of trouth the conspiracie had not ben quenched without great effusion of bloud And bycause he saw that Catiline laye dayly in awayte to attrappe hym he went alwaye well and strongely accompanyed withe his frendes and vsed also and had aboute hym the safegarde of his lyfe a pyked sorte of lustye yonge men of Aretta Furthermore he made agremeÌ„t betwene the knyghtes of Rome and the Senatoures with concorde beinge at al times moche necessarye was in that troublous season of the common weale moste
nedeful and expedient For before that tyme the seperatinge of the chiualrie or gentylmen from the senatours caused manye yeres moste greuouse contencion and strife betwene them For where as is diuision and part taking in a common weale there muste nedes folowe not only sedicion but also moste pestilent warres amonge them selues Nor I maruaile not at all that Catiline wente aboute to trouble the common weale seinge he was of nature inclyned and withe soo manye occasions styrred and inflamed therto This also made for hym that eueÌ„ the same tyme theyr children that were banished came forthe and required the honorable roumes and offices whiche if they had opteyned it was thought of trouthe they wolde haue conspired with Catiline And therfore the Consull vppon his owne hatred without promyse of rewarde kepte them from election ¶ When all this was done the consull thoughte it yet no tyme to disclose and open the conspiracie before the Senatoures Therefore hee not with the publike ayde and strengthe but with his priuate diligence defendâ—d and kepte hym selfe from Catilines wyses and snares and dayly wythstode and fordyd his driftes abated his boldenes and courage and resisted his mischeuous purpâ—â—e withoute publyke ruffelinge or steryng of the people But the more prouision that the consull made the more conspiracie grewe and increased ¶ Catilines endeuour and dilygence in augmentyng the conspyracie Cap. xi TRVELY there was no streete no corner in all the cytie but Catiline instanted prouoked tempted and stered And to opteyne hys desyre he suffered colde thryste hunger and trauayle But speciallye hee entyced the youthe Some of them he hym selfe loued and to somes loue he was ryght seruiseable for some he prepared and gotte harlottes and for some horses hee taughte some the feates of armes some hee wanne wyth money but many mo with his faire flatterynge wordes And if he perceiued any of them to be a man of stoute and valiaunt courage hym firste woulde he wynne by vertue but afterwardes by diligence and costume he wolde by littell and lyttell drawe hym headlonge into all vnleful luste For the maners and condicions of menne proceede neyther of nature her selfe as many falsely do suppose nor yet of lynage but are oftetymes planted in vs by those wyth whome we lyue and be conuersant Catiline as sayde is was maruaylous subtyle and crafty to styre yonge men to luste and pleasure wherwith not onelye that age whiche is slipperye and vncertayne but also graue men of auncientie are attached with this his varyable nature he dayly augmented the nombre of the conspiratours ¶ And I am well assured that Catiline at that tyme dyd not onely allure men to that myscheuouse dede but also he made of counsayle with hym certayne noble women which had liued wantonly prodigallye voluptously and horishelye For by theÌ„ he hoped he moughte eyther get theyr husbands to take his parte or elles to murther those that wolde not agree therto Besydes al this he dyd many thynges priuely he had hâ—s assembes by nyghte and euer laide snares to attrap the coÌ„sul ¶ Nor Catiline letted not for al these so greate busynsses to set his mynde and courage to require the consullshyp but beinge glad and mery accompanyed with a lusty hande of yonge men made ofte tyme lowlye suite to the peple and submyttynge hym selfe to the tribunes made many great promyses he humblye beseched hee wyllyngty offâ—rynge hym selfe prayed his fathers frendes he sued and soughte to he repayred ofte to the houses of some noble menne by these craftes makynge hys waye to come to the consulshyp ¶ How Cicero opened the conspiracy before the Senatours Cap. xii THAN the consull consideringe theese two myschiefes that hee coulde noo longer by his priuate diligence defende the common weale and howe peryllous it were for the common weale of Catiline shulde be consull determyned to enforme the Senatoures of the matter to prorogue the election of officers and to make Catiline hated for his conspiracie wherby he shulde be hyndered in his requeste of consulshyp For rumours yea thoughe they be false and a feyned tale troubleth all to gether and changeth holye the opinion of the electoures Thus when they were assembled in parliament he instructed them how Catiline and other assocyate withe hym in that mischiefe and madde dede were secretly agreed to oppresse the common weale to slee the Senatours and murther the citizens Than was it decreed that on the morowe shulde be none election to th ende they mought in parliament treate of these matters ¶ On the morowe the consull opened in the parlyamente house manye thynges of the conspiracye and demaunded Catiline if he wolde oughte saye touchinge those matters that were layed to his charge But Catiline althoughe he were full of all fraude and lyinge and whiche with greate diligence and craft augmented those vices vnto whiche he was naturally inclined yet beinge pricked withe his conscience dyd not soo moche clere and purge as he opened and shewed hym self fauty For he saide than The common weale had two bodies one weake with a sycke feble head the other stroÌ„ge without a head To this body syth it had of hym wel deserued it he woulde be heade as longe as he liued The weake bodye with a sycke feble heade he called the consent and agrement of good men together the whych he wolde they shulde vnderstande myght easely be broken and ouercome of the other sorte leude and naught syth he was theyr capitaine ¶ But the Senate at that tyme vsed great myldnes or rather pacience that wolde not concerninge those matters decre any thynge againste Catiline namelye sythe he a fewe daies before whan Cato the perpetuall ennemie of dishonest and naughty persons thretned hym to be punyshed aunswered and saide If there weere any fire prepared to burne his goodes he wolde not quench it with water but with ruine But therefore they were not harde to hym partely because they dradde nothyng partely because they dradde and partelye because some fauoured hym Yet I harde say that this rumour spred abrode in the citye dyd greatelye hynder Catiline in requeste of the consulshyppe althoughe manye supposed it to be false ¶ In the meane whyle the tyme instantynge to choose the consuls Catiline hauing prepared a greate companye as it semed determined if he weere not elected consull to make a slaughter in the fielde and to slee hys Competitors Seruius Sulpice Postumus L. Murena D. Syllanus but namelye M. Tully the consull But the consull whan the daye of election was come descended into the fielde enuironed about wyth a great route of his friendes and with a large and bryghte habergion not whiche myght defende hym For Catiline vsed not to stryke at the sydes or bealye but at the head and necke but that al good men shuld take hede when they sawe the consul in drede and peryl whyche chaunced afterwarde to runne to succoure and helpe hym Thus the consull beynge defended wyth strengthe
broughte lowe with the calamitie of Syllas tyme and very desirous of a comotion Farther he allured into this hope of robbery and spoyle theus shepeherdes and al sortes of men that he thuoghte mete for the warre Of the multitude that gathered to him from Aretia and Fesules he made a great army which remembringe Syllas victory and beinge accustomed to robbe and spoile desyred greatelye ciuil warre They also that Catiline had sente into dyuers places imagined in my thinges For cloustringe to gether in companyes by night they prepared weapons they styred vp seruauntes and slaues they prouoked vnthriftes to violente deedes to slaughter and robery places mete for they re purpose they besieged with armed men and dyd put men in greter feare than ieoperdy ¶ Whan those newes were harde at Rome all the citie was troubled ful of heuynesse ful of feare There was none euell none aduersitie but good men feared it and the leude and euil sorte loked for it The thretnynge wordes of Catiline were borne and spoken of al aboute his lookes his runninge vp and downe his riottous route about hym his cloustringe together of most leud and naughty persons caused greate drede and sedition in the citye The ciuile dessentions that had ben in tymes paste were freshe in euery mans syghte the myserable behedinges the spoyle and robbing of honest men the market place heaped full of deade bodyes and ouer flowen with bloude the memorie of those thynges made the citie sorowfull and to lyue in great feare The prodigies and wonderfull tokens that felle augmented the feare of the people For it was reported that M. Herennius a free man of Rome made by Pompey was in a fayre clere daye slayne withe thonder In the nighte tymes flames of fyre and marueylous burninge of the ayre there was harde noyse and clatteringe of harnyes thunder clappes and horyble erthequakes wyth manyeny other terryble and wonderful thinges For the mone fayled in clerenesse and the sonne shone moche brighter and hotter than he was wonte to do Thus writerh Cycero in the seconde of his consulshyppe More ouer he wryteth in the same boke that the apperinge of blasinge sterres and dyuers terrible shapes sene bye nyghte and the hedy motion of the plantes and the vehemente runnynge together of the starres dyd pronostycate and sygnyfie thys conspyracye But yet the southsayers answer troubled moste mennes myndes For L. Cotta and L. Torquatus beinge consuls many toures of the Capytoll were smytenne downe wyth thunder the images of the goddes immortall and of the aunciente noble Romaines were ouerthrowen with lightninge and also the image of Romulus with his nurse Lupa were striken from heauen and the brasen tables of the lawe mostenne the Southesayers aunswered that all those thynges betokened burnynge slaughters robbinges spoylynges of temples mooste bloudye warre amonge them selfes and mooste bytter bondage and thraldome of the Romaynes And soo they commaunded a ryghte greate image of Iupiter to be made and the same to be set on the toppe of a toure of the capitoll Eastewarde to loke toward the market place and the palace which image being set vp they trusted the Iupiter lustringe and beholdinge all thynges wolde discouer the counsailes intentes of those vngratious hopelostes Therfore euery man fearinge and hastinge as in peryll it is ofte wonte to be they prayed to they re goddes and worshipped them the matrones in deuoute wyse ranne to the aulters they made vowes they lamented and bewayled theyr lyttel yonge children what soeuer noise or rushe they hard they fered it was Catiline Manlius ¶ Then it was Decreed that who so euer wolde detect the conspiracye that was made agaynste the common weale if he were a bandman hee shoulde haue his freedome and an hundred sexters if he were a free manne beside perdone of punishement for the matters he shuld haue two hundred thousand sexters Also it was decreed by the senate that al places shulde be fortified wythe men of armes and that the inferiour officers to se that good watche and warde were kept throughe out al the citie Furthermoore theye decreed that Q. Martius shulde be sente to Fesulas Q. Metellus Creticus into Apulia the Pretours Q. Pompeius to Capua Q. Metellus Celer into the cuntrey Picenum and Frāce And to these men it was permitted to reyse an armye and to do all other thynges for the profyte and nede of the common weale ¶ The oration of Manlius ambassadours of Q. Martius Ca. xv WHen Q. Martius was come in to Hetruria Manlius sente ambassadours to hym whose wordes were in maner after this sorte ¶ We take both god and man to wytnesse that we dyd not arme vs to make warre on our countrey or to doo any man wronge or iniurye but to kepe and defend our bodyes from the crueltie of the pretors and vsurers Whose nature is soo fierce and fell that not with standyng they haue taken and spoyled vs of our goodly manours landes and possessions and fynallye of all oure goodes and raymente to our backes and haue lefte vs nothynge but calamitie and nedynesse yet not beinge satisfied with these our myseryes they wolde haue vs in continuall darkenesse in perpetuall bandes and closed in stronge prysons to ende our liues Theyr auarice whiche they can not satysfie with huge sommes of money they couet to contente with miseries and bloude of vs citezens And seinge we haue delyuered vp all that euer we hadde saue our lyues ne haue reserued to oure selues nothynge that was lefte vs for a monumente or remembrance of our ancestours we humbly pray that beinge spoyled of honour fame and goodes it maye be lefull for vs to vse the benefyte of the lawe whiche permytteth that after a man hath loste his patrymony his body shulde be fre out of durance and that this benefite shuld not be takē from vs we lowely beseche the Senate and people of Roome Our predecessoures quod they oftentymes contented and payed mennes dettes of the common treasure Money of the common treasure hath ben manye a tyme dealed and distrybuted amonge the people The commons verye often haue armed theym selfes and taken parte together agaynste the nobles for honours ryches and power We wil no riches nor power haue we desire not so moche as that that is taken from vs. Let other take the honours the ryches the prouinces the lordshyppes the tryumphes The vsurers worthy Capitaine do possesse oure manoures our houses are open to them and shutte agaynste vs oure great housholdes and famylie are at their commaundement we haue not one seruaunt wee be bare and haue nothynge to helpe oure selfe wyth and are contente to suffer and take pacience What wyll they more why do they pursue vs why do they so sharpelye assayle vs O good lorde what beastlye crueltye is this They wyll not suffer vs moste wretched caytiues to peryshe in our lamentable myseries they wyll bereue vs of our lyues the whiche we leade forthe in greateste turment and sorowe and
nyghte can hyde thy detestable assembles nor no priuate house with his wals keepe in the voice of thy conspiracie If euerye thynge come to lyght if euery thynge burste oute change nowe thys thy mynde geue credence to me forgette the murther and burnynge that thou intendeste Wee vnderstande and knowe all thy secrete workynges and imaginacions If thou haste forgot I wol put thee in mind of them Doest thou not remembre that I sayd in the senate the .xij. kalendes of Nouember that by a certayne daye whiche shulde bee the .ix. kalendes of Nouember C. Manlius the manne of garde and chiefe dooer in thy bolde enterprise wolde be in harneys Was I deceiued Catiline eyther in the thynge whiche is so greate soo cruell and so incredible or elles in the daye I sayd farthermore in the senate that thou hadste determined to murder the noble men the .v. kalendas of Nouembre euen than whan many of the chiefe rulers were fled frō Rome not so moche for theyr owne sauegarde as to represse and withstande thy detestable enterprise Canste thou deny but that throughe my strength prouision and diligence thou were so beset on all sydes that thou coudeste not ones sturre or moue ageynst the common weale whan thou saydst thou waste yet well contente though the other were fledde with the slaughter of vs that taryed styll what hopedst not thou the fyrste daye of Nouembre to haue taken Preneste by assaulte in the nighte Dyddest not thou perceyue that the towne was strongely fortified defended and kepte by my commandement by my garryson warde and watches Thou doste nothinge thou purposeste nothinge thou imagenest nothynge whiche I not onelye here of but also see it and playnely pecceyue it Aknowledge nowe with me that other nighte and thou shalte vnderstande that I am more vigilant sharpe and quicke for sauegarde and defence of the common weale than thou arte to destroy it I saye thou camest the other nighte amonge the falcarios I will be playne with the Thou and many other felowes of thy madnesse and mischiefe assembled together the laste nighte in the house of M. Lecea Darest thou deny thys why spekest not If thou woldeste denye it I can proue it For I se here in the Senate some of thē that were there together with the. O good lorde where be we what a common weale haue we In what citie lyue we There are here euen here amonge vs of our sorte most honorable fathers in this moste graue and constant counsayle of al the worlde the whiche imagin to destroy vs this citie yea and the whole worlde I the consul doo see them and desire to knowe your myndes concerninge the common weal. For those which I ought to haue dispatched withe the sworde I haue not yet wounded with my worde Than thou Catline wast that nighte in Leccas house there thou dydst distribute and diuide the prouinces and shyres of Italye thou dydst appoynte whither euery man shulde goo thou chosest out those that thou woldeste leaue at Rome and those that shoulde go withe the thou dydste lymitte what partes of the citie shuld be set on fyre and that thou woldeste than departe out of the citie Thou saydst that there was nowe none other let of thy iourneye but that I lyued There weere two knightes of Rome stepte forth to ryd thee of this care whiche promysed the same nighte that they a littell before daye wolde slee me in my bedde I was scarsely departed fro you whan we sate in counsayle but that I had knowlege of all these matters I fortyfyed myne house more strongely than it was before with men of armes and other prouision whan the selfe same men came whiche thou dydst sende to salute me in the morninge I shutte them out of whose commynge at the same tyme I enformed manye noble men before Seinge thou Catiline that this that I haue sayde is true gette the forwarde thyther as thou haste appoynted depart ones oute of the citie the gates are open trudge forthe Thy souldiours that Manlius hath reysed desyre the they re capitaine ouer longe taryenge from them Take all thy felowes with the or at the leaste wise the moste part of them Make clene the citie of them Thou shalte rydde me from greate drede so that the walle be betwene me and the. Thou canste nowe no lenger be conuersaunte with vs I can not beare it I can not endure it I may not suffer it We oughte highlie to thanke the gods immortall and Iupiter Stator the moste auncient defender of this citie that we haue so oft tymes escaped this so cruell so horryble and so greuouse pestylence to the common weale The good estate of the common weale shuld not so oft stande in daunger in me one man As longe as thou Catiline dydst lye in awaye for me elected to be consull not wyth the publike aide of the citie but with mine owne pryuate diligence I defended my selfe But at the laste election of the consuls whan thou woldeste haue slaine me the consull and thy competytours in the field I with the helpe and strength of my frendes withstode thy detestable enterprise without any vprore or publyke rusfelynge amonge the people And as often as thou wentest aboute to hurt me I my selfe withstode the not withstandinge that I saw that my destruction wold redound to the great calamyty of the common weale But now it is manyfeste that thou gost aboute to destroye the common weale the temples the goddes immortall the edifices of the citie to slea al the good citizens and finally thou callest al Italy to vtter ruine and desolacion Wherfore bycause I dare not do it that best as most agreable with the discipline of our forefathers I wol do that that is most easy touching seuerite most profitable for the comon weale For if I shuld cōmand the to be put to death the other conspiratours which is a stronge band shuld remayne styl in a common weale But if thou wherunto I exhorted the while ere woldest go thy waye the great and stinking pompe of thy companyons so hurtefull to the common weale shulde be drawen out of the citie What meaneste thou Catiline Doubtest thou Catiline to do that thing at my commaundement whiche thou were willinge to do of thy selfe The consull commaundeth the ennemye to departe oute of the citie Doste thou aske me What into exile No that is not my commaundemente but if thou wolt do by my counsayl I aduise the so For what is it Catiline that maie nowe delite the in this Citye In the whiche there is no man excepte the hopelosses of this conspiracy but the feareth the no man but he hatethe the. What blotte of domistical filthynes is there wherwith thy lyfe is not defiled what priuate dishonestie or shame is there wherwith thou art not defamed what luste of the eyes what lewde acte of the handes what vngratious dede of al the body hath escaped the what yonge man is
