thy good fortunes together The storme of a new warre falling vpon Tigranes and my vnprosperous estate if thou shalt ballance them truely will serue for a most speciall incouragement For he being offended will entertaine Aliance as thou wilt fortune to me after the losse of many things hath giuen the benefit of aduising well and that which is to be wished for of men that flourish I being the weakest represent an example by which thou mayest compose thy affaires more orderly For this hath beene the onely and ancient cause with the Romanes of warring with Nations Kings and People the profound desire of rule and riches out of which they first ingaged warre with Philip King of the Macedonians Whilst they were pressed by the Carthaginians counterfeiting friendship with a guile they diuerted Antiochus comming to his succours by the intire graunt of Asia And forthwith after Philip Antiochus was despoiled of all the territory on this side Taurus and of ten thousand talents Then Perses the Sonne of Philip being receyued into protection by the Samothracian gods after many and various conflicts they being cunning and inuenters of the trecherie killed him sleeping because they had granted him life by compromise Eâ—â—menes of whose friendship they gloriously vaunt at first they betrayed to Antiochus as the price of peace Afterwards they made Attalus being Gardian onely of a captiued Country from a King to become the miserablest of slaues by the taxes and contumelies layd vpon him and an impious testament being forged they led his Sonne Aristonicus in triumph after a hostill manner because he sought his Fathers Kingdome They haue besieged Asia finally Nicomedes being dead they haue surprized all Bithynia when as the sonne of Nusa whom they called Queene was borne without all doubt For what should I name my selfe whom being disioyned euery where by Kingdomes and Tetrarchies from their Empire because the report was that I was rich and would not serue they prouoked with warre by Nicomedes not altogether ignorant of their villany as hauing giuen test of those things which happened afterwards that onely amongst all men the Cretensians and King Ptolomie were free at that season But I reuenging my wrongs expelled Nicomedes out of Bithynia and recouered Asia the spoile of King Antiochus and freed Greece from a grieuous seruitude My proceedings Archelaus the basest of my seruants hindred by betraying my Army and they whom cowardice or mischieuous cunning restrained from Armes thinking that they should be safe-garded by my labours suffer now most cruell punishments Ptolomie for a price delayes the day of warre The Cretensians assaulted once already are to expect no end but ruine Truely when I was informed that by reason of their owne intestine miseries warre was rather deferred then peace granted Tigranes condescending who approues my words too late thou being farre remoued and all others obnoxious for all this I vndertooke the warre againe and defeated Marcus Cotta Generall of the Romanes at Chalcedon in a Land-battell at Sea I despoiled him of a most goodly Fleet. Staying at the siege of Cicicus with a great Army corne failed no man all about bringing reliefe withall the winter debarred the benefit of the Sea Thus being constrained without the enemies force to returne into my natiue Kingdome I lost with wrackes at Para and Heraclea the best of my Souldiers together with my Fleetes Afterwards my Army being reinforced at Cabira and sundry battels passing betwixt me and Lucullus want inuaded both of vs againe He had for reliefe the Kingdome of Ariobarzuris not touched as yet by the warre I all the Regions adiacent being wasted came into Armenia and the Romanes following not me but their custome of subuerting all Kingdomes because in those fastnesses they restrained the multitude from fight they account Tigranes imprudence for a victory Now I pray consider whether after our conquest thou canst thinke thy selfe more firme for resistance or that the warre will be at an end I know for certaine that thou art abundantly stored with men Armes and money and for this cause thou art desired by vs for the society of the warre by them for a prey Besides it is the counsell of Tigranes his Kingdome being intire to finish the warre with little labour farre from home by the bodies of our well experienced Souldiers since we can neither vanquish nor be vanquished without thy danger Are you ignorant that the Romanes after the Ocean had limited their Conquests to the westward conuerted their Armes hither and that they had nothing froÌ„ the beginning which was their own not so much as their houses wiues fields nor Empire they were in times past a medley of strangers without Countrie without Parents created for the