there to whom beinge snared with thy corrupte entiementes thou haste not mynistred eyther weapons to do mischiefe or an harlotte for bodely luste And now of late whan with deathe of thy fyrste wyfe madeste thy house voyde for thy newe maryage dydst thou not also with an incredible offence augment that mischeuous dede Whiche thynge I let passe and am well contente it be not spoken of to the ende that it shulde not be noted that so abominable a dede was eyther commytted within this citie or els not punisshed I ouer passe thyne vnlucky chance of pouertie the whiche thou shalte well fele and perceyue at the nexte sessyon of parlyament ¶ I come nowe to those thynges which do not apperteyne to the priuate shame of thy vices not to thy scarsitie nede and filthynesse but vnto the highe estate of the common weale and vnto the lyues and welfare of vs all Can the lighte of this lyfe Catiline Can breathynge of ayre be pleasaunte vnto the seinge thou arte certayne that all these men do knowe that the last day of December Lepidus and Tullus beinge consulles thou stodest where the consuls be chosen withe a darte in thy hande and a company of men prepared to slee the consuls and chiefest rulers of the citye and nother any wisedome or the drede that thou haddest but the good chance and fortune of the common weale withstode thy myscheuous purpose and fury But I lette passe those thynges for they be not vnknowen nor it was not long after ere they were done Howe ofte woldest thou haue slayne me elected consull howe ofte beinge Consull Howe many thine assautys so pretended that it semed they coulde not be auoyded haue I eschewed with a little declynynge or bowynge of my body Thou dost nothynge thou preuayleste nothynge thou goest about nothyng but that I knowe it in tyme conuenyent and yet thine endeuoure and wyll to mischiefe cesseth not How ofte hathe this thy dagger ben wronge out of thy handes Howe ofte hathe it fallen out of thy hande by some chaunce Yet coudest thou not be longe without it How thou haste halowed and vowed it I can not tell thou thinkest it necessary to be sticked in the consuls bodye But nowe what a lyfe leadest thou For I will talke with the as I semed not to be moued with hatred as I ought to be but with mercy wherof thou arte vnworthy Thou camest while ere in to the Senate whiche of this so great an assembly of so many thy friends and kinsmen dydde salute the If this thynge neuer chaunced to any man as farre as men can remembre doste thou loke for rebukefull wordes beinge condempned with the moste greuous iudgemente of sylence How is it that at thy commynge those seates be lefte voyde What meaneth it that all those that haue bene consuls whiche thou haste ofte appoynted to be slayne as sone as thou sateste downe by theym forsoke that syde and lefte the seates voyd and emptye With what hert canst thou suffre it Surely if my serauuntes shulde on suche wyse drede me as al thy good citizens feare the I wold thynke it conuenient to forsake myne house Dost thou not deme it good for the to voide the citye And if I saw my selfe for iniurie so greuously suspected and hated of my citizens I wold rather be out of theyr sight than they all with theyr hateful eyes shulde se me And seinge thy conscience causeth the to aknowledge that for thyne offences they all iustely beare the the hatred whiche nowe of a longe season hath ben to the due Dooste thou doubte to eschewe the sighte and presence of them whose myndes and senses thou dost vexe and trouble If thy parentes shulde be afrayde of the and thy frendes hate the nor by no meane thou coudest please them as I thinke thou woldest go some whither out of theyr sighte Now thy countrey which is as a mother to vs al hateth and dredeth the and hath a longe season iudged the to imagine nothinge elles but her destrucuyon wylte thou neyther stande in drede of her auctority nor folowe her iugement nor feare her power Which reasoneth with the Catiline spekinge as it were on thys wyse There hath these many yeres none yll dede benne doone but by the nor no haynous offence withoute the. Thou alone for sleinge of many citezens vexinge and spoylynge of oure frindes and alies hast escaped freely wythout punyshement Thou not onlye dydst boldly neglecte and despyse lawes and iudgementes but also ouerthrowe and breake them Those thynges aforesayd although they were not to be suffered yet as I myghte I haue borne them But now it can not be suffered that I shulde be all in dreede of the alone nor that Catiline for euery cracke shoulde be feared nor no counsayle taken agaynst me that shoulde abhorre thy wycked dede Wherfore get the hence and deliuer me from this feare If it be true that I be not opressed if it be false that at the laste I maye ceasse to be afraide ¶ If thy countreye as I haue sayde shoulde reason wyth thee those thynges oughte shee not to opteyne althoughe she weere not able by strengthe to doo it what meante it that thou yeldest thy selfe to be in warde To what intente saidest that to auoide suspicion thou woldest dwel wyth M. Lepidus And when he wold not receiue the thou camste boldlye to me and desiredst that thou myghteste bee kepte at home in myne house And whan thou hadst of me also receyued this answere that I coude in no wyse be in safegard with the in one house together that am in greate peryll because wee be bothe within one citye thou camst to Q. Metellus the maire and beyng reiected of hym thou wentest to thy companion that moste worthye man M. Marcellus whome thou thoughteste wolde moste diligently kepe the most sagely intreate for the and moste boldelye gyue iudgemente for the. But howe farre out of pryson and bands shulde he seme to be the whiche alredy iudgeth hymself worthy to be in warde Then seynge it is soo Catiline doutest thou if thou canste not here remayne in quyete to go into some other countreye and commyt this thy lyte escaped from many iuste and due punyshmentes ▪ to flyght and wyldernesse Thou sayeste Put it to the Senate Doest thou desire me And if it please the Senate to decree that thou be banyshed sayeste thou that thou wylte obey Nay I wyll not referre it to them for that is contrarye and ageinste my nature but yet I wyll cause the to vnderstand what they deme of the. Get the out of the cytie Catiline deliuer the common weale frō feare go into exile if thou loke to hear this word spokē What is the matter Catiline Why dooeste thou tarye what doeste thou not marke the sylence of those They suffer they holde theyr peace Why doeste thou looke for the auctoritie of them speakynge whan by keepinge of silence thou knoweste their wyll and mynde
had had this consideracion with you whē our consull with so sharpe bytyng wordes wrongefully spake of my maners whē he with his pernicious and insolent eloquence incensed and kendled your mindes against me I dare boldelye saye myne innocente lyfe shulde this daye cleane haue quailed his proude crakinge wordes But nowe I see that ye by the consulles suggestion prepare sentence againste me and that ye can scaselie suffer to here me to gyue credence to his authoritie mistrusting mine honestie Wherefore I maye well feare lest the defence of myne helth be greatly hindered For innocentes through the vniuste enuie or iniurie of a fewe are often times troden vnder foote The which thynge surely besemeth neither the constancie of noble men nor the maners of the Romains nor the dignitie and office of the Senatours Therfore most honorable fathers I beseeche you for the goddes sakes immortall and for your humanitie that in so greate and waighty matters ye lightelye giue not iudgemente reduce againe your mindes mollified and ouercome with Ciceros eloquence to your olde integritie and so restore you them that at length you maye vnderstand the wordes of Catiline a Romaine descended of noble lynage If I worthy citizens haue done anye offence againste my countrey I neither desire fauour nor mercie Then ryd me out of this lyfe put this bodye to cruell deathe and teare these shameful members in pieces for myne oracion tendeth not that ye shulde haue mercie on Catiline For why sodenly to put to cruell deathe hym that entendeth to destroye his countrey is moste hygh mercye But the clemenry of this citye I desire moste honorable fathers that in no maner wise ye forsake not innocencie leste whyle ye defende lybertie throughe the iniquitie of a fewe you shulde go aboute to destroy manye gyltles persons I wyll shewe you and clerely open vnto you that the greuous and sharpe enmitie that oure consull beareth me is not for the sauegarde of the comman weale nor for any desire that he hath to mainteine liberetie but to vexe and trouble the common weal. For howe many and howe immoderate discordes dyd fyrste in tymes past kindle and prouoke hym ageinste me nor what strife contencion hath not ben betwene vs sence I nede not to declare For they are to you honorable fathers sufficiently knowen But I woll rather tell you those thinges whiche he at the laste eleccion when hee was chosen consull shamefully yea and rashely blasted out howe he desired the consulshyp for nothinge more than for the destruccion of Catiline These two mooste noble men C. Antonius and C. Cesar are wytnesses of the same by whose authoritie that his thretnynge was at the same tyme reproued as vndiscreete Goo to nowe moste prudente fathers gyue your hyghe dignities and offices to suche minded men the whiche woll more dylygently pursue priuate ennimities than the profite and sauegarde of all this common weale Cicero desired not the consulshyp to succour the miserable or to restrayne the power and myght of the euyll doers to defende the cytie to prouide for the common weale but specialli that he myght quayle Catiline and banyshe hym Are these the duetyes of a man called to the consulshyp Preferre suche menne in geuynge them highe roumes before the noble men whose hole minde is to extincte the nobilitie For that that is thretned me of thys man shall returne vnto you all Beleue me moste prudente fathers beleue me the consent of beneuolence and loue is rare betwene myndes so vnlyke He beynge a straunger of the towne Arpinate a newe geast planted into thys cytie thinketh vpon his naturall rage and hatered the whiche his maners haue not only prepared ageynst newe and strange citizens but also nature by olde custome Fyrst at the begynninge of hys consulshyp hys countrey was caste in his tethe and sometyme his newe gentlemanshyp was obiected againste hym thynke ye that the manne moste vnpacient could take soo great rebuke pacientelye At that tyme his wytte beynge kendled with a frowarde spirite and as it were a viperous serpente his fierce and cruel mynde with an inflamed and venomed stomacke was all to tossed Thys man that nameth hym selfe the father of the countreye that is wonte to saye that thys common weale was ornated wyth his noblenesse in lyuynge he that by his maners maketh hym selfe not onlye egall to the kynredes of al the moste noble and excellente men but also to excel in vertue al oure forefathers Whan he sawe his newe gentlemanshyppe obiected againste hym how thynke you dyd hee take it Hee than gnashed his tethe together and againste you all he was striken prittelye wyth a woodenes and gan to whet hys anger the whiche ye maye not thynke woll asswage in tyme to come by opteyning of the consulshyppe seeynge that he iudgeth that not by your fauoures but for hys moste greatest vertues hee worthely is aduaunced to so hyghe a dignitie And soo uowe he dothe execute those hys former affections nowe wyth those craftes he intendeth to trouble the citye now with suche inuencions he woll reuenge hym selfe and brynge the nobilitie in suche case that they shall neuer obiecte agaynste hym hys newe gentlemanshyp He shall do it moste honorable fathers he shall do it onlesse your mooste prudente wysedomes at lengthe prouide both for the healthe of vs all and for the common weale For nowe oure citie by thys ryngeleader of myschiefe artificer of damnable dedes is so be spotted with a vengeable and pestilent blemysh he so soweth abroade his detestable seede vpon our countrey that if it once take roote and grow to any forwardnesse thys publyke weale shall be cleane extincted and thys moste floryshyng empire shall be vtterly broughte to naughte For there is nothynge more perilous vnto cities than whan the chiefe and principall citizens bee at stryfe amonge them selfe For Discorde is greatteste fooe to floryshynge common weales Discorde alone disparpleth and turneth vp sette downe thynges stronge and myghtye Truely discorde hath brought this busynes into our citie it hath cast vs into this calamitie the whiche if it be not prouided for in tyme I see that thys mooste floryshing common weale is in greate daunger I see the weapons in youre handes the oone of you to withstande the other this man banyshed and that man murdred Wold to god that innocent Catiline mighte be the ende of all tribulacions like as he is the beginning there is no peryll that shulde greue me to take in hande for the common weale I coulde be contente to be proscribed to be banyshed to suffer death for my countrey But euerie man is not at all tymes of oone selfe mynd An other shall be more vnpacient the which had rather be auenged then to suffer the iniuries of naughtye persons Then the matter muste needes be tryed by cyuile warre then shall our countrey stande in daunger to bee loste and wyll shortelye fall into doubtefull chaunces and sure destruccion of the cytie than shall he
greatelye reioyce and glorye that he hathe opteined hys purpose When he shall see this countreye glyster and shyne in bryghte armoure and this citye set on fyre gyue lyghte Than shall hee preyse his inuencions and driftes and extoll his inuincible mynde and thynke he hathe sufficientlye reuenged hym selfe and his fore fathers for the contumelies and rebukes done to hym For he is wonte sometyme to saye that he is of the family and kinred of Tullius Hostilius kynge of the Volscians speciall ennemie to the people of Rome the whiche thynge is the onelye knowen occasion why vniuersallre the name of Romaines is hatefull vnto hym and he shall alway abhorre this common weale by whose dominion the house and family of his ancestours is dymmed and their empiere cleane subdued and ouerthrowen whiche thynge howe great cares it carieth into mennes mindes iudge ye your owne selues This I may only esteme of Cicero that as longe as that enuye of his fore fathers and those olde enmities of vnpacient mynde shall turmoile and vexe his braine he wolle neuer cesse from hys violence and madnes So greate is his vnmoderate luste and mynd to destroye this empiere And euen now truely the hole worlde beyng in peace so many kynges people and straunge nacions subdued all menne bothe by lande and see obeyinge vnto vs and nowe that there is no superior enemie of the people of Rome but doo approue our great puisance and noble actes And therfore he hath no hope to bringe this empiere to destruccion by outward hostilitie All thinges are in sure quiete vnder vs all men wyllinglye obey vnto vs. But for as muche as he greatly desireth to reuenge hym selfe and his ancestours and that his harde and cruell mynde wyll neuer cesse from that opinion he flyeth to those perturbacions with the which priuate enmities fyrst with me lastly he intendeth to greue the hole common weale And so first he accuseth Catline his ennemie and manye other felowes with hym in his conspiracie that they intend to inuade the common weale ouer runne theyr countreye deface the citie to burne houses temples aultares to rauyshe virgins to murther and slee the auncient men the peple and the nobles ne neuer stinte frome wrathe ne spare the sworde vntyll they haue vtterlye destroyed this moste beautifull cytie the soueraine princesse ouer all the world But I swere by the immortall goddes I wot not to what ende this vayne estimacion of men wol come that any mortall man shoulde beleue that there were any so vtterlie an hopelost or so ignorante of reason that dothe not pereriue a certayne zeale and tender loue towarde his cuntreye planted in hym the whyche alwaye throughe a certayne secrete and vehemente power of nature is powred in to mennes breastes Than what Romaine mynde wolde desire to brynge the common weale to so great calamitie For what moste cruell ennemye of the Romaines yea the verye Capitayne of Carthage Anniball coulde inuente and imagine greatter or the lyke hurtes to vs Wolde I inuade the common weale whiche haue for the common weale enterprised and susteyned so excedynge great perilles Shuld I be so bolde to deface the Senate and citie whiche haue adorned my lynage with so many most large benefites Shulde I burne the temples of Rome the which shew forthe so manye grauen images and tables of mine ancestoures Shuld I murder the noble men of bloud or Senatoures that am nowe in honoure and dignitie amonge them Shuld I wearyng the honorable robe defile the citie with other mischeuous dedes that which with all diligence haue withstand that other shoulde not defile it What hope what mynde what occasion shoulde driue me to do suche a deede Shoulde the luste and desire of dominion and rule whereof a lytle whyle ere Cicero reasoned haue I not quietely opteyned the dignite aboue all haue not I as good hoope lefte me to excuse other dignities as it is lawful for any mortal man to require for I am both of the bloud of noble Senatours and haue opteined the dignitie of a Senatour and here after I may be consul or dictatour The whiche dignities are suche and so greate that not onlye in this moste noble citie but also they far excel the empiers and principalities of all people of all nacions that are in all the worlde What nedeth it then to seke that thinge in harde warre whiche willingelye in peace is prepared for me But peraduenture as Cicero sayde enuie styrred me great dette pouertie immoderate boldenesse to beare a rule But this shuld be estemed of a man that is wylful rashe and brainesicke or of any other the which in hope to wynne and gette goodes maye vnwyselye make soo great a sedicion amonge the people of Rome and not of a man of the noblest bloud borne and in a citie aboundynge in welthe For shuld he that is honestly furnished with riches doubte that he shulde at â—nye tyme wante for so muche lucre and wynning doth euen offer it selfe and suche profite cometh of the common treasure that if a man shulde a lytle decaye and in no wyse obeye vnto honestie it is incredible howe easelye he maye be laded wyth aboundance of riches And to let passe other thinges thou Cicero arte an example vnto me whyche in a maner the other daye entredst into this citye bare nedy of al thynges after thou gottest thee once in office thou gatheredst sodeinly together so great a heap of ryches that all the townes belonginge to Rome as it semed were scasely sufficient for thy factoures Wherfore thou doste but folyshely to laye couetousenes pouertie and greate det vnto my charge All whiche thynges I coulde by a more sure maye appease then to disturbe the common weale to take the vncerteine for certeyne for a lytle commoditie to enterprise exceadynge greate peryls Neither I as touchinge suche thynges as I am accused of wolde for any priuate debate haue goone in hande with so horrible a dede There is no man in thys common weale that I reken to be myne ennemie onlye Cicero is agreued with me because I coulde not cloke his vices whyche he dyd secretlye whose folyshe and trifling toyes if I sholde haue exchewed and put from me I had many wayes to reuenge my selfe wythoute publike peryll Nor I neded no refuge to the hurt of the common weale seynge there was neither drede nor ieopardy to withstande or let me for if he were rydde oute of this lyfe there shulde remaine no man that wold not onely reuenge hym but also mourne at his funerall But god forbydde that I shulde dishoneste my selfe for hys fole hardynes For it is no laude for noble men to be reuenged on abiecte persons yet perchance if I wold haue desired it it shuld not be imputed worthy citizens but that I if I had gone about it at that tyme myghte haue had muche more oportunitie than he shulde haue had Surely if I fortified myne house wyth strength of men of armes broughte in my
companions and made good watche for I wyll not deny any of these thynges I did it most prudent fathers not to do any man wrong but to resyste the violence of the consull I dradde hys wytte I knowe his eloquence I was not ignoraunt of his malice I vnderstode he had instructed this conspiracy And so I was in feare lefte that by his eloquence ye shulde sodeinly disdaine me in your mindes and that ye the daungers once declared cleane ageinste my question wolde greuouselye punyshe me For if I had bene once deliuered in to his handes in vaine afterwarde shoulde I haue founde place for my defence And so I haue with greate laboure prolonged my lyfe vnto this daie And in all this great trouble by meanes of thy perswasion I haue scaselye escaped that I was not of all men condemned as gyltie But nowe Cicero when thou hadst lesse nede otherwise thā thou hopedst I am come into the Senate and as muche as seemed to me sufficient I haue opened a fewe of thy leaste fautes the whyche by that tyme they be knowen thou woldeste rather they shulde be forgotten then that so great crimes shuld come to lyghte and be knowen I was nothing afraied of thy mischeuous dedes nor thine oracion at that time nor thy mocions coniected willingly againste me made me not afraied For what feare in so great assemblye of Senatours in so greate a companye of noble cityzens could trouble any innocent mynd Therfore I haue the daye whiche I most speciallye desired whiche assuredly thou dydst least loke for I haue a Senate which can vnderstand myne innocencie before whom thy damnable offences shall be opened I haue therfore with good peryll prouided against my peryls if at any tyme wyth strength of men of armes I defended thy fury if at any season without drede I stode styffe in the cōmon weale while by all meanes thou dydst perswade me to flee I contrarie wyse mynded to tarye But o good lorde wher be wee Who seeth not a mighty false accusacion what other thing dyd all thy oracion meane but that I shuld flee But if as thou saieste all my deedes be well knowen if mine imaginaciōs be more clerer then the lyght why doest thou nowe perswade me to flee Here I am hauinge no power or defence of myne owne aboute me The Senate is presente whyche wyll prohibite and let the from harme Shewe forth these mischeuous dedes open plainely the sedicion do punyshemente For it besemeth the not to be mercifull in so great perils Delay and to be without helpe maye be hurtful If thou haue the principall of the conspiracie if the capitaine of the ennimies be in thy handes why doest thou tarye Why doste thou couet to caste hym oute For it is more profitable that the armie wante a capitaine for so they shall be the more slacke to make warre But I see as it is wonte to chance in the myddes of euyls thou for feare of punyshement beginnest to waxe colde for thou seeste the myschaunce that thou preparest either for me or for the common weale shall lyghte vppon thy selfe Thys thynge nowe to thy greate daunger is farre otherwyse handled than thou thoughtest Doubtest not nowe that I woll obiecte againste the thy goodes Dyddest thou thynke that I wolde come into the Senate Therefore when I came thou forthwith were sore afraied Thynkest thou nowe to make me afraied wyth thy threatninges Knoweste thou not howe free and howe bolde the stomake of an innocente is Wylte thou Cicero that I flee Surelye I wyll not flee but abyde and ouercome thy proude bragges I muste nedes reproue thy mischeuous deedes and inuencions Let thy witnesses come in to this place of whom thou saiest thou hast so great plentie that nothynge of my deedes can be couered or hydde from thee Whom bringest thou forth Q. Curius surely a man of a good opinion and of an honest lyfe or suche one as hath nobly with his leud and naughty dedes dishonested this order and therefore was abiected Or wylte thou brynge forth Fuluia his mate in bodely lust whiche was neuer priuye to no murder nor is not the nurce chylde of aduoutrye and fornicacion nor of none other vnlaufull copulacion or elles she hathe so lyued that as an example of abhominable vice she her selfe alone canne excell all the craftes and deceites of hoores These are the moste noble men that suspect the trouble and vnquietnes of the citie and that are broughte in as witnesses ageinste me But I swere by the goddes immortall that nowe thou Cicero doest shewe by thy maners that thou doest very shamefullye abuse thy farye For if thy mynde was to ryd me oute of the waye thou shuldest not haue sought witnesse of them that are open conspiratoures Thou oughtest to haue chosen theym whose lyfe is more vnknowen and their robberies a lytle more secrete Many menne for that money wolde more profitably haue plyed to thyne ambicion For no good citizen ought to be a frayed of their yll and malicious wordes They maye easely be reproued seyng that their fortune theire fidelitie and deedes are sufficiente whiche if they wolde fauoure me I wolde rather they shulde be myne iniurious aduersaries lest their familiaritie shulde bringe my lyfe lykewise in a contempt And so nowe moste honorable fathers al the dedes and imaginacions of the consull I haue opened plainelye vnto you nowe also mine innocency maye appeare vnto you Ye see what thinge caused that he wolde destroye Catiline and disturbe the common weale He is styrred and striueth with me for priuate enmities For castinge in the tethē of his newe gentlemanshyp hee hateth all the nobilitie after the maner of his fore fathers For he abhorreth this countrey and therefore he goeth aboute to make sedicion to sowe discorde his vnpaciente stomake wyll neuer be in quiete till he brynge vs to destruccion Fyrste he accuseth me beyng borne of the noble bloude of Rome and a Senatour to be a murderer where as the noble actes and dedes hygh dominions offices and dygnities and greate and large benefites doone to thys common weale by myne auncestours do mooste honorably glyster and shyne He obiecteth nedynes 〈…〉 me the whiche in this mooste plentifull citie coulde neuer bee an hynderaunce to theym that are in lowe and meane offices He obiecteth enmities againste me the whiche seme vnto me not to be sufficient to disturbe the common weale Ye see what witnesses he bringeth forth the whiche are suche that they exceede the wittes of all mischeuous caytiues Whyche attemptates after hee sawe came not to passe as he hoped they wold nor hath no greate truste in the senate he is forthwith ouerthrowen with feare He commaundeth me to flee whan if I had ben fautie to reuenge soo heynous an offence the greatest punyshemente that is coulde not be sufficiente Than if you most honorable fathers see myne innocencye if ye perceiue his fierce cruell mynde if ye ponder the peryls of the common weale
than at the laste looke vp take pitie and saue from ruine the empire of Rome Ye haue euen amonge you a slipper serpente ye haue in this order included the calamlitie of the common weale whiche is ryghte watchefull to brynge to confusion the peple of Rome You haue aduanced hym to most hyghe honour Beware leste at length that parte of pestilence by to muche libertie infecte all the bodye and as a contagious disease growe vp amonge you Go to quickelie auoyde this stinkynge pompe of vengeaunce and myschiefe depose this man frome his consulshyp leste that his foule shamefull dedes defyle this moste hyghe and honorable dignitie caste him out of this common weale leste that here after he shulde be seene within the walles of this our moste noble citie by hym broughte to greate ruyne and decaye If the monumentes of this citye bee derely beloued vnto you if the syghte of your chyldren be pleasaunt vnto you if it delite you to haue chaste virgins if the temples if the power priestehode companye houses ryches seruauntes clyentes all goodes of fortune and the commodities of all our countreye bee acceptable vnto you Nowe nowe rote out of this common weale this seede of all euyls rydde him oute of the citizens syghte the whiche thynketh vtterly to destroye you and all your goodes whiche hath determined with priuie hatered and discord to disturbe the honorable estate of the Romaine empire Succour and help in this peryll Resiste this calamitie then all suspicion shall cease then this gyle shall incontinently be remoued frō the handes of men of warre In this one man resteth al their hoope For who coulde haue moued or styrred vp the myndes of a fewe vngracious persons against this moste greateste empire the chiefe and soueraigne of all the worlde but he What citizen in this common weale coulde haue imagined so cruell a myschiefe This this newe gentleman Cicero of Arpinas of the kinrede of Tullians priueli strueth snares for our destruccion He accuseth Catiline of conspiracie wherby he might haue the better oportunitie for his purpose He bringeth manye of vs to examinacion that he by gatherynge together of strength of men by the meane of vs might therby the easier inuade the common weale O mooste prudente fathers do you not se your owne perils Hold vp the miserable common weale staggerynge and redy to fall helpe your contrey se mercifullye to the sauegarde of your parentes and of vs all and ryd me a noble man borne and the people of Rome out of the cruell handes of the malicious consull And restore me humbly besechynge and instantynge you to my former nobilitie fauour and beneuolence of all the citizens ¶ Catiline in great wrathe departeth out of the court exhorteth his companions to stycke to their enterprise he voydeth the citye and prepareth warre Cap. xx VNeathe Catiline hadde ended his wordes but that many senatours beganne to murmure and to call hym manqueller and ennemye Than Catiline full of furye sayde For as muche as I am beset aboute wyth ennemies and am ouerthrowen hedlynge I wyll not quenche the burnynge of myne anger wyth water but with your ruine After that all pale and chafed he sodeinly rushed out of the courte and gatte hym home with many greate and cruell manassinges there myndynge manye thynges he determined to take hys iourney to Manlyus armie fearinge if he shulde tarye any longer lest the people stomaked against hym wyth the consuls oracion shulde runne vpon hym Therefore assemblynge to gether Lentulus Cethegus and other the chiefe of the conspiracie he shewed to them his counsel exhortyng them to be alwaye redy and of good courage and not to be afraied for anye laboure and peryll and that they shuld diligentlie execute the thynges that they had apoynted the other nyght and that they shulde allure as many as they could to ioyne with them in that warre In the meane whyle he warned them that they shulde sprede a rumour aboute the citie that he an innocent was banyshed to Massula that by reason thereof Cicero might runne in hatred and that therby he might vnwares inuade the citie When he had saide these and other lyke thinges about midnyght with a fewe or as some other saye with .iij. C. men of armes he departed out of the citie nor he went not by the waye called Flaminia as some falselye write but by the waye aurelia The morowe after that Catiline was fled out of the citie M. Cicero made an oracion to the people which bycause it is written among Ciceros oracions I ouerpas here what then was saide of the consull to them ¶ Catiline sente diuers letters into the citie agaynste Cicero in which he feyned hym selfe to be exiled Cap. xxi BVt Catiline as he was in his iournei wrot letters to many that had ben consulles and sente theym to all suche as were chiefe and principall to whome he sayde that he was circumuented with false accusacions and seperate frome the Senate and bicause hee coulde not resiste the consull he gaue place for the tyme and as a banished man wente vnto Massilia not that he knewe hym selfe coulpable in anye offence but to the ende the common weale shulde be in quiete and that the consull couetynge to destroy the nobilitie shuld not by feyninge of Catilines conspiracie brynge to destruccion manye good and innocente men And that he wolde rather forsake his countrey than that for his sake anye dissencion of ciuyle warre shulde aryse This thynge caused Cicero to be greatly hated for there were many that sayde that Catiline was not astonied and afraied for the consuls diligence nor put frome his hope or enterprise but by the consuls violence and thretnynges he vncondemned and an innocente was banyshed nor they disproued not hym but saide that Cicero was to tymerous and a consull not diligent but a tyranne moste cruell But whan Catiline with the ornamentes of a consull and lyke a soueraine Captaine was come into the countrey of Fesuls and had receyued the armye of Manlius he determined not to make warre before he had augmented the armye and tyl he had a fewe dayes exercised and accustumed his souldiours after the discipline of the ancient Romaines to indure laboure and warfare Then Catiline watchinge laborynge settynge his menne in aray callynge his souldioures by name monyshinge exhortynge dayly more and more he reduced and brought them againe to the knowledge and discipline of warfare While Catiline in marciall feates instructed his army Q. Catulus a man in moste highe estimacion and autoritie which sometyme was Catilines familiar friend redde the letters in the Senate whiche he sayde Catiline sente to hym the tenoure of whyche letters hereafter foloweth ¶ L. Catiline to Q. Catulus gretynge Thy greate fidelitie approued in deede to me in peryll ryghte muche beneficiall geueth a sure truste to my commendacion Wherfore I purpose not in newe councel to prepare defence nor for any conscience of offence to make satisfaccion the which not
haue exchewed Catilines company and amytie he had nothyng gone oute of kynde from his forefathers He was excellently lerned in greke and latine he had a ioly quicke wytte he was a goodly yonge manne and a towarde But he with Catilines company and amitie made vnlyke to hym selfe in a folyshe brayde fled vnto Catilines campe Whom his harde father returnynge hym backe againe frome hys iourney whanne he hadde with spytefull rebukes rated hee afterwarde commaunded hym to be slayne Also there was an opinion that P. Clodius the sonne of Appius departed out of the citie to thentente to go to Catiline After that chaunging his purpose he returned to the citie and so Cicero obiecteth againste hym in manye places that he was companion of the conspiracie the whiche cryme although it werē obiected of an enemye yet I beleue it to be true for the lyfe and maners of Clodius approue that he boldely enterprised all thinges Also there were some that saide that C. Antonius the consull was one that conspired with Catiline whoos 's opinion was approued by this one argumente that Antonius neuer endeuoured hym selfe to auoide that suspicion of familiaritie wyth Catiline which men than had of hym neyther by denyinge nor yet by dissimulacion Nor this furious infeccion dyd not onelye inuade the citie but in a maner all Italy and was nowe spred priuely throughe many prouinces And excepte the conspiracie had bene discouered in the citie surely Catiline in short tyme had gathered an infinite armye and the commocions in all places had ben excedynge greate In Apulia in Brutiis in Pelignis in Capua in a countrey of Pise and specially amonge the Pisaurians and Camercians in Tuschayne in Fraunce the hither and further the bandes of men of armes romed abrod some priuelye and some openlye ¶ Ambassadours are sente from the senate into diuers prouinces of Italy to wythstande the rebellion Cap. xxiiii BVT the huge mocion of this cursed conspiracie reysed vp by Marcellus the father and the sonne disclosed by L. Vectius was appealed and brought downe by Bibulus in pelignis and by Cicero in Brutus and by them they were bothe punyshed But in the further Fraunce C. Murena the legate brother vnto Murena that was apointed to bee consull In the countreye of Pyse and the one parte of Fraunce the noble maire Q. Metellus dyd withstand and let the myscheuous fury and ententes of the conspiratours And many of these dyd Metellus cast in prisō Albeit through the faulte of the writers as I suppose it is falsely red in Saluste that this C. Murena shulde be the ruler of the hyther Fraunce For Cicero doth affirme that he was at that tyme in the further Fraunce with all his power And by the same authour wee haue shewed before that Q. Metellus Celer was sente from the senate into the countrey of Pise a part of Fraunce Furthermore Cicero the consul cōmaunded that all the inhabitantes and dwellers there aboute shulde strongly fortifie their townes with garisons of men of armes and to defende their borders and cities from the inuasion of Catiline Also he sente P. Sestius the treasourer with an army to Capua bycause he herde saye that the rebels wente about to take it Than whan he was come to Capua he banyshed frome thence C. Meulanus a man geuen to ryot and C. Marcellus endeuoryng him selfe to wynne the citie by force and to reyse vp a seruile warre and entendynge to do many other leude deedes and deliuered that citie frome mooste greuouse peryll Wherfore the chiefe rulers of Capua for that the welth of their citie was preserued they in honour of M. Tullius sette vp a golden image and called hym their patrone and to P. Sestius they openly gaue gret thākes ¶ The preparacion of the rebelles in the citie and their councelles wyth the ambassadours of Dolphinois Cap. xx v. AT THE same season the capitaines lefte by Catiline in the citie entised vnto warre the citizens the straungers the noble men the meane and men of lowe degree of what sort so euer they were which they sawe desyrous of new alteracions that were mete for warre further they prepared mallettes to set fire on the citye and sente secretlye vnto Catiline bothe armoure and money ¶ There were than at Rome ambassatours of Fraūce sente from a citie somwhat in trouble desiryng of the senat to deliuer their towne which was greatly indetted Wherfore Lētulus supposed lightly to allure those men to ayde them in their warres for as much as the french men are of nature inclined to warre and alwaye intentiue to newe businesse and hated the present estate of the people of Rome In this confederacie were many commodities Fyrst Fraunce had great plentie of horsemen of whome the conspiratoures sawe them selfes to haue greate neede Seconde bycause the people of Dolpiny were next adioynynge to Italye and by the reason that Fraūce shuld be in an vprore ruffelinge they thought no man could resiste the conspiracy And so bycause P. Vmbrenus was aqueinted with the frenchemen they gaue hym charge that he shulde require the saide ambassadoures to take their partes and shewed hym by what reason it myght be done Vmbrenus sente for the ambassadours and diligently accomplyshed the matter ¶ Ciceros watchefull diligence and hys monicions to the frenche ambassadours whych vttered the secretes of the conspiracy Cap. xxvi BVT M. Cicero beynge alway watcheful and prouident to see and perceiue what the conspiratours wente aboute and intended vsed the helpe and counsaile of L. Torquatus P. Lentulus Spinter Q. Catulus M. Lucullus P. Seruilius M. Cato Q. Sanga and of many other moste noble and worthy men They hyghly fauoryng the common weale inquered and serched out al thyng and what so euer came to their knowlege they forthwith made relacion therof to the consull Than as fortune woulde the ambassadoures communed of these matters wyth Q. Fabius Sanga a righte noble manne whyche was the Frenche mens patrone He beyng a a counsel wyth Cicero in al thinges spedely shewed the matter to the consull Than the consull thynkinge that he hadde nowe good occasion openlye to conuince the conspiratours which thing he alway desyred commaunded the ambassadours to come secretelye vnto hym and admonyshed them that they shulde not bee ennemyes to the people of Rome withoute a cause Nor that they shulde ioyne their welthy state with the wretched condicion of Catiline Lentulus and other miserable personnes nor that it behoued them to enteprise thynges vncertayne for certayne or for a small commoditee to aduenture vpon exceding great perylles All warre is easelye begonne but it is not in his power to make an ende that beganne it He sayde Catiline by my counsailes by my great laboure and trauaile and wyth mi strēgth of men of armes is so be set about on al sides febled that my felowe Antonius with an army may easely subdue hym Within the citie al thinges are abundantly foreseen and prouided for that no man can once sturre
they had an othe and letters deliuered them to beare to their nation and that they herde L. Cassius say that all they which Vulturtius had before named were bent with them And in maner they told that self same that Vulturtius had shewed of burnynge sleing and murdering of the citesins And they shewed what a great strife was betwene Cethegus the other bicause Lentulus and the other wold do this feate at the feast of Saturne and Cethegus sayd this warre requyred great spede Furthermore they declared all that Lentulus had spoken vnto theym of Sibils prophecy and of other matters by whose meanes and how often they had ben with hym Then M. Tullius caused sodeinlye the letters to be brought forth and commanded to open them Fyrste he shewed them to Cethegus he knowledged his hande and his seale the letters were read openly the sentence or effect of which was this They intended surely to accomplyshe those thinges that they hadde confirmed to theire ambassadoures desiringe that they wolde performe those thynges that their ambassâ—dours vndertooke Statilius letters were read the effecte of which was lyke the other After that the consul shewed the letters to Lentulus saying Knowest not thou thys seale Lentulus He graunted to be hys This is sayde the consull the image of that mooste noble manne thy graund father which only loued his countrey and cityzens the whych domme Image ought to haue reuoked thy mynde from so horrible a deede And he inquired of hym whether he had not talked wyth the frenchemen of Sibyls prophecie And sodeinly he confessed it whiche no manne thought he wolde haue done Than he had licence to speke in his defence what he wolde But Lentulus althoughe he were a good oratour yet conuicted of his owne conscience he was clene discouraged oute of countinaunce changed coloure and had not a worde to speake To be briefe They confessed truthe And not withstandynge that Gabinius at the fyrste beganne styffely to denye yet at the laste he disproued nothynge But besyde their letters seales their owne handes and euery mannes confession the feare disturbance in them selfe suspensed and wauerynge countenance and ofte chaunging of colour condempned them ¶ The thankes and most ample prayses geuen of the Senate to Cicero for deteccion of the conspiracye Cap. xxxi AFter the deteccions openlye publyshed the Consull consulted wyth the Senate what theire pleasure was to bee doone concernynge the safegarde of the common weale Than fyrste the Senate gaue hym mooste hyghe thankes that by hys power councell laboure and diligence with the danger of his own life without vprore without bludshedynge without an army without contencion in batayle .iiij. men beyng taken the citie from burnyng the citizens frome murder Italy frome wastyng and spoylyng and the common weale from vtter destruccion was deliuered And they so adorned him with laudes and preisinges as neuer man before at any tyme with so manye and so synguler wordes was in the Senate lauded Q. Catulus the prince and chief of the Senatours M. Cato that moste worthy man that most derely loued the coÌ„mon weale in the gretest assembly of the senatours called him Pater patrie the father of the countrey L. Gellius a man ful of honour bountifulnes sayd The coÌ„mon weale for his reward ought to geue hym a ciuyle garland Finally all that had bene or were meete to be consulles and pretours soo lauded hym that there was no man whiche dyd not geue lyke thankes as he had ben their father whiche thought not that by his meanes the coÌ„mon weale their goodes their children and their liues were saued And also they forget not to laude and praise L. Flaccus and C. Promptinius for that the consull hadde founde them soo valyaunt so diligent and so faithfull in that hys busines fore hym neuer chaunced to man supplicacion was decreed At rysinge and departyng of the senate Lentulus was committed to the custody and kepynge of P. Lentulus Spinter which was then in the office Edilis P. Statilius in C. Cesar the pretor C. Cethegus to Q. Cornificius and Gabinius to M. Crassus But the common people of Rome whiche before beynge desirous of newe busines and ruffelinge fauored Catilines enterprise it is incredible the conspiracie being detected with what heart and courage they weere kendled to defende their libertie They stroue with the Senatours whiche of them loued the common weale beste They esteemed Cicero to be a greate and an excellente manne they called hym the keper of their libertye the preseruer of their citye and the father of the countrey Whose magnitude of mynde whose counsailes they wyth prayses extolled as hyghe as heauen ¶ The nexte daye the Senate gaue to the frenche ambassadours and to Titus Vulturcius approuing their deteccion right great and ample rewardes ¶ Cicero writeth that at the same season ther were many the which no man accusing or reprouing them were forced with prickyng of their conscience to disclose them selues to be of the conspiracy The violence of their conscience is great The whiche constrayneth men that haue done any wicked or damnable dede thoughe it were secretelye manye tymes yet to bewraye and disclose them selues For the conscience for the mysdedes and paine of the lawes suffereth the transgressours not onely neuer carelesse to take reste but also not once to drawe theyr breath without feare L. Tarquinius caused M. Crassus to be suspects of the conspiracy Cap. xxxiiii AT THE same tyme one of the conspiratours called L. Tarquinius vpon a safeconducte was brought before the Senate to open and shewe what he knewe of the conspiracie and hee declared to them the same thynges that the frenche ambassadoures and T. Vulturcius tolde of the burnyng of the citye of the murtherynge of the cityzens and of all those that were confederate to doo this myschiefe Moreouer he saide that M. Crassus was companion and partener of the conspiracie and howe he hadde certaine messages frome hym to Catiline that he shuld not be discouraged although the captaines of the warre in the citie were taken in hold but that he shuld with all celeritie and speede haste hym with his army to the citye to deliuer the conspiratours oute of pryson and to accomplyshe all other thynges amonge them ordeyned and appoynted In the citye all thynges was full of feare But whan Tarquinius named Crassus many of his familiar friendes of whome he had a great nombre sayd with a loude voice The detectour is false and corrupted with meede ¶ The oracion defensiue made for M. Crassus by hys friendes Cap. xxxv IN AL thinges honorable fathers sayd they whiche are mooste greuous and cruell what anye manne woll doo or imagine shoulde not be pondered after the voyce and speeche of the people but accordinge to his lyfe and maners whyche is accused For if M. Crassus prudente fathers shulde therfore be demed culpable bicause Tarquinius accuseth hym amonge the conspyratours what shoulde it profite hym to haue ledde euer more
The decree of the Senate for M. Crassus the suspition agenst Cicero and his purgation Cap. xxxvi FOR as much as somme thought this thing incredible and some other though they beleued it yet knowynge the manne to be soo myghty puissaunt and rich in suche a troublous time demed it better by all wayes and meanes to reteyne his fauour than stere hym to displeasure the Senate decreed Tarquinius detection to be false he to be committed to prison and clene to be put to silence excepte he wolde shewe who instanted hym to feyne soo great a thynge There were somme the same season that thought this detector had bene subornated by P. Antronius to th end that Crassus for the danger of their felowshyp shulde with his riches helpe the conspiratours Other there were amoÌ„g the which also was Crassus him selfe whiche beleued that this man was craftily broughte in by Cicero to th ende that Crassus for this suspition shulde not take vpon hym the defence of those that were in prison Whervpon there arose exceding greate hatred betwene Crassus and Cicero But the yonge man P. Crassus the preisar the folower and louer of Cicero did let Crassus to pursue Cicero opeÌ„ly But by whose counsayle Tarquynius was craftylye brought in as yet we know not the certaynety We beleue not that it was Ciceros drifte For this is playne that Q. Catulus and C. Piso Cesars enemies coulde for no fauour opteyne of hym that C. Ceser eyther by the frenche ambassadoures or by any other detectour shuld be named to be in the conspiracy of Catiline And I fynde that Cicero in this busines bare hym selfe very vpryghtly with out any parcialyte He neyther accused any man as culpable of this mischiuous dede wyth out a clere probation or kepte secrete for frendship or for mede conceled any man ¶ Of Lentulus and his felowes sedition seruantes bond and fre and wonderfull token shewed to Cicero Cap. xxxvii WHILE these thinges were in doinge all Lentulus and Cethegus seruantes bonde and free ran aboute from tauerne to tauerne from shoppe to shope to stur vp the myndes with mede of suche as were nedy and naught And whan they had reysed vp a great rout of craftis menne they by dyuers wayes prepared to inuade the Pretors houses But the Consull hauynge knowlege therof had in his mynd many imaginations what shulde be done with the conspiratours that were take and in holde if he shuld do punishemente on them the conspiracy were extyncte but being milde and mercifull in all his lyfe he dradde the name of cruelty and right wel forsawe that for this matter he shulde in time to come be in danger of great hatred and enuie Whyle he mused on this matter somme wryte that this wonderfull token was shewed to hym as they were doinge sacrifice in his house for the people on the alter the fire beyng almoste quenched sodeynly out of the ashes and imbers a longe and a pure flame burned vp bright and answere was made by the diuinours that Cicero shuld not doubt to accomplishe those thinges for the common weale wherabout he in his mind so much mused that thereby to hym of the goddes immortall was sygnified great fame and glory I dare not affirme whether this be true or no because we reade that such sacrifice for the people was not wont to be done in the consuls house but alwaies in the high byshops Furthermore Cicero was nothing moued with such wonderfull sygnes tokens ¶ The sentence of D. Syllanus and other noble men gyuen agaynst the conspiratours Cap. xxxviii THAN the consull strongelye fortifyed the citye and with all celeritie and spede assembled the Senate and required their aduise what shulde be donne with those that were in holde Than D. Sillanus elected to bee consull was first desired to say his mind whose senteÌ„ce was that those that were in warde also L. Cassius whyche desyred to be charged with the burnynge of the citye P. Furius Manlius Chilo Q. Annius P. Vmbrenus which were alwaye occupied in solicitynge the frenche ambassadours if they myghte be taken shulde be put to deathe To this agreed the other that had ben or like to be consuls and namely Q. Catulus in an oracion ful of seueritie sayd that the conspiratours oughte not to lyue and enioye this lyghte one momente of an houre But whan it came to C. Cesar and T. Nero to saye their myndes they began to reason the contrarye and sayde They oughte not to be put to deathe bycause the lawes dyde it prohibyte but their iudgement was that the conspiratours their goodes beyng confiscate shuld be sundred and surely kepte in dyuerse holdes vntyll that Catilyne were by warre vanquised This matter Salust writeth as foloweth ¶ The oration of C. Caesar wherin he contendeth that the conspiratours shulde not be put to deâ—h but kepte continually in prison Cap. xxxix IT becommeth all menne honorable fathers whiche shall gyue counsayle and saye their aduise in matters doubtfull to be cleane without hatred frendship wrathe and mercy The mynde can not easily forese the trouthe where those affections beare a stroke nor no man at one tyme foloweth his yl affection and the profit of the weale publyke where vnto a manne applyeth his wyt there it auayleth If affection possesse the wyt she ruleth reason auayleth nothynge I coulde abundantly recyte vnto you honorable fathers what kinges and people moued with wrath or mercy haue ylle and hurtfully ordered theym selfes in consultation but I wyll rather reherse to you what our forefathers haue done wel ordinatly ageynst their natural inclination ¶ In the warre of Macedony which we made ageinst the kynge of Persy the great and myghty cyty of Rhodes whiche increased in greate ryches by the goodes of the people of Rome was vnto vs contrarye and vnfaithful But after the war was finished they counceled what shulde be done of the Rhodians Our forefathers let them go vnpunished lest any man shulde saye that the warre was begun ageynste theym more for wynnyng of ryches than to reuenge iniurye Also in al the warres Punycke whan the Carthaginois ofte tymes bothe in tyme of peace and truce dyd many detestable deedes ageynste all ryght yet our forefathers hauyng accasyon neuer dyd such thinges they sought more what became them then what they myght laufully do ageynst their enemies This thing also honorable fathers shuld of you be foresene leste the detestable deede of P Lentulus and the other conspiratours shuld more inforce you to reueng than besemeth your dygnyty or rather incline to your wrathe than to your honorable fame For if worthy punyshmente for their deedes be founde I approue new council But if the gretnes of the mischeuous dede both passe all mens wyts my mynd is to vse those punishmentes which are ordeyned by the lawes Many of them that before me haue sayd theyr mindes discretely and magnificently haue bewailed the decay of the coÌ„mon weale and haue full eloqueÌ„tly reckened vp how cruel
a thing warre is what yuels chanceth to them that are conquered the virgins rauished the yong babes and children vyolently pulled out of the fathers and mothers armes the honeste wyues must suffre what soo euer please the subduers the temples and houses are spoyled slaughter and burnynges are done finally all thinges fylled with armour carcases bloud and lamentations But tell me I praye you wherto serueth that oration was it to stomake you ageynst the conspiracy If so greate and so cruell a dede will not moue a mans spirites shall an oration kendell hym It is not lykely Nor there is no mortall creature that thinkethe his wronges littell many haue taken these their iniuries more greuousely than ryght required But some thinge honorable fathers may better be suffered in some men than in other some If the priuate persons that lyue obscurely vnknowen coÌ„mit through anger any dishoneste dede Fewe knowe it Their fame fortune are egal The greate rulars and hygh gouernours all men knowe their actes So in hyghest felycitie is least libertye to do a mysse It besemeth suche menne not to be spitefull not to beare hatred but in no wyse to be angry The affection which in other is called anger in the hygh rulars is named Pride and crueltie Surely honorable fathers I deme all turmentes lasse than their detestable dedes But many men remeÌ„bring the last punishementes and forgettinge the mischeuous dede of the transgressours they reason of the peyne whether it be more cruell than it shulde be I surely knowe that what so euer the honorable and moste valiant man D. Syllanus hathe sayde he spake it for the great affection that he beareth to the common weale Neyther hath he in so weyghty a cause said any thynge for fauour nor yet for hatred I know his maners and sobrenes to be suche Truly his sentence to me semeth not cruel for what cruelty can be done to suche menne but yet not all thynge agreable to the common weale For certeynely either dreade or iniury hath constreyned you Syllanus chosen consull for the yere to come to adiudge the conspiratours to suffer a new kynde of punishement As touchyng feare to reason therof it were but in vayne namely sith the great dyligence of the noble consul hathe soo strongly warded and defended the cyty with men of armes As concernynge their punishment I may speke as the truthe is that death to those that be in heuynes and misery is not a tourmente but rather a quyet and rest from all wofull wretchednes For death fynishethe all griefes and euyls that mortall creatures endure But I pray you Syllane why dyd you not adde that they shulde be fyrst beaten was it bycause the lawe Portia or some other lawes do prohibit it Lykewyse the lawes forbyd that citezins condemned shulde be put to death but they commaunde to banishe them Left ye that vnspoken bycause it is more greuous to be beaten than to be put to deathe And yet what punyshemente is to cruell or greuous to men conuicte of soo greate and detestable a deede But if you spake not of beatynge bycause it is easier howe inconuenient is it to feare the lawe in the lesse busines and to neglecte it in the greater For who shall reprehend that that is decreed ageynst traitours to the common weale Tyme day fortune after whose luste nations are ruled To them what soo euer euyll hapneth chanceth accordyng to their deseruinges But consider honorable fathers what lawes ye ordeyne for other All euyl examples take their beginning of good thiÌ„ges for after imperial gouernaunce instituted by good meÌ„ came to the handling of those that were euyl the new exaÌ„ple was transferred from the worthy and mete to the vnworthy vnmet persones Whan the Lacedemonians had subdued the Athemenses they ordeyned .xxx. menne to rule the common weale They at the fyrst put no man to death but suche as for their offences were iustely condemned The people was ryght glade of this law and sayde it was very well done But after this licence increasinge by littell and littel they slewe for their pleasure as well good men as bad and put the other in feare and so the citie beynge oppressed with bondage and thraldome they greuously repented theyr former folyshe gladnes ¶ We remembre Sylla hauynge the vpper hande commaunded Dasippus and suche other hope lostes that were growen riche to the great hurte of the common weeale to be put to dethe Who dyd not preyse hys dede They sayd vngratious and detestable persons and such as with sediâ—ions troubled the common weale were well and iustely put to dethe But that thinge was the beginning of a greate mischefe For if any of Syllas souldiours coueted to haue any mans house in the citye manour in the countrey iewell or garmente they dyd their endeuoure that he whose good they desired might be amonge the nombre of theym that were proscripted So that they whiche reioysed at the death of Damasippus were sone after brought to the same end Neyther was there any ende of slaughter vntyll that Sylla had aboundantly satisfied hys souldiors wyth ryches But I neither feare this thing in M. Tullius nor at this tyme but in a greate cytie many and diuerse are the wittes An other tyme an other beynge consul and hauinge an army at his commaundemente some thynge false may be beleued to be trewe whan suche a consull after this example by decree of the senate shall drawe out his sworde who shall make hym put it vp or who shall moderate hym Our auncestours honorable fathers wanted at any tyme neyther councell nor boldnes neyther pryde letted theym to folowe the lawes and maners of other nacions yf they were allowable Armur and weapons of warre they toke of the Sainnites many ornamentes belongynge to the great offycers and rulars they receyued of the Tuscayns Finally where so euer they sawe any mete or conuenient thyng amonge their frendes or foes the same with great dilygence they vsed at home They wolde rather folow than enuy those that were good But oure auncestours folowyng the maners of the Greekes punished their citizins with beatynges and put to deathe suche as were condemned After the publike weale increased and that partakenge amonge the people began to grow by reason of the multitude the innocentes began to be circumuented and other such lyke mischifes to be practised than the lawe Portia and other lawes were ordeined by the which exyle was granted to them that were condemned Therfore I thynke this cause mooste honorable fathers to be very great wherby we shall not nede to take any new councell Verily there was more vertu and wysedome in them that of so small ryches brought this impire to soo greate welth and renoume than in vs whiche can scasely maynteyne and kepe thinges well wonne Is it therfore my mind that they shulde be let go and increase Catilines army No truly But my iudgemente is that their goodes be forfete and they to remayne
in pryson in suche townes belongynge to Rome as be moste welthy Nor that none from hensforthe shulde sue to the senate or laboure to the people for them And he that wolde so do the senate to esteme hym to do ageynste the weale publike sauegarde of vs all ¶ The oracion and sentence of Ceaser pleased very much euen the frendes of Cicero Cap. xl WITH this oraciō of Ceasar soo much altred were mēs mindes quickly suche dred of false accusatyō cruelty toke theim that D. Sillanus greatlye repented hym of his sentence that he was the principall and chiefe that iudged the conspiratoures to deathe and was glad aftewardes wyth interpretacion to myttigate his sentence for shame it was to change it and so to folowe the iudgement of Tiberius Nero. And some other there were that wold rather seme more bolder in geuing sentēce which said They minded nothing their owne perilles but feared lest the consul shulde not be stronge ynoughe to accomplyshe their ordinaunces But the frendes and kinsefolke of the consul were most specially moued wyth thys oracion They consideringe what greate enuye and hatered of the commune people myght here after aryse against Cicero if the senat breakynge the lawe Portia shulde without the consente of the people put noble citezins to deathe they all agreed to the sentence of Caesar and prayed the consul that he wolde loke to his owne saluegard and profit neyther colde they in the meane whyle absteyne from teares Caesar by his oration drawynge soo many to hym among whom was also Qu. Cicero had obteyned his purpose if the oration of the most prudent consul and Cato had not encouraged the senatours myndes that began to quayle The consul was of nature mylde and mercifull but except he shuld than haue shewed sharpenes he sawe the weale publyke lyke to be brought in to greate daunger For if they shewed them selfe more softe and gentle they deemed that the conspiratours shoulde be the bolder and more encouraged and in the meane tyme some commocion myght ryse in the citye But if they shewed them selues very vehemente againste those that were taken he foresawe that all the puissaunce all the hoope all the ryches of the conspiratours these perylles of the citye beinge put awaye shulde sodeinelye quaile And thoughe he vnderstode that thys thynge could not be brought to passe wythoute great daungeir of his owne lyfe yet so derely loued he the cōmon weale that he more estemed the welth publyke than his owne lyfe Than whan he sawe the senate inclinynge to Caesars sentence coueting to slaye them beginnynge to wauer rose vp and sayd as hereafter foloweth ¶ The oration of the consull against the conspiratours Cap. xli ISE honorable fathers all youre vysages and eyes tourned towarde mee I see you not onelye for youre owne peryl and for the publyke weale but also if that weere put awaye verye heauye and thoughteful for the daungeire that I am in Your good wyll towarde me is to me in aduersitie ioyful and in sorowe acceptable But I beseche you for the goddes sakes immortall set asyde that good wyll and forgettynge my sauegarde thinke vpon your selfe and your chyldren If this condicion of consulshyppe be geuen me that I shulde suffer all bytter aduersities all sorowes and tormentes I wyll beare them not onelye stoutely but also wyllynglie so that by my trauailes to you and the people of Rome honorable fathers dignitie and prosperitie maye be procured I am that consul honorable senatoures for whose sake neyther the common place of iudgement wherin al equity is conteined nor the fielde consecrate for chosynge of highe officers nor this courte of senatours the speciall ayde of all nacions nor my house the common refuge of all men nor my bedde ordeined for reste nor finallye this honorable place this seate appointed for the mooste hyghe gouernours was neuer voyde from peryll of deathe and disceytes Many thinges haue I kepte secrete many thinges haue I endured many thynges haue I graunted many thynges to my greate sorowe beinge in dreede for you haue I holpe Nowe if the goddes immortall wyll this to be the ende of my consulshyppe that I shulde deliuer you honorable fathers and the citizens of Rome frome miserable slaughter your wyues and chyldrene and the vyrginnes Vestalles from vtter vexacion the temples and holy places this our moste goodlye countrey from moste cruell bournynge al Italy from warre and destruccion what soo euer fortune is appointed to me onely I wyll aduenture it For if P. Lentulus induced by the southesayers thoughte that hys name was predestinate to destroie the publyke weale why shoulde not I reioyse that my consulshyppe is ordeyned for the conseruacion of the same common weale Wherefore honorable fathers prouide for your selues see too the sauegarde of youre countrey saue your selues your wyues youre children and youre goodes and defende the name and wealthe of the people of Roome take ye noo care nor thought for me For firste my speciall truste is that all the goddes whiche preserue this citye wyll rewarde me accordinge to my deseruinges Secondelye if any thynge chaunce I wyll with an vpryghte mynde and a good courage dye For vnto a valiaunte manne deathe is not shamefull nor vnto a Consull it commeth not to sone ne vnto a wyse man it is not wretched And yet haue I not so yron a stomacke but that I am moued wyth the sorow of my most dere and louing brother here present and with the teares of all those whiche ye se inuiron me about also my wyfe that is halfe deade oftentimes reuoketh my minde homewardes and my doughter well nere deade for feare and my litell sonne the whiche seemeth to me dothe imbrace the common weale as a pledge of my consulshyppe nor my sonne in lawe that standeth here awaytinge the ende of this day all these thynges doo moue me but yet in suchewyse that all shuld be in sauetie with vs yea rather I wold some vyolence shoulde oppresse me than they and we with the common weale shoulde perysshe togyther Wherfore honourable fathers stycke to the sauegarde of the common weale prouyde surelye for all stormes that maye falle Withoute ye take good hede not T. Gracchus whiche wolde ones agayne be made protectour of the comminaltie nor C. Gracchus that went about to reuyue the lawes Agrarie nor L. Saturninus which slew C. Memmius is brought to any ieopardy or to your sharpe iudgemente but they are in holde that taryed styll in Rome to bourne the citie to mourder you al and so to receyue in Catilin We haue theyr letters theyr seales theyr owne hand writynges and fynally eche of theyr own confessions The frenche ambassatours are sollicited the slaues and seruauntes are styrred vp Catilyne is sent for This councel haue they taken that all beyng slayne no man shuld be left to bewayle the name of the common weale and to lament the calamitie of so great an empire All these thinges the detectours haue declared
reyse vp routes of such as be nedy and ignoraunt what thinges meane Surely this was begunne and attempted but yet there was none founde so poore nor so wretched but that wylleth and desyreth that his shoppe and place where he getteth his lyuinge his chambre for his bed and the quiet course of his lyfe myght be in safegarde And the moste parte of those that lyue by theyr handye crafte yea I shulde say this vniuersall kynde of people do loue to lyue in quiete and reste For all theyr instrumentes theyr workes and wynninges are maynteyned by concurse and resorte of the people nourisshed wyth peace and concorde whose gaynes and wynnynges yf by shuttynge in of theyr shoppes is wonte to be mynyshed what shall they gette whan they be bourned These thynges beynge thus honourable fathers you canne lacke noo helpe to defende the common weale Take ye good hede that ye fayle not the common welth you haue the Consull escaped frome manye perylles and disceytes and frome the very poynte of deathe not onely for his owne lyfe but for youre welthe reserued all states and degrees with one mynde one wylle one fauour oone force wyth oone voyce contente to saue and defende the commune weale Thys oure countrey besette aboute wyth fyre brondes and weapons of this wyicked conspyracye mekelye holdeth vp her handes to you To you she commendeth the lyfe of all her cytesyns the castell and Capytoll the aulteres and ymages the perpetualle bournynge fyre of the goddes Vesta the Temples and Chapelles of the goddis the walles and buyldynges of the Cytie Furthermore you muste this daye gyue a Iugemente concerning your owne lyfe your wyues and childerns lyues and that toucheth all youre goodes possessions and howses Ye haue a capytatne myndefull of you and forgetfull of hym selfe whiche abilitie is not alway gyuen that a man forgettynge hym selfe shulde be myndfull of other Ye haue all estates and degrees all men the holle publyque weale it that in a cyuylle cause we shall this daye fyrste see agreynge all as one Calle to mynde that one nyght shall vtterly confounde and brynge to nought this impyre founded wyth so great labours our lybertie stablysshed wyth so greatte prowesse our goodes so greatly incresed and augmented by the benignitie of the goddis You must this daye so prouyde that neuer hereafter this thyng be not onlye done but that noo manne ymagine to doo suche a dede And those thynges I haue not spoken to encourage you whiche in fauoure and good zeale farre passe me but to the ende that my voyce which oughte to be chiefe in the common weale shuld be sene to supplye the duety of a consull Nowe before that I returne to the sentēce I wyll some what speake of my selfe ¶ Me thynketh I haue gote as greate a multitude of ennemyes as there is in noumbre of conspiratours whiche ye se is very great but this greate route I iuge to be shamefull weake not to be regarded and verye abiectes But yf hereafter this multitude prouoked by any mannes furye or myschiefe doth more preuayle than yours and the common welthes dignitie yet honorable fathers I wyll neuer repente me of those dedes that I haue done or of the councels that I haue gyuen For deathe wherwith perchance they threten me no man can escape More greatter prayse than ye haue gyuen me in my lyfe by your decrees neuer man obteyned For alwaye vnto other for well gouernynge of the common weale but vnto me for the conseruation therof ye haue decreed ryght hygh thankes ¶ Let the noble Scipio haue his renonme by whose councell prowes and polycy Hanniball was constrayned to retourne into Aphrike and to departe out of Italy Let Aphricanus be adourned wyth moste hyghe laude whiche distroyed two greate cities Carthage and Numantia moste greuous enimies to this impire Let hym L. Paulus be counted for a mā most excellent whose chariot Perses sometyme a kynge most myghty and most noble dyd greatly honor Let Marius haue eternall glory whiche twyse delyuered Italy frome inuasion and drede of seruitude and thraldome Let Pompeius be preferred aboue all other whose conquestes and knightly actes ar knowen through all the worlde And surely among the honourable renoume and prayses of these men our glory must take some place excepte peraduenture it be a greater feate to conquere to vs prouinces by whiche we myghte haue passage than it is warely to prouyde that they that are absente maye haue a place whither as conquerors they maye returne agayne Not withstandynge the state of outwarde vyctorye is in one thyng better thā the domesticall bycause straunge enemyes subdued do eyther serue vs or receyued as frendes do thynke them selfe bounde vnto vs. But yf any of our cytesyns throughe some madnesse waxynge lewde and nought begyne ones to be enmyes to theyr countrye whan we go aboute to wythstande that they endomage not the common weale we can neither by violence restrayne theym nor wyth benefittes pacify them Wherfore I see welle I haue entred into continuall warre with these hope lost citesyns the whiche I trust through the ayde of you and all suche other as ar good and vertuous remembring so greate perils of the which not only we that ar reserued and kepte but all nations shall speke and beare in mind easily to repel from me myne Nor assuredly there can not be founde so great force violence that can breake quayle your vnitie and the gentilmen of Rome and so great consent and agremente of all good men Seinge honorable fathers that these thinges ar thus for myn impire for myne army for my prouynce whiche I neglected for my triumph and other notable thinges of laude and preyse whiche for your cities sake and safegarde of youre welthes I forsake for my clientes for the men of my prouynce for the right of hospitalite for all these thynges and for my singulare fauoure and affection to youe for that diligence whiche you see in me to preserue the weale publike I aske nothinge elles of you but the remembrāce of my Consuls shyp all this tyme. Whiche being fast fixed in your myndes I iudge my selfe surely fenced about with a walle moste stronge But if my hope be dispointed and quayled by the power of the lewde and naughty I cōmende to you my littell sonne to whome surelye it shal be a sufficiente garrison of defence not onely for his sauegarde but also for his high aduancement if ye wille vouchesafe to remembre him to be his sonne whiche with his perill alone preserued all these thinges Wherfore mooste prudente fathers ordeyne and prouide diligentely and boldelye as ye beganne for your owne wealth youre wyues and children for your aultars and oratories for youre Chapelles and temples for the buyldynges and sytuacions of all this citie for this empire for youre lybertye for the welth of Italye and for the vniuersall weale publyke For ye haue a consull that doubteth not to obeye your decrees and as
throughe the myddes of the markette place vnto the prysone and delyuered hym to the executioner commaundynge that he forthe with shoulde strangle hym with an halter But to the ende there shoulde be noo sedytion the Consulle sette the foresayde knyghtes of Rome with theyr tergates and swerdes drawen in the pytche of the hyll Capytolyne The same execution was done on Statilius Cethegus Gabinius and Ceparius For they beinge brought to the pryson be the Pretours were all strangled ¶ After they were all putte to deathe the Consull to debylitate and cutte asunder theyr endeuoir and hope whiche prepared in the nyght to do some feate tourned aboute to the multitude and sayde wyth a loud voyce that all myght here hym They were alyue sygnifienge by that lyghte sayeng they were dead Whan he had said these wordes nyght was come ¶ After the conspiratours were deade the people wyth greate glory brought Cicero home to his howse Cap. xlvi THan the cōsul takyng his way homeward was accōpanied with a meruaylous multitud of the people most ioyfully thanking hym what waye soeuer he wente through all the stretes of the citie laumpes lynkes torches and cressettes burned bryghte the wyndowes and doores were all full of men and women they callid Cicero the defender of the cite the preseruer of theyr lybertye the father of the countrey that they were citysens that they were fre that they lyued was al through his wysedome policie and dilygence This greate company and pompe honoured hym home to his house I omytte here the great ioye and gladnes that was made afterwarde through all Italy I passe ouer the moste excellente and moste honorable preyses of other good townes and cities I speake not of the greate thankes that all good men thā gaue vnto M. Tullius L. Flaccus and C. Promptinius ¶ In the meane whyle Cicero commaunded P. Sestius countremanded by letters from Capua with the army that he than had wyth hym and with all spede to haste hym after Antonius These thynges done the citie whiche before trembled for dred was now delyuered from feare the remnant of the conspiracy that was so hotte and hastye begane to waxe colde and slowe And Cicero in hys gowne got an exceding and an immortall glorye foldyd vp in the enuie and yuell wylle of many men For all the yonge men gyuen to bodilie lust and wantonnesse and al such as were dishonest and naughte he made his foes The whiche dyd hate Cicero not onely by cause he repressed theyr horryble violence and cursed enterprises but also bycause they thought as longe as he lyued they shulde neuer brynge suche a thinge to passe ageyne And so very many amonge the whiche was alsoo C Cesar but namely L. Bestia and Q Metellus Nepos beganne to reprehende tosse and detracte the actes dedes that Cicero had done ¶ Ciceros othe in the ende of his consullshyp Cap. xlvii WHerfore whan Cicero the laste daye of Decembre leauyng vp his consulshype wolde as the maner was haue declared in an oration what actes he had doone in hys offyce Q. Metellus protectour of the comminaltie forbode and wolde not suffer hym to speake sayeng It was ryght vnsemely to gyue him leue to speke that had done punishement on other the cause not herde or knowen Whiche thinge was to Cicero more honorable thā if he had suffered hym to make his oration For whā Metellus permytted that he shuld onely make an othe Cicero sware that by his labour and diligence alone the weale publike and the citie was saued Whiche othe so large and so greate all the people of Rome with one voyce and one consente sware that he hadde sworne trewely ¶ The contencion betwene Cicero Q. Metellus Nepos Ca. xlviii THis his glory the peple of Rome did augmēt with an other glory For the self same daye the people in moste honorable wyse with greattest ioy and gladnes as thyck as they coulde go in the stretes broughte hym from the market place home to his house But yet the fyrst day of Ianuarye he with so manly a courage spake of the cōmon weale that euery man myght well perceyue that the actes which he dyd in his consulship were done by his wysedome prudence and policy and not by chaunce And Q. Metellus disputing with him of the cōmon weale he quayled in the Senate with an oration all full of grauitie and Cicero boldly shewed hym that he shuld haue to do with a man that wāteth no stomake or that is to seke in any thyng that he shal say Wherby his aduersaries were the more kendlid ageynst hym bycause they sawe him chief in the senate they fled al to the cōmons Than Metellus associate ayded with C. Cesar desired of the people that Pompeius with his army myght be countermanded home to subdue Catiline and to cōmit the cōmon weale vnto him that he shuld se that it toke none harm Their wordes were that Pompeius shuld be coūtremāded home to subdue Catilin but in very dede theyr pretense was that the cōmon weale shuld come to the rule and gouernance of Pompei and by that mean the auctoritie consular of M. Tullius and the power of the Senators myghte be fordoone and in processe the glorye of soo great a man for preseruing of the cōmon weale might be dymynyshed ¶ M. Catos request to Metellus Cap. xlix WHan this cursed publication was spoken in the senate M. Cato rose vp wyth many wordes desired Metellus for his cōstancy trouth honorable estate to desyste from that purpose besechynge hym for his dead fathers sake for that Metellus Numidius sake the whiche wolde rather be dryuen oute of the citie than to be forsworne and for all the Metellus those most noble citisēs sakes whiche alway withstode seditious persones whiche euermore in all thynges folowed the auctorytie of the senate and consente of good mē And he declared that it neded not that Pompeius shoulde be countermaunded home with his armye For soo moche as C. Antonius hadde a greatte hoste and Q. Metellus Celer his brother hadde prepared a strōg power agaynst Catiline And theyr enemyes at home beyng subdewed of whome was moste nede to beware the conspyracy was soo enfeblyd and weaked that the common weale coulde not be hurt or indomaged by the importunate sworder Catilyne ⧠The contention of Cato and Metleius Cap. l. BVt whan the equite of his oration nor the authoritie of M. Cato coulde moue Metellus and whanne the other Senatoures neyther by intreating nor monisshing could incline him but that he thretenyd to doo all thynges by force of armes Cato eftesoones tournynge his tale shamefully rebuked hym and wyth an oration all full of grauitie with commendation and approbation of the hole Senate he accused hym as gyltie and finally he said he wold neuer while he lyued suffre that Pompeus with his armye shulde retourne home to the citie But whan the daye of Rogation was come and that Metellus and Cesar being Pretor had the
Whyche thynges beinge thus good souldyours I admonyshe you for the common whealthes sake than whiche nothynge ought to be derer vnto anye manne I exhorte you for my greate dylygence whiche ye knowe I haue practysed in warre faare and I beseeche youe for the greatnesse of the perylle that wee stande in thynke that all the ayde and succoure of the commone wealle all the state of the Cytye the wealthe and lybertie of all the Citisens is layde and faste fyxed to youre swordes poynted in this one battayle Other nations canne suffre seruytude and bondage Romaynes canne nat awaye therewith Therefore eyther it behouethe vs to conquere or elles let vs the princes of all the worlde and of all nations rather dye wyth glorye thanne to liue in seruitude with reproche ¶ Howe Petreius ordered hys battayles Cap. lxiii WHAN this oracion was done the souldiours myndes were merueilouselie kendled and soo lustie a courage and desire to fight tooke them that vneathe they wolde abide the sounde of the trumpet Petreius orderinge his armie in two batailes the aunciente cohortes of warriours in the vawarde and the resydue of his hoste behinde to ayde and souccoure them and all thinges diligentelye aduised and marked his souldiours instantelie requiringe and feruentelye desirynge it he blewe vp his trumpet At the sounde of the trumpet they on bothe partes so fierselye shewed their violence and so sodainelye and soo hastelye ranne together that they lefte no space to caste dartes at their ennemies but fought hande to hande wyth their swordes Catilines menne beynge in extreme hoope of healthe stacke fyerselye to it The aunciente warrioures inflamed with Petreius wordes and compelled wyth the glorie of their olde warrefare strongelye receyued the fierce brounte of their ennemies They foughte longe on bothe sydes mooste mannefullye and with a fierce courage the clamoure and noyse and the dynne of swordes myngled wyth gronynge was greate and hydeous Dysdaine and the glorye of warrefare encouraged the tone parte necessitie and desperacion stomacked the other ¶ Howe valiaunt a capytayne Catilyne was CATILINE in the meane whyle sent succours to suche of his menne as weere in daungier and their places that were wounded and wearie he furnyshed with freshe and lustie souldiours he ofte strake his ennemye and exhorted them that weere slowe to battayle hee retourned backe theym that fledde and rounynge hyther and thyther he soo dilygently prouyded for all thynges that it were harde to iudge whither he played the parte of a souldiour mooste valyant or of a capytayne moste politike But at the self same tyme he dydde bothe Wolde to god Catilyn had hadde as good a mynde to gouerne the cōmon weale as he had a body to make warre and wolde to god he had not consumed his excellent wytte in myschiefe Assuredly fewe citesynes wolde haue gouerned the common weale better than he But whan the immoderate luste to rule and haue the souerayntie had swalowed hym vp all these ornamentes whiche in hym were excedynge great with this myschief were obscured And whyle he coueted to be lyke L. Sylla and C. Marius he was founde to be moste vnlyke to his auncestours For Catilyne I wyll omytte his father and grandfather was the sonnes son of that M. Sergius whose prowesse soo many warrelyke preyses wytnessen Not withstandynge I redde of late certayne authors that say that Catilynes lynage came out of the house of the Scipions But nothyng can be spoken more contrary to lernyng But nowe let vs returne agayne to the batayle Than Catilynes souldyours by his knyghtely dedes beinge put in good hope and freshely encouraged fought so egerly that Antonius souldiours a lytell reculyd Whan Petreius perceyued that he sente the seconde battayle to ayde theym that were in peryll soo whan they that were fresshe and lustye were in the places of them that were werye and wounded Catilynes men coulde not susteyne their vyolence Than the Fesulane in goinge aboute to succour his souldyours is slayne Manlius oppressed with greate multitude of ennemies mooste manfullye fyghtynge is slayne with the moste parte of the souldiours ¶ Whan Catilyne sawe the mattier at such a mischief and that there was no succours that myght be sente to helpe them remembryng the lynage that he came of and myndynge also that an honest deathe oftentymes dothe exornate a shamefull lyfe despeyryng to escape gotte hym a monge the thyckest of his ennemies there sleinge many of them he compellyd the resydue a lytle to recule And whyle he fiersely preased vpon them all the multitude tourned agaynst hym there foughte he egerly hande to hand At length being oppressed with multitude of enemyes and receyuyng many greuous woundes that he coulde scarsely stande makynge a great slaughter aboute hym with hyghe laude if he had dyed for the cōmen weale he was slayne But the other ennemies beinge paste all hope to escape alyue shewed suche manlynesse that whan they that stoode before were ouerthrowen they that were nexte defended them valiantly and loke what place any of them toke being alyue they couered it beinge deade fewe saued theym selues by flyghte whome noo man folowinge they escaped easelie ¶ The warre that C. Promptinius made wyth the Delphinois Cap. lx THE same season certaine of the conspiratoures with greate promyses sturred the Delphinois to make warre to the Romaines whiche thinge I meruaile that Saluste whiche wrote thys conspiracie spake nothinge of Than to represse their violence an armie was sente forthe leddé by C. Promptinius whiche beynge Pretor with L. Flaccus toke the deteccions of the conspiracie who fought with them manie times prosperouselie And whan he had with many batailes weried the Delphinois and the common weale deliuerid from drede being in rest he determined to go no farther For alway tyll that time the Romaine capitaines thoughte better to resyst the frenche men by war than to prouoke them to it Nor there was none other nacion thoughte able to make warre to the Romaines All other businesses both by lande and sea for the most part by the prowes onelie of Gn. Pompeius were surelie pacified ¶ The other conspiratours condempned at Rome Cap. lxi AFter this at Rome greate and greuouse Iudgementes were geuen againste the conspyratoures L. Vergunteius a Senatour P. Antronius Seruius Sylla C. Cornelyus Marcus Lecca M. Fuluius nobilior and manie other weere condempned Yet manye of the partenars of the conspiracie escaped For whan the citye and almoste all Italy was infected with this myschiefe the Senate thoughte that by the punishment of a fewe the myndes of the other myghte be cured But thys thynge I wyl not leaue vnspoken for though the lawes wyll not that seruauntes shulde be rackte to accuse their masters yet concerninge this myscheful conspiracie they rackte them to disclose their masters And no wronge For the mooste prudente Senatours decreed that they that had enterprised so great a mischiefe ought to be bare and destitute of al helpe both of lawe and man Thus Catilynes warre the most
lordeshyp honour and authorite by fraude and falshode rather then by very vertue or good meanes and laudable After such maner as if the offyce of a hye Juge of a Tresourer a Cōsull a Prouost and all suche other great offices were noble excellente of them selfe And nat in maners as if suche offices shulde be counted of worthines and dignite after as the vertue and honour is of such as rule in the same offices and by rowmes But playnlye affirmynge the treuth the man maketh the office noble and worsshypefull yf his maners shyne by vertue But yf his conuersacion be contrary no offyce no rowme can make hym noble nor worshypfull But this omittyng I haue proceded in this prologue wyth ouer ferre circumstaunce and also wyth somewhat to moche libertie of wordes more than in a preface is requisite for that it pyteeth me of these tedious maners of this oure citye of Rome But now wyl I come to my mater purposed and fyrst interpryse begonne ¶ Of what matter Salust intendeth to treate in proces of hys boke and what causes moueth hym of suche mater to wryte The fyrste Chapter IN this warke I purpose to wrytte of the warre whiche the Romaynes had an executed agaynste the tyrannye Iugurthe wronfully vsurpyng the name of a kynge ouer the lande of Numidy Many causes moueth me by writinge to commend this warre to perpetuall memory Fyrst for that in the same was foughten at many tymes with greate multitude of men on eyther partie with moche cruell murdre and variable victorye the Romaines sometyme sometyme the Iugurthius preuaylyng in victory Forthermore bycause that fyrst at this batayle and from thens forwarde the commen people of Rome matched with the princes resistynge theyr pryde For where as before this tyme the noble men of Rome oppressed subdued the commens with vnresonable rigoure the commens elect one named Marius a man of basse byrth to be cōsul of Rome and captayne in this batayle whiche after he had obtayned victory ouer Iugurth with greate glorye triumph and fauoure of the commentie he supported thē in suche wyse agaynst the noble men that of the same rose a cyuile bataile and greuous discorde betwene the noble men and commens of Rome Marius maintenyng the commens partie and Silla susteyninge that partie of the noble men In somoch that finallye bytwene these two partes and captayns of the same was foughten an vnkynde vnnaturall and cruell batell to the greuous ruine of the Romaine empire and subuercion of the cōmen wele whiche contention and variaunce confounded bothe the lawes of god and man and by the same were all good ordinaunces disordred And this same furious debate and folye proceded at last to so vnresonable madnesse excecate fury that it neuer desisted nor this varyaunce and discencion bytwene the noble men and commens neuer ceased tyll tyme that cruell mortall batayle foughten bytwene both parties tyl tyme that also distructiō of the land of Italy compelled both parties at last to consyder theyr owne blynde folye and cruell furor so finallye to mittigate and fynishe theyr debate and vnresonable dyssencion But fyrst or I begyn to write of this batell I shall repeate and declare a few thinges done before this war began to th entent that al thinges moost chiefe worthye expedient to be knowē may be more euidēt open clere to the reders ¶ How the kynge Massinissa came into the fauoure of the Romayns and howe the lande of Numydy was commytted vnto hym The second Chapter THe Romayns had thre notable famous batayls agaynste the Carthaginences in whiche the same Romayns had great dāmage Howe be it in conclusion of euery batayle they wanne victorye of theyr ennemyes in the seconde of these batailes what tyme Haniball duke and captayne of the Carthaginences wasted the welth and riches of Italy more thā any other enemy had euer done before after the Romayns beganne to haue any greate name and to delate theyr dominion A famous prince named Massinissa kynge of the lande of Numydy was receyued into frindshippe and fauour of the Romaynes by one Publius Scipio captayne of the sayd Romaynes whiche Scipio afterward for his manhode was named Scipio affrycan bycause he ouer came and subdued the lande of Affrike This Massinissa so receyued into fauour of the Romayns in the foresayde batayle dyd many noble and famous actes of chyualry with hygh valiantise and corage For whiche dedes after the Romayns had ouercome the Carthaginences and theyr citie and after they had taken prisoner the king Sciphax which had in Affrik a worthy great and large impire the people of Rome gaue frely vnto the same kynge Massinissa all suche cities and landes as they had taken and wone in batayle For whiche benefites so magnificent and ample Massinissa cōtinued vnto them in profitable and faythful frendshyp hys life induring but at last his lyfe ended and the welth of his empire decayed also with hym This kynge departyng lefte behynd hym thre sonnes whose names were Macipsa Manastaball and Galussa of whome Micipsa suceded his father and alone obtayned the kyngedome after that the other two brethern Manastabal and Galussa were departed frome this lyfe by sickenesse This Micipsa had two sonnes named Adherball Hiempsall But Manastaball his brother which departed as sayd is left behynd him one sonne nat lauflly borne but a bastarde begoten of his cōcubine wherfore departing he lefte hym orbate withoute lande or lyuelode This consyderinge Micipsa suffered hym nat to faute nor decaye but forasmoche as he was his brothers sonne receyued hym into his court hym cherished in lyke wise as he dyd his owne sonnes Adherbal Hiemsal This Iugurth after that he was a lytel growen vp to age was myghty in strength comely and fayre of face but moost of all excellente of wyt wysedome Nor he gaue nat hym selfe to be corrupte with lust nor incraftye slouthe but as is the custome maner of the people of Numidi hymselfe he exercised somtyme in rydyng somtime in castyng the dart iustyng somtyme in ronnyng wrestlynge with his companyons of lyke age And nat with standyng that in laud and prayse he passed al his peres yet none enuied hym but he was derely beloued cheryshed lauded of al men Moreouer he passed moche of his tyme in huntynge of wyld bestes which in that land habounded he was the firste or one amonge the firste which durst assaile and stryke the lyon and other cruell and wylde bestes he dyde moche lytel sayd or bosted of hymselfe For suche demeanour his vncle Micipsa at first begynnynge was gladde and ioyefull supposynge that in tyme to come the manly behauour strength of Iugurth shuld be glory honour to al his kyngdome But afterwarde in processe of tyme whan he cōsydred vnderstode his lyfe approchinge fast to ende hys naturall sonnes yonge and vnexperte And this yonge man Iugurth in honour and fauour dayly encreasing more and more
he reueyled many thynges in minde greatly moued with such solicitude and busenesse Forthermore he consydred that all men of kynde be naturally inclyned to desyre to rule and commaunde by lordeshyppe rather than to be ruled and subiecte And howe man is proue and hedlyng inclined to fulfyll the desyers of his mynde dredynge no daungers nor suspectynge no peryl while he is excecate by ambicion and desyre of lordship Moreouer aduisyng the oportunite of his owne age of the age of his chyldren whiche for youth were not able to resyst any power or violence which oportunite is wonte to be not small confort audacite and courage not onelye to bolde hertes but also to meane men and cowardes intendyng to conspyre agaynst theyr princes in hope of praye and promocions Suche consyderacyons feared sore the mynde of Micipsa besyde these hys drede and doloure was augmented whan he behelde the fauoure and hertes of all his subiectes of the lande of Numidy vtterly inclyned to Iugurth wherefore to put to death the same Iugurth by anye gyle as hys purpose was to to he dreade moost of all dowtynge leste thereof myght succede bytwene hym and hys subiectes some insurrexion or battayle Micipsa compased on euery syde wyth these dyfficultyes was soore troubled in mind And whā he saw the nother by strēgth nor gyle he might destroy a man so well beloued of the commens as was Iugurth at last he deuised an other waye to ryde hym and that without daunger or suspeccion wherfore wherfore Micipsa aduertynge that Iugurth was redy of hande to strike auenterous moche desyrous of honour and laude of chiualry he concluded with himselfe to obiect hym to daunger peryl of war and by that meane to assay the fortune of batayle ¶ Now at the same seasō the Romains warred against a cite of Hispayne named Numaunce vnto which war diuers kinges to the commens associate sent vnto them succours agaynst the same cite Among whom Micipsa also sent a fayre companye of horsmen and fotemen ouer whome he made Iugurth captaine and sent hym forth wyth them into Hispayne trustynge that there he lyghtlye shulde be ouerthrowen and slayne in batayle other in shewynge his manhod and strength or els by fyersnes and crueltye of his enemyes But this thynge fortuned moche contrary to his opinion For Iugurth was of mynde and courage valiaunt and bolde and of wytte quicke and redye so that after he had parceyued the disposision behauour and maners of Publius Scipio at that tyme captayne of the Romains and whā he had consydred also the maners of his ennemyes he behaued hymselfe in such wise with moch labour besines and cure in obeynge his captayne with so good maner and often tymes countryng his enemies without dred of perill In somoch that within shorte tyme he came to so great fame and worshyppe that vnto the Romayns he was marueylous dere and well beloued and of the Numantines dreade as deth and certaynly among the chefyst he was worthy and valiaunte in batayle and also good of counsell of wysedome pregnaunt and circumspect Whiche two thinges be muche harde to be in one man both togyder for wysedome is often wonte to make men aferde and to drede many peryls because of prouidence But boldnes and audacite causeth men to be rasshe and folehardy bycause of stout courage But his wysedome directed his strength and his strengthe was obediente to wysdome Wherfore Scipio the captaine dyd almost euery ieopardous and whyghty thing by hande and counsell of Iugurth hym countynge among his chefe frendes and daily cherysshed him more and more and no marueyle for there was no counsell nor interprise begone of Iugurth frustrate or in vayne but all came to good effect Besyde these gyftes aboue sayd he was curtes of mynde lyberal and of wyt right discreate and prudent by which giftes he adioyned vnto hym many of the Romayns in familier frendshype At that same season in the army of Rome were ryghte many newe and also auncient gentylmen whiche sette more by riches than goodnes or honeste At home in Rome were they sowers of dyscord and debatful great in fame among the frendes of the Romains But more famous by worshyppe and rowme than by honest conuersacion These kyndled the mynde of Iugurth nat a lytell-promising often tymes and sayenge to set his corage on fyre that if the kyng Micipsa discessed the time shulde come that Iugurth alone shulde enioye the hole kyngdome of Numidy wythout any partiner For in hym they sayde was greate vertue greate manhode strength and audacite wyth wisedome able to gouerne suche a kyngdō and nothing was so iniust and false but that might be iustified at Rome for gold and all thynges were there to be sold by couetyse of noble men ¶ Howe Publius Scipio counselled Iugurth at his departyng after the cyte of Numance was dystroyed The thyrde Chapter THus contynued Iugurth in the Romains army in Hispayne wyth greate fauoure of the Romains and namely of Scipio the captaine tyll at last the army of Rome had distroyed the sayde citie of Numance Thā Publius Scipio cōcluded to retourne agayne to Rome and to congye and lycence suche socours as were sente vnto him from other kynges amonge all other he called Iugurth vnto him and before the multitude of all the army assembled lauded and commended him magnificently recitynge his glorious actes and manly dedes of chyualry And after that worthely and rychelye rewarded hym for his labours This done he conueied hym into the captains tente and there secretly warned hym that he shuld continue and worshyp the frindeship of the people of Rome rather hole togyder and comenly thā priuatly leanyng to any singuler rulers Moreouer addynge these monicions that he shulde nat rather rewarde and be liberall to a fewe priuatly than to a hole commente sayeng that it was a perillous thyng to bye that of a fewe persons whiche belonge vnto many in commen If he wolde perseuer and continue in so noble condicions as he had begon he shulde shortely come to greate honour glory and dignite royall more than he wolde desyre But if he wolde procede and labour to ascende ouer hastely than shulde both he and his ryches fall heedlynge to ruyne and decaye After Scipio had sayd these wordes with suche like he licensed Iugurth to depart and sent him vnto his vncle Mycipsa againe into the lande of Numidy wyth letters directe vnto the same kynge Micipsa of whiche letters the tenure and sentence hereafter ensueth and was suche ¶ The sentence of the letter dyrect from Publius Scipio captaine of the Romayne army in Hyspayne vnto Micipsa kynge of Numidy The fourthe Chapter PVblius Scipio Captaine of the Romayne army in Hispayne sendeth helth and salutacion to Micipsa kynge of Numidy frende felowe of the empire of Rome The vertue strength and noblenes of your neuewe Iugurth whome ye sent vnto our socours hathe bene proued in this warre of Numance ferre excellent aboue any other warriour of our
of the place Anone as the Numidians had foūde him they slewe him without any mecri And as they were commaunded cutte of his hed brought the same to Iugurth but shortly after the fame of this cruell tyrannous dede was diuulgate ouer spred all the landes of Affrike Adherball and all they whiche were vnder subieccion of Micipsa whyle he lyued were sore troubled and abasshed with fere for this tyrannous crueltie of Iugurth The Numidians anone duyded themselfe into two parties The moost part drewe and leaned to Adherball but suche as were most manly and best to batayle drew them to the other parte and leaned to Iugurth Wherfore he made redy as great an armie as he myght ioininge vnto him and bringing vnder his subieccion the townes and cities of Numidi some by violence some other by theyr owne volūtary will Insomoch that finally he kept vnder his subieccion and bondage the hole lande of Numidy But notwithstanding that Adherbal had sent embassadours to Rome to certify the senatours of the deth of his brother how cowardly he was murdred also to informe thē of his own miserable fortune in what case he was neuer thelesse he made himselfe redy to fyght with Iugurth as he which had trust confidence in multitude of his souldyours assembled redy to batayle ¶ Howe Iugurth ouercame Adherball in battayl and putte hym to flyght howe Adherball fledde to Rome to complayne to the senatours and howe Iugurth accloyed wyth rewardes many of the rulers of Rome by whose fauour hys crueltie was defended The .ix. Chapter NOwe had Iugurth assembled hys hoost redy vnto batayle not lyke in multitude of the company of Adharbal but as I sayd before moche bolder better experte and exercised in warre On the other partie Adherball had his people redy apointed both the armyes approched togider But whan they ioyned batayle whan it came to byckerynge that the matter must be tryed with strokes Anone Adherball was vanquished and to saue his life fledde from the batayle into a prouince marchynge on the land of Numidi from thens with all hast sped him vnto Rome to complayne his miserable fortune to requyre socours as I shall after warde declare But thā Iugurth whē he had al the land of Numidy at his pleasure counselled with his frendes of many thinges At conclusion whan he considred himself that he had slaine Hiempsall and chased Adherball out of his kingdome whan he was ydle at rest he oftē secretly reuolued in mynd his owne crueltie sore dredyng what punisshmēt the Romains wold ordeine agaynst the same Nor against the ire displeasure of the Romains had he none other hope nor conforte saue in the couetyse of the noble men of Rome and in thabundaunce of his treasoure wherwith he trusted to corrupte the rulers of Rome to be fauorable to him This consydred within fewe dayes after he sent to Rome embassadours with moche golde siluer to whome he gaue in commaundement that first of al they shuld satisfy his olde frendes with rewardes and money and thā to spare no gyftes to get vnto him mo new frendes And brefely that they shulde not spare nor tary to procure vnto him fauourers mainteiners of his part and all thinges for his auauntage by giftes promisses But after these embassadours were come to Rome according to the cōmaundement of theyr king they gaue sent to his acquayntaunce and frendes and to suche as among the senatours at that time had most authorite large and great rewardes In somoche that anone among thē was so great a chaunge that the maruelous enuy hatred euyl wil which they had agaynst Iugurth was al chaunged into fauour grace among the noble men Of whome some wer so induced by gyftes receyued some other by hope of brybes in tyme to come that they went about among the senatours from one to one labourynge intreatyng that at that season nothyng shuld be extremely nor greuously determined against Iugurth Thus after the embassadours of Iugurth hadde confidence and trust ynough in theyr cause they laboured to haue a day apointed to apere in courte The day of apearaunce was graunted as wel to them as to Adherball to Adherball as playntife and to the embassadours as defendentes for Iugurth whan the daye assigned was come bothe the parties appered in courte before the senatours than after audience graunted Adherball began to speke vnder forme folowynge for complainte and declaracion of his iniuries and oppression ¶ Here insueth the oration of Adherball deuysed in forme deliberatiue in whiche he exhorteth the senatours to commaunde socours and ayde to be assigned vnto hym prouynge the same to be profytable honest and easy to the Romaines to do profitable that he myght continue a frende vnto the empyre of Rome honest for his father and graunfather hadde so deserued easy to be done for the Romains at that tyme had no other warre els where The .x. Chapter MOost discrete chosen fathers and noble senatours Micipsa my father at houre of his deth commaunded me that I shulde thinke nought els of the land of Numidie to apertaine to me saue onely the rule and admynistracion of the same affirmynge that the title of possession and empire of the same belonged to you and to the people of Rome Moreouer he gaue me in commaūdemente to do my deuoure to be vnto you seruisable aboue all thinges both in place and warre And that I shulde count you vnto me in place of kynsmen and nerest frendes of alyaunce Saienge that if I so dyd thā by your amite and frendshyppe I shuld fynde socoure riches and defence of the kyngdome of Numidy and of me and myne all tymes of nede whiche preceptes of my father whyle I caste in mynde to obserue sodaynlye Iugurthe the moost cruell and cursed of all men whome the grounde susteyneth dyspisynge youre empyre hathe dryuen me frome youre kyngdome and frome all my other goodes of fortune nothynge regardynge that I am neuewe of Massiniss◠and by myne auncestry a felowe and frende of the empyre and people of Roome But certaynlye worthye and chosen fathers sythe I am come to that myserye that necessytye constrayneth me to desyre youre ayde and succoures I wolde moche rather that I myghte call for youre helpe for myne owne merytes agaynste you doone than for the merytes of my forefathers and that by suche meanes of myne owne deseruynge youre benefytes and socours were due vnto me whiche wolde God that I neded not at all but yf this youre socoures myghte soo of you be desyred by my merytes and deseruynge than shulde I call boldlye to you and vse youre socours of duetye as myne auncestrye haue doone in tymes passed But nowe sythe it is soo that honeste lyfe and innocencye in thys worlde fyndeth lytell surenesse by theim selfe wythoute protection of some other Moreouer syth it was not in my power to mitigate nor to withstande this tyrannous iniurye
of Affrike which was subiect to thempire of Rome Whan Albinus the consull was arryued and come thyder his mynd ardently was kyndled with desyre to pursue Iugurth and to remedy the yl wyll and displeasure which the commens at Rome had against Aulus his brother Neuertheles whan he knewe the maners and yll behauour of the soudyours of whome some were fled treyterously to Iugurth as is sayd before and some by sufferaunce of theyr captayne were infected and corrupted with ouermuch pleasure dissolute liberty and voluptuous lyuing this consydring he concluded as the case requyred to do nothyng for a season and to attempte no maistry but to passe forth the wynter with his army without remouynge or puttyng himselfe in ieopardy or paryll ¶ In the meane season whyle Albinus and his army soiourned in the prouince of Affrike tyl the wynter wer ouerpassed At Rome was one named Caius Manlius elect and lymitted protectoure of the commen people whiche anone after he was set in authorite assembled the commens and desyred and counsayled them that inquisicion might be made of all such whose supportacion and counsel Jugurth had dyspised and set at nought the ordinauÌ„ces decreed of the Senatours And against them whiche had restored agayne to Iugurth the elyphantes which Iugurth had delyuerd to Calphurnius at the first composicion and apoyntment whiche was made with him And also agaynst them whiche had receyued any money or other rewarde of Iugurth whyle they were embassadours or captains of armies ageynst him send forth by the Romayns And finally the same inquisicion also was extended against all such as had made any pactions apointmentes or promises of peace or of warre with enemyes of thempire without general consent of the Senatours or commens ¶ Whan this inquire was moued many of the Senatours and noble men of Rome knewe them selfe culpable in the forsaide articles And other some douted sore of peryls for to come because of the yll wyll and malice whiche the partye of the commens confederate had againste them Wherfore syth the same noble men might not well resyste the examinacion of these artycles openlye but of necessitye they muste agree thereto eyther elles knoweledge them selfe by theyr resystence gyltie in the same thâ—rfore they prepared impedimeÌ„t priuely agaynst suche inquisicions by theyr frendes but specially by the felowes of thempire which were confederate wyth the Romaynes as Italyans and Latinians The princes of these nacions and suche other like gaue counsell to the senatours whiche were not fauty in the premisses and also to the commenty that in such a troublous besy and peryllous season no suche examinatioÌ„s shulde be made nor procede forwarde to effect for drede of many inconueniences whiche of the same myght rise bytwene the noble men and the coÌ„mens But this not wythstandynge it is a merueylous thynge and in maner incredible to speke of how besy and diligent the coÌ„mens were to haue the same inquisicion to procede and to be brought to effect and that rather for hatred which they had agaynst the noble men against whom the said inquisicion was ordayned than for any good wyll or fauour whiche they had to the commen wele So great pleasure desire of variance was among theÌ„ Wherfore while the remenant of the noble meÌ„ were sore troubled with fere and dred Marcus Scaurus whiche was before sent into Affrike with Calphurnius as I haue sayd prouyded for hym selfe in craftye maner as I shall nowe declare Whyle the commentie was merye and ioyeouse of thys examinacion and manye of the companye of Scaurus that knewe theim selfe faultye fled for feare And the hole cytie was in muche dreede and Manlius obtayned his peticion and wyll of the commentye In so muche that anone were ordayned thre noble menne commissioners to examine the three articles before rehearsed and here insuynge of whom the fyrste was of theim whyche counselled Jugurthe to dispise the decreis of the senatours and that toke money or rewardes of hym The second was of them that sold agayne to Iugurth the foresayde elyphantes and the Numidiens that leste Iugurth commynge on the Romayns sayde And the thyrde examination was of them whiche had made any appointmente of peace or warre wyth the enemies of Rome as was Iugurth But not withstanding that Calphurnius was culpable in the same asmoche as any other of the noble men Neuerthelesse he shyfted so for hymselfe that he was electe to be one of the examinours or commyssioners to make inquisicion of these thre pointes rehersed The inquisicion proceded to effecte was handled and put in execucion with moche violence and sharpely after the commen rumour and pleasure of the commenty Thus the people seynge theyr pleasure fulfylled at tyme beganne to bee proud and stately therof in lykewyse as the estates had ben in foretyme of theyr power and lordshyp But here wyll I make a small dygression for my purpose and tel wherof this variance and discorde bytwene the commens noble men first proceded ¶ Wherof the discord and takynge of partyes betwene the noble men and commens of Rome had fyrst begynnyng The .xxvii. Chapter THis maner of deuisyon of the commente from the estates of Rome This discorde and takyng of parties bytwene them and this inordinate custom of al other inconuenyences began among them but a fewe yeres before this tyme by meane of ouer muche reste and ydlenes by superfluous habundance of richesse voluptuosite and of other worldely delectacions which many counte and repute for most chiefe pleasures of this lyfe For before the dystruction of Carthage the Senatours and commenty of Rome treated and gouerned the commen we le bytwene them peasably in loue and concorde So that among the citezins was no stryfe nor debate for laud excellence for diginte nor for great dominion The drede whiche they had of their enemis made them ware and kepte them in good maners causyng them to gouerne their citye with good and vertues institutes without variance without robbery without oppression without slaughter nor other lyke cruell tyrannies But whan Carthage was ouercome anone was expulsed fere from theyr myndes and voluptuosite wantonnes and pride which ar greatly loued in welth and prosperitye anone entred their myndes so that they desyred peace whan they had warre But whan the warre was ended and that they had peace and ydlenes after theyr owne desyre theyr peace and rest was more sharp more bytter more intollerable and more perillous to them than the war was before For the estates bgan to tourn theyr dignite and worshyp into immoderate affection of great lordshyppe and dominacion And the commen people began to tourne theyr libertie into lust and pleasure Euery man prouyded and drewe to hymselfe robbynge and reauynge without measure from the coÌ„men wele Thus was the commentie abstract and deuyded from the lordes So was the citye deuyded into .ii. partes And the coÌ„men weale which was in the myddes bytwene them on euery side was pylled robbed and vtterly wasted
wyll in his enterpryse Also he spake often in blaming Metellus and proudly coÌ„mending and exalting him selfe to the marchantes of Rome of whom was great resorte and concours to the sayd citye of Vtica where Marius soiourned And ofteÌ„ tymes he boasted saying to them that if the one halfe of the armye were graunted and committed to hym within fewe dayes he woulde so behaue hym selfe that he wolde haue Iugurthe in bondes and subieccion Furthermore he sayde to them in auauncinge him selfe that Metellus proloÌ„ged the bataile for the nonce for a craft because he was a man pompous and desirous of glory and worshyp vtterly reioysing in authoritie and geuen to pryde and affeccion of dygnitie and because he knew well that whyle the batayle continued he shulde be reputed in maner as a kyng therfore he dyd hys deuoyre the more to prolonge the warre to the ende that in the meane tyme he myghte exalte and magnifie hym selfe The wordes of Marius semed to the sayd marchantes certayne and trewe and also as they thoughte by suche informacion moste expediente to the common weale that some newe captayne were chosen whiche shortely wolde fynyshe that warre For by longe continuance of the same warre many of the sayde marchauntes hadde wasted and spente muche of their sayde substaunce and rychesse And also to suche desyrefull myndes as they had nothing could to faste be hasted or brought to end ¶ Moreouer at thys season was in companye of the Romayne armye a certeine Numidian named Gauda whiche was sonne of Manastaball and neuewe vnto Massinissa Micipsa in his testameÌ„t ordeined that this Gauda shuld be second heire of Numidi after the death of his two sonnes and of Iugurthe This Gauda was sore enfebled wyth diseases and sickenes and for that cause his mynd was a lytle endulled and priuate of reason and memorie While this Gauda as sayd is was in the Romains army he required of Metellus to suffer hym to haue his seate and siege next vnto hym after the vse of kynges of Numidye Also after that because of defence and garde of his body he desired that a company of souldiours of the Romayns myght be graunted and assigned to hym But Metellus extremely denyed both his peticions saying for the firste that suche honour longed only to them whom the Romaines toke and named for kynges And also for the second peticion he sayd that it were vnaduised and iniurious ordinance if the Romaine souldiours were geueÌ„ or assigned to the garde and seruice of a Numidian which was no kyng but a souldiour lyke many mo hyred for stipend Whyle Gauda was displeased and angry wyth Metellus for denying of these his peticions Marius came to hym and prouoked hym to reuenge the displeasure and iniurye whiche the captayne hadde done to hym with hys helpe and auauncement This Gauda as I haue sayd before was feble and vnstable minde and the mannes wytte was of lytle valour by meanes of diseases whyche long hadde holden hym Wherefore Marius wyth hys elegante fayre and flatteryng wordes at his owne pleasure induced hym and exalted hys mynde sayinge that he was a kynge and an excellente and great man and also neuewe to the worthy and noble kyng Massinissa Wherfore sayd he yf Iugurth wer eyther slayne or taken prisoner it were lickely to come to that poynt that the kyngdome of Numidi shulde be assigned and commytted to him of the Senatours without any tary or resystence whiche thynge shulde shortely be brought to passe yf Marius himselfe were creat consull in place of Metellus and than assigned to execute finyshe the warre with Iugurth Vnder this maner Marius couÌ„selled and induced bothe the said Gauda the Romayne knyghtes the commen souldyours and also the marchauntes and occupyers whiche were in the towne at that season with many other whoÌ„ he impelled with his wordes so that some of them for loue whiche they had to Marius And other some for great hope and desyre whiche they had to haue peace and concorde wrote to Rome to their to kynsmen and frendes of the bataile of Numidy and that very sharpely agaynst Metellus desyring and beseching them to labour at Rome with all their myght that Marius might be elect consul assigned to erecte the warre of Numidi And thus at Rome was the consulshyp desyred by many men with great fauour and very honest peticioÌ„s for Marius Also at that tyme had the said Marius this auauntage For the coÌ„mentie at that season deposed many of the states and exalted suche as were newe gentelmen after the lawe of one named Manlius whiche before had ben protectour of the commentie This Manlius ordeyned inacted a lawe that if any thing were vngoodly done and against right of the states beynge in any office or dignitie than he whiche so had done shuld be deposed of his office and in his place some newe gentyll or actyue man of the coÌ„mentie sette and deputed and so exalted This lawe in those daies was kepte in effecte and executed at Rome wherfore euery thynge proceded prosperousely to the purpose and profite of Marius For as I haue saide before in hym was no noblenesse of auncient lynage nor byrthe ¶ But here wyll I leaue to speake of the ambicion of Marius and retourne to write of Iugurth and howe he behaued hym selfe against Metellus ¶ How Jugurth renewed the warre agaynst Metellus and how the Numidians inhabiters of the towne of Vacca by treason murdred the garnison of the Romayns whych Metellus had set in the same towne The â—l Chapter IN the meane tyme whan Jugurthe hadde brokeÌ„ the composicion which he had before made with Metellus by counsel of Bomilchar had concluded againe to begyn the war theÌ„ anone he prepared al things necessary to warre with great diligence and with great hast he asseÌ„bled an army Moreouer he dayly troubled with thretnings or feare or els with great rewardes suche cities townes as before had forsaken hym and yelded theÌ„ selfe to Metellus So that he spared no pollicye to make them render them selfe againe to hym In suche holdes townes as were in his possession he set garnison and defence of men of war He renewed bought agayne armour and wepen set al other thinges which he had lost before or deliuered to Metellus in hoope of peace He attised to hym many of the Romaine subiects and bondmen by promising to theÌ„ their lybertie He also proued attempted with rewards theÌ„ whom Metellus had set assigned in garnisoÌ„ gard defence of such places as he had wonne in Numidy so that vtterly he suffered nothing to be left quiet or vnassayed but by all maner meanes made prouysion for him selfe mouyng and puttyng in profe euery thinge But among al other thinhabitantes of the citie called Vacca in which Metellus at beginning had set his garnisoÌ„ whan Jugurth first sought his peace of Metellus were desired often of Jugurthe and with great and importune instance exited to treason In somuche that at
namely bycause the place is called the Phylen auters me thynketh it requisyte to declare the cause of that denominacion For this place of our hystorie so requireth ¶ What tyme the Carthaginēses had in possession and wer lordes ouer the moost part of Affryke at the same season the Cirenenses also were great and famous of name and abundant of welth riches Than betwene the costes of these two cities was a great and large feld all ouer spred with sande without diuision perticion or difference But bytwene them was neyther flod nor mountayne whiche myght discerne the boundes and marches of bothe their coostes whiche thyng caused cōtinuall and longe warre often and great batayls bytwene bothe parties But after that manye armies on both sydes were ouercome slayne or put to flight bothe by land by sea and whan bothe people had somewhat wasted the one the other by spoylyng and murder than began they to perceiue their owne foly on both partes fearing lest some other nacion anone after shuld assaile them both the ouercommers and them that were ouer come when they were wasted and weried wyth batails and brought to extremitie Wherfore this cōsidred they toke truce bytwene them both and to auoide that longe variaunce betwene them they made agremente and couenant that messengers or embassadours of bothe parties shulde depart out of their cities at one certaine day and houre assigned And that same place wher the messengers of both the cities shuld meete together shuld be for euer after taken for the bowndes marches of the contrey of both the nacions and cities without more cōtencion or variance To bryng this apointment to effect and cōclusion forth of the citie of Cyren were chosen .ij. for their parte and send forth at the daye and houre appointed And in lykewyse out of Charthage were sende two brethern named Phelen which swyftely sped them in their iourney But the Cirenenses wente much more slowely whether it so fortuned by negligence or chaunce I know but lytle the truth But this is knowen for certayne that aboute those costes tempeste of wynd wether is wonte to let men and prolonge their iourney in lykewyse as vpon the sea and that for this cause For whan by those euen places wyde and bare without any thyng growyng on them the wynd ryseth and styrreth the small sand from the ground the same sande moued by greate violence of the wynde is wonte to fyll the faces mouthes and eyes of such as passe that waye with dust and sande And thus often by lettyng of their sight their iournay is prolonged hyndred But after whan the Cyrenenses sawe themselfe some what ouer slowe and late in their iourney they fered punishemēt at their retournynge home for their negligēce And blamynge they accused the Carthaginenses obiectyng and saying that they had come forth of their citye before the tyme assigned and thus they troubled al the mater and brake the ordynance But shortly to speke these Cirenenses concluded rather to suffre death and to do any thynge possible than to retourne home again ouercome Wherfore the Carthaginenses desired some other condicion or apointment to be made indifferēt and equal bytwene both the parties The Cirenenses consented therto and put the Carthaginenses in choyse whyther they wolde be quicke buryed in that same place whiche they desired for their marches boūdes or els that the Cirenenses vnder the same condicion shuld procede forward to that place whiche they desyred for their marches and there to be quicke buryed vnder the same maner The .ii. bretherne both named Phelene alowed and graunted the condicion subduyng and abandonyng their bodyes to death for the profet and we le of their contrey and cite of Carthage and so were they buryed quicke Wherfore the Carthaginenses in the same place where they were buryed raysed and halowed .ii. auters in worshyp and remembrance of these two brethern whiche set more by encrese of their contrey than by their owne liues These auters to this present day be called the Phylene auters after the name of the .ii. brethern named Phylenis ther vnder buryed as sayd is for wele of their contrey Also besyde this memorial within the cite of Carthage were many other thyngs ordained to the great honour of thē and remembrance of theyr worthy dede ¶ But now I wyll leaue this matter and returne to my purpose ¶ How Iugurth assembled a new army of the rude Getulians agaynst the Romayns and how he associated to hym Bocchus kynge of the Mauriens to strength hym in batayle agaynst Metellus The .xlvii. Chapter WHan Iugurth had loste the citie of Thala one of the strongest cities of his land as sayd is before then he considered wel that in al his kyngdome was no place stronge ynough to resyst the myght of Metellus Wherfore he hasted hym with a small cōpany through deserts great wyldernesses flying from his owne contrey And at last he came to the land of Getulia which is a maner of people rude wyld and wythout order or maners at that season naught knowing of the preeminent honor fame of the Romain empire Of thys people Iugurth assembled a multitude together and by lytle lytle enduced taughte them by costume exercise to folowe the order of chiualry to kepe araye to insue their standerds to obaye the cōmaundements of their captaines to decerne haue knowledge of the signifiyng of the soundes of trūpettes to obserue al other pointes belōging to warfare chiualry These thinges with other lyke necessary to bataile Iugurthe ceassed not to prepare and ordaine with all diligence ¶ Moreouer he prouoked to hys fauour feloweshyp by great rewardes and much greater promises such as wer most nere frindes to Bocchus kyng of the Mauriens by whose help he hym selfe went to kyng Bocchus desired hym in his quarel with hym to warre ageinst the Romains To which request of Iugurth Bocchus agreed so much the more for as muche as at the first beginninge of the same warre this Bocchus sente vnto Rome embassadours to desire of the Romains amitie and a bond of continuall peace betwene him and them But notwithstanding that this peticion and peace was muche expedient and necessary to the Romains for dyuerse consideracions and namely because of this war Not the lesse it was not graunted by me me of a fewe such as at Rome blynded with auarice wer wont to sel for money euery thinge both honest dishonest Also before this time the doughter of Iugurth was spoused to the sayd Bocchus But this bond of friendshyp or affinitie amonge the Numidiens Mauriens is reputed but of lytel or none effecte because they are wont euery mā to haue diuers mani wiues according to their substance riches Some .x. and some mo after as they ar of abilitie or power to meinteine But the kinges because they are of most power substance therfore they haue mo than other Thus is their
suffred none of these to pay any thinge at all but elect many of them for his souldyours Manye of the Romaines surmysed that Marius elected vnto warre these abiect persons for want of other good souldyours Some other demed that he so dyd for fauoure ambicion and parcialite bycause this sort of people assisted and honoured hym by auauncement at beginning of his promocion And also men coÌ„sidred that vnâ—o a man desyrous of dignitie and power the most nedy men be most mete and behouable For suche nedy wretches he moost auenturous for they haue nought to lose and alway trust in auauncement by auenturinge theÌ„selfe And therfore they iudge euery thinge whiche they do good honest and laudable if any auantage be therto appendant Thus dout they no peryll so that they may come therby to promocion At last Marius departed from Rome with somwhat gretter nombre than was graunted and decreed to him of the senatours Within fewe dayes after that he toke shyppyng arriued in the prouâ—nce next vnto Affrike vnder the Romains at a towne named Vtica The army whiche was there with Metellus was deliuered to him by one Publius Rutilius which was embassadour with the said Metellus For Metellus himself fled the sight of Marius bâ— cause he wolde not se that with his eyes which he coude not endure to here But whan Marius had restored and fulfylled the legions of his souldyors and the cohortes for the subsidyes and rescous Than went he into a plentifull place of Numidy whiche was full of prayes Al that he toke there he gaue frely in rewarde to his souldyours This done he assayled suche castels and townes which wer but febly defended with men and walles He had many batayls lyght skyrmishes and many other thinges he dyd in other place not with much difficultie In the meane time the newe souldiours were redy manly fighting without fere seyng that they which fled wer other taken or slayne therfore they aduysed them wel that the strongest boldest was most sure of all They considred wel that it stode them in hande to defende with wepyn and armour their libertie their countrey their frendes and all other thynges longing to their helth and honour Thus laboured they for glorie laude and riches which they optained so that within short season the olde souldiours and the newe encreased together cherishynge and infourmynge one an other tyl their vertue and boldnes was like But whan the two kinges Iugurth and Bocchus vnderstode of the comminge of Marius they deuyded their hoostes and went in sonder into dyuers places where no man coude attayne to them for difficultie of the places This was done by counsell of Iugurth For it pleased him so to do trustinge that within shorte space the Romaines wolde be spred abrode in spoilinge and than thought he to assayle them in euery place whan they were moost without fear at libertie at large and vnprouided as men ar want to be specially whan their ennemies behaueth them as if they were affraied Than often be the victours improuident and lesse circumspect ¶ Howe Metellus the olde consull retourned to Roome and of the worthy and valyaunte behaueour of Maryuâ— agaynste Iugurth and of hys greate actes at his begynnyng The .lii. Chapter IN the meane time Metellus returned to Rome which contrary to his opinion was receyued wyth gladde myndes of the Romains and after that the enuy whiche Marius had moued agaynste hym was asswaged and ouerpassed he was lyke dere and beloued bothe to the commens and Senatours ¶ But Marius on his parte applyed and toke heede to his owne busines and his enemies also without slouth but with great wisedome He perceiued well and knew what was good and yll for auantage on both sides He caused the waies iourneis of the two kinges to be daily searched and espied He preuented interrupted their counsels prouisions and guiles He suffered nothyng to be vnprouided and vnredie on his side but on the other syde and party of his enemies he suffered nothing to be sure or prouided for alwaie he preuented their prouisions pursued them Often while Iugurth and the Getulians spoiled the Numidiens which had yelded them selfe to the Romaines Marius was redie in their way and valiantly assayled them ouerthrewe many of theÌ„ while they were dispersed abroade and flying away for feare And also not farre frome the towne of Cirtha he made Iugurth hym selfe so trust in his flighte that for hast to ren awaie he left his armour behind hym But whan Marius considered that his actes were only glorious and excellent without any auantage and that he might not execute bataile with Iugurth for his vnstedfastnes and mouinge from place to place he considered in minde and ordeined hym redy to besiege the cities of the contreys one after another And namelye suche as eyther of men or of place were necessarie and behouable to his enemies and contrarye or hurtefull to hym Thys dyd he thynkynge that if Iugurthe wythoute disturbaunce suffered hym so to do he shulde eyther be spoyled and bereft of hys cities ordinaunce socoures and refuge or els he must abide the fortune of batail striue for the mastry in plaine field Bocchus the kinge of the Mauriens had often sende messengers before vnto Marius saying that he wold gladly come into fauour amyte and frendship of the Romains and bydding Marius not to dout him as an ennemy nor to fear any thing longing to an enemy to be coÌ„mitted of him ageinst the Romains It is but lytel knowen for trueth whether Bocchus fained this thing to the intent that his comming to batayle vnknowen and vnproued myght be to Marius more greuous or els whether he was wont by vnstablenes of mynd to change peace somtime for warre and somtime war for peace But Marius the consul as he had purposed before dru him vnto the castels and townes whiche were walled and defended and fiersly assailed theÌ„ Anone he tourned many of them from his ennemies to him some by strength violence some by feare and other some by promising and giueng of rewardes and prodicion of their captains But at first beginning he medled but with meane castels and townes thinking that Iugurth shulde come to defende and socour his people townes so come into danger of the Romains But whan Marius herde that Iugurth was far thens and occupied in other besinesses than thought he not to lose his time but to auenture on gretter thynges wherin was more harde besinesse and laboure and honoure Wherfore he entended to besiege the cite of Capsa which was a greate cite stronge and riche ¶ How Marius wan the greate and ryche Citye named Capsa and howe he vtterly destroyed the same and gaue all the ryches thereof to hauock◠〈◊〉 his souldiours The .liii. Chapter AMong the most widest thickest wyldernesses of Numidy was this great ryche cite named Capsa whiche as men say was first bylded by that Hercules whiche was
borne in the lande of Libya and not by Hercules the sonne of Iupiter Alcumena Thinhabitours of this citie were ruled by Iugurthe peasably and easely put to no charges nor besinesse and therfore were they moost true and faythful to him They were defeneded againste al ennemies not onely with walles armour and men but also with much strōger defence of the difficultie and hardnesse of the place and contrey nere about them So that it was in maner impossible that any army could come nere thē for wante of water and scarcite of vitels For except the feldes and place nere to the citie all the other be voyde and wast grounde desart without habitacion vneyred barayne and drie withoute water All full of serpentes whiche were somuche more violent and fiers for lacke of meat and sustenance as al other wilde beastes be wont to inrage for honger And moreouer the myscheuous and perilous nature of serpentes is more kindled to raging and vexed with thyrst thā with any other thing which thyrst they coude not quenche ther for wante of water Wherfore neyther man nor beast myght surely passe by thē Whan Marius cast al these difficulties in his mind his hert was persed with a merueylous desyre to wyn this cite both for that it was muche hurtful to him and profitable to Iugurth and also bycause it was herde to do and muche honour myght be gotten in wynninge therof And moreouer bycause Metellus the other consull before him had won the cite of Thala with great honour and glory whiche of sytuacion was not valyke to this cyte neyther vnlyke in defence Saue that not far from the walles of Thala were a fewe fontaynes but about this citye of Capsa was no water wel no◠fontayne saue one and that was within the wals of the citie alway ful of water All other whiche dwelled with out the walles as in the suburbes occupyed but rayne water The inhabitantes of that contrey and of all the remenant of Affrike whiche were far from the see and rude people coude muche the better endure this scarsite of water and thirst for this cause For the moost part of them were fed with milke and venyson not loking after salte sauces nor other suche thinges as be norishinges or prouocatiues to glotony They toke meate drinke onely to slake their hunger and to quenche their thirst and not without measure to prouoke themselfe to pleasure of the fleshe as many christen men do nowe in our dayes which make of their bely their god And eate not to liue but they liue to eate contrary to mannes life and vtterly encline to bestialite O cursed glotony let vs christen men lerne here of panyms to eschewe thee which wastest the body and goodes damnest the soule and art mother and norice of all vices But to retourne to my purpose this Marius after that he had serched euery thynge by his espyes he proceded in his interprise and purpose as men thought holpen of the goddes For agaynst so many and hard difficulties he coude not haue made sure prouision by counsel of man nor by his owne priuate wyt as he which had impediment and was letted not onely by sharpnes of the cōtrey but also by lacke and scarcite of wheat and of al other corne For the Numidiens intendeth more to norishe pasture for beastes than to labour or eire the grounde for corne And also they had brought together all the seed and corne of the yere before into strong holdes as their kynge Iugurth had commaūded them and moreouer at that season the feldes on euery syde were drye and bare without corne and no maruell For it was about the extremite or later ende of somer Not withstandyng all these difficulties and sharpnesses Marius made prouision ynough as the mater required First he commytted all the bestes whiche he had taken in pray in foretyme vnto the horsemen whiche of their owne wyl folowed hym to war or were sende to hym for helpe by frendes of thempire Marius commaunded thē to take charge to driue forth these beastes Than sent he Aulus Maulius embassadour of the hoost to a towne named Laris and all the cohortes of his souldyours with hym which were fotemen and lyght harnysed for to kepe the treasour of the souldyours wages and vitayles whiche he had lefte in the same towne Marius kept his counsel of this interprise so secrete that none of all his company hye nor low knewe of his purpose nor what he intended But whan Manlius and his company shuld depart toward Laris Marius dissimuled wyth them sayenge that he woulde stray abrode in Numidye in rouynge and afterwarde within few dayes he and his company wold come also to the same towne of Laris laded with prayes of his enemies This done he departed towarde a flod named Tana no creature liuely knowyng of his purpose And euery day he distribued in his iournayes amonge his hoost .xlii. heed of oxen for vitayle which he commaunded to be deuided by euyn porcion amonge them by hunders and halfe hunders together deuidynge vitayls to euery company after their nombre And in the meane season he charged bottels and bowges to the hydes of the same beaste and of other ledder in gerate nombre Moreouer he eased their scarcitie of wheate and other corne by wyse prouision And withoute knoweledge of al his company he made good prouision of euery thing whiche myghte be necessary vnto his armye in tyme of nede At conclusion the syxte daie after whan they were come to the saide floud of Thana thither was brought a myghtye multitude of bottels and bowges made of leather There pitched they theyr tentes with easye labour and smal defence Than refreshed they them selfe with meate and drinke and eased them a certeine space This done Marius cōmaunded them that euery man shulde be ready to procede forward euen with the sūne goynge downe and that euerye man shulde onely lade hym selfe and his beastes with water in the sayd bowges and bottels leauing al other cariage burthens and baggage there behynde them in their tentes vnder the custody of other souldiours therto assigned After thys whan he saw his tyme he departed forth from his tentes with his company and labored all the nyght longe in hys iourney The day after folowyng he rested in a secrete and couerte place In the same wyse behaued he hym selfe the night next insuing and in the third night muche before the day lyghte he entred into a faire and large fielde full of small hylles and downes no more but two myle space frome Capsa And there he taried with all his hoste in the moste priuiest maner abidyng the daye light But assone as the day light began to appear many Numidiens issued forth of the towne some to disport them selfe and some about their busines nothinge fearinge nor suspecting of their enemies Whan Marius sawe that anone with al hast he sent his horse men to the towne and with them as many fotemen in
vnder the same for his defence and so approched to the walles And bothe he and his company whiche were nere about him valiantly assailed the castel and also other of his company which stode a far of and coude not come nere the walles for prease assailed the castel fiersly from a far sore vexed and put in feare their enemies within the castel throwyng against thē plumettes of leed with slinges arowes dartes al other maner engyus of batayle wherwith any thynge coude strongely be throwen into the castel But the Numidiens within the castel had often before this time ouerturned and brent the tentes pauases of the Romains toke therby so great audacite boldnes that they defended not themself within the castel walles but walked vp downe without the castel walles bothe day and night reuiling and reprouinge the Romayns and obiectyng cowardyse agaynste Marius And thretnynge that his souldyours shuld be made subiectes and bonde me to Iugurthe in tyme to come whome they purposed at that tyme to make bonde to them Thus whyle they thought themselfe sure and their matter in good case they were harde and egar ynough reuylinge thretnynge the Romayns In the meane space whyle the Romains and their ennemies were besyest fighting withall their myght the Romains for laude glorie and lordshyp and the Numidiens for their helth and sauing of their liues Anone sodenly the lumbard with his company which were within the castel on the backsede blew their trumpettes First of all the women and children whiche went to the walles to se the bykeringe were al abashed and fled inwarde to the castel and after them al the souldiours which were without and nerest to the walles and coude escape in And finally they all bothe armed and vnarmed fled inward Whan the Romains sawe this they assayled the castel more fiersly some they slew and ouerthrew some they wounded ouerpassing or standyng vpon the bodyes of them whiche were slayne Al their desyre was with their handes to wyn glorie and worshyp They stryued to ascende vnto the walles euery man couetyng to be before other None of them al taryed nor was let with spoylinge nor prayes Their great courage suffred them not to loke there after tyl by manhode and strength they had won the castel Thus was fortune fauorable to Marius so that his first negligence vnwise boldnes to assaile a castel inexpugnable was tourned by chance from rebuke to glorie and laud such was his fortune But whan Marius had won his castel after estimacion of man not able to be won than was he lorde of the moost part of al the treasour of Iugurth the castel was gyuen all to murder and hauocke And the souldiours of Marius richely rewarded euery man after his desert ¶ How in the meane tyme while this castle was in wynnyng a noble man of Rome named Lucius Sylla came from Rome to Marius with a gret bende of horsemen and of the maners and behaueour of thys Sylla The .lv. Chapter IN meane tyme while this fiers assault victory was cōcluded at this castel a famous lorde of Rome named Lucius Sylla tresourer of the army came frō Rome to Marius with a great bend of horsmen Whom the same Marius at his departing from Rome had left there to raise assēble socour to the war among the Italiens other nacions frēdes louers of thēpire of rome ¶ But forasmuche as the matter moueth vs to make mēcion of so worthy a man of his disposiciō maners therfore it semth me cōuenient in this part somwhat to write of his behauoure and conuersacion and that as brefely as I may conueniently namely for two causes The first for that I intende not to make relacion of his behauour and maner in any other place of his cronycle saue here Secondly for asmuch as none other authour hath written sufficiently of hym For howe beit that one historiograph named Lucius Sisenna wrote most dyligently and best of his actes of any other before neuertheles me semeth that he spake lytel acordyng to truth nor indyfferently For his tong nor pen were not at lyeberte for asmuche as he was somwhat in danger to that said Sylla wherbi he was prohibited to say or to write acording to the trueth For what by fauour and what by fere he durst not touche plainly the vices which were in him But here I purpose al fauour fere laid a part indifferenly to write of him ¶ This Sylla of progeny was descended of most noble stocke of the Romains How be it the name of hys auncestrie was almost lost and decayed by dulnes negligence and slouth of some of his lynage In greke and laten he was of lyke connynge and excellently seene in both the langages his mynde was greate and bolde of corage Of voluptuous pleasures he was desirous but much more desirous of glory and laude In vacant leasure he was much enclined to the lustes of his body But such pleasure or voluptuousnes dyd neuer let nor wyth holde hym from any busines or occupacion necessarye how be it such pleasure blynded hym that he toke no wife of birth manars and honesty conuenient for his estate He was muche eloquent of speche crafty and subtyll ynough He had the wayes easely to get frendshyp and it was also no maistry to get frēdshyp of him in faining dissimulyng countrefaytinge of besynesses his wytte was very hye and excellent He was a marueylous and incredyble gyuer of many thinges but specially of money and before the warre and victory whiche the noble men of Rome had agaynst the commen people He was so noble worthy reputed that it is in maner incredible nor his good fortune neuer passed the policy of his wyt in somuch that many men wer in dout whyther he was more fortunate than stronge But after the victory of this warre so vngoodly was his demeanour so cruel that verily I knowe not whyther I may more be ashamed or greued to write or to speke therof For after that this warre of Numidy was ended and bothe Marius and this Sylla were retourned to Rome a greate discorde fel bytwene the lordes and commens Marius toke part with the commons but Sylla toke with the lordes at last droue Marius forthe of the citie After that an other man of great power called Cynna whiche had ben fyue tymes consul of Rome gathered an hoost of men toke parte with Marius agaynst this Sylla But at conclusion Sylla ouercame hym in bataile and slewe him After this Sylla cruelly murdred an other noble man of Rome named Caius Carbo and with hym yonge Marius sone of this Marius whiche warred in Numidi Last of al whan this Sylla had won victory ouer Marius and his fauourers than became he most cruel of al other in somuch that he fylled al the citie with blod of the citezins But here wyl I leaue to speke farther of this Sylla or of his behauour in
and inuaded Iugurth his company compasinge them about on euery side Without great labour al the company of Iugurth were murdred he himselfe taken and bounde hand and fote so deliuered vnto Sylla which without tary led him forth and deliuered him vnto Marius whose hert was replenyshed and inuironed with ioye inestimable ¶ How Marius was receiued into Rome with tryumphe how Iugurth was caste into pryson where he contynued in myserable captiuitie tyl he dyed The .lxvii. Chapter AFfter that Iugurth thus bouÌ„de was deliuered by Bocchus to Sylla thaÌ„ to Marius anone all the Numidians submitted yelded theÌ„selfe to the Romayns Marius with great wisedome set an order amonge the people and garnyshed fortified the townes and with the remenaunt of his army toke hys iourney againe to Rome leadinge Iugurth his two sonnes bound with hym with innumerable other prisoners great treasure oliphaÌ„tes armour whych he had won in the war of Iugurth But after the tydinges were brought to Rome how the war was ended in Numidy how Iugurth was led thitherward bound prisoner anone the Senate coÌ„mons assembled to counsel and Marius was creat coÌ„sul againe for the next yere in his absence And by decre and ordinaunce the prouince of Fraunce was committed to hym to be recouered ¶ For the same tyme whyle Marius warred in Numidy and toke Iugurth prisoner that contrey of Fraunce whose people that tyme wer named Cimbrians rebelled against thempire of Rome Against whom the Romains send forth to represse their rebellion a greate army with .ii. captaines one named Q. Scipio the other M. Manlius which at laste with froward fortune had a great greuous batail with the same frenchmeÌ„ Cimbrians in which both these Romaine capteines were ouercome twise lost the field Of the Romaine men of war wer slaine .lxxx. M of tylmen pages xl thousaÌ„d Thus was this batel foughteÌ„ with so yl fortune to the Romains that the citie of Rome al the contrey of Italy treÌ„bled for feare thereof In so much that both the Romains which liued at that tyme al their progenie which succeded them counted al other nacions ready to their obeisance to wyn honor by theÌ„ but thei thought neuer to coÌ„tend in batel with this nacion of FrenchmeÌ„ to wyn glory honour by theÌ„ but rather to defende theÌ„ selfe and their libertie which thinge if they myghte do they counted theÌ„ selfe fortunate Wherfore as I haue before recounted the Senate coÌ„mons of Rome decreed this prouince of Fraunce to Marius for to reuenge the death of their men and to recouer the contrey ¶ But to our purpose whan Marius shuld enter into Rome he was ioyfully receiued with great glory triumphe wherof the order was suche Marius him selfe was set on hye in a goldeÌ„ chaire which was drawen of foure white palfreis Iugurth his two sonnes wyth many other noble men whoÌ„ he brought captiue froÌ„ Numidi proceded before his chariot their handes armes bound as prisoners Farther for more ample osteÌ„tacion of his glory to declare how much he had enriched the coÌ„mon weale of Rome al the elephants armour iewels tresure riches which he had wonne in Numidy of Iugurth were led borne before hym ThaÌ„ al the Senatours all the officers noble men of Rome with an vnmesurable multitude of coÌ„mons receiued hym with al honour and ioye conueyed him to the principal palace of Rome named the Capitol wher he made sacrifice with a bull to Iupiter for his victory after the custume of that tyme. His sacrifice ended then was he conuaied to the Senate house in his robe triumphall as neuer coÌ„sul was brought before his tyme. Marius was receiued at Rome with such triumphe at the kalendes of Ianuary From thens forth al the hope of coÌ„fort healthe socoure wealthe of Rome rested in Marius ¶ Iugurth was cast in prison wher he ended his wretched lyfe in miserable captiuitie and manifolde calamities as to such a murderer vnnaturall and tyranne inhumaine was conuenient FINIS ¶ Thus endeth the famouse Cronicle of the warre whyche the Romaynes had against Iugurth vsurper of the kyngedome of Numydie whiche Cronicle is compyled in laten by the renowmed Romayne Saluste And translated into Englishe by syr Alexander Barkeley prieste at commaundemente of the ryghte hyghe and myghty Prince Thomas duke of Northfolke And imprinted at London in Foster lane by Ihon Waley Ill gotten goodes Likenes of maners Feare foloweth misdoers The â—ower of Decemuiri Catiline openeth hymselfe to the Senate Competitor is he that desireth lyke office Catiline prepareth al thinges for warre The court was tâ—e place where the Senatours late Hydde hatered He calleth the coÌ„spiratours falcarios for as wyth sâ—â—hes they purposed wyth the sword and fyre to ouercome at the cytie Sleynge his fyrste wiues son Than and there it was not leful to bere a weapon Thy dagger .i. thine enterprise Gladiatores were men that foughte with swordes vnarmed Fortitude valyaunte courage fering nothinge but shame maÌ„fully beatynge and sufferynge prosperite aduersite Wallettes were lyke arrowes whyche were caste burnynge InuocacioÌ„ A ciuile garland of oken leues was vsed to be geueÌ„ to him that had saued a citizen in batayle Violence of conscience A man proscripted was in case that the fyrste that mete him might laufully sle hym