plague of the world whom not humane nor diuine Lawes can restraine but that they will force and ruine their friends and Alies whether liuing neere or remote poore or powerfull and all that are not their vassalls but specially Kingdomes they esteeme for enemies For few desire liberty the greatest part iust Masters we are suspected for emulatours and auengers in future time But thou who hast Seleucia the greatest of Citties and the Kingdom of Persia renowned for riches what dost thou expect from them but deceit for the present and warre afterwards The Romanes are armed against all men but most fiercely against those who being conquered can yeeld the greatest spoiles by daring and deceiuing and by raising warres out of warres they are growne mighty By this course they will ruine all or perish the last of which is not difficult if thou from Mesopotamia we from Armenia surround their Army wanting corne wanting aydes Fortune is as yet intire through our defaults And this fame will follow thee vndertaking the succour of mighty Kings that thou hast suppressed the robbers of the Nations Which thing we warne perswade thee to doe and that thou wouldest not with our destruction inlarge their onely Empire rather then by our Aliance to be the Conqerour Collections out of the fifth booke of SALVSTS Historicall Fragments The Oration of Ca. Cotta the Consull to the people MAny dangers O ye Romanes haue happened to me both at home and abroad many calamities some of which I haue suffered others I haue repelled by the ayde of the gods and my owne vertue in all which neither my minde was wanting to my businesse nor labour to my resolutions Aduerse and prosperous affaires changed wealth not my wit But contrariwise in these miseries all things haue forsaken me besides old age greeuous in it selfe doth redouble my care to whom being wretched it is not lawfull in these my last yeeres to hope for an honest death For if I am a Paricide of you and being borne for you haue vilified my houshold gods my Country and this most glorious Empire what torment is sufficient for me in my life or what punishment after death when with my wickednesse I haue exceeded all the punishments mentioned in hell From my first youth I
the warre haue more reason to incourage you then my speech for my selfe vse me as your Generall or Fellow-souldier neither my body nor mind shall faile you These things as I conceiue I shall be able to performe by your coassistance in the time of my Consul-ship except my iudgement deceiues me and that you had rather serue then command After the Conspiratours had heard this discourse those whose wants were most abundant but whose fortunes and hopes were quite forlorne although the disturbance of the publcke peace seemed to them a sufficient reward yet did they for the most part require that Catiline would propose the conditions of the war as also what rewards they should haue for their seruice what aydes and hopes they were to expect Vpon this motion Catiline promiseth them new Lawes proscriptions of the Rich Magistracies Priest-hoods spoiles and all other priuiledges which war and the Conquerours insolency are wont to inflict Moreouer he tells them that Piso was in the hether Spaine and that Pub. Sitius Nucerinus was in Mauritania with an Army both of them being partakers of his Counsell That Ca. Antonius also did sue for the CoÌ„sull-ship whom he did desire to haue for his Colleague as being a man of his familiar acquaintance and one likewise pressed with all kind of necessities with him being Consull he meant to open the beginning of this enterprise Besides he inueyes with scandalous speeches against the good Patriots praiseth euery man by name of his owne Confederates hee doth admonish one of his wants another of his desires some of the danger and disgrace diuers others of Sillaes victorie who by the aduantage thereof had got much pillage After this when he had obserued a generall alacrity in their spirits he exhortes them to be carefull of his request and so dismisseth the assembly CHAP. 8. Catiline ministreth an oath to his Confederates Curius bewrayes the Conspiracie to his Concubine Fulura THere liued some in those times who reported that Catiline hauing finished his speech when he rendred thâ— oath to the partakers of his Conspiracie that he ministred to them round bowles of wine brewed with humane blood And when all of them had carrowsed of it with execrations according to the custome of solemne Sacrifices he reuealed the depth of his Counsels and to this end they say he did it that being conscious alike of one anothers ingagements in so great a crime they might be more faithfull amongst themselues yet many men thought these and sundry others reports to be purposely fained by them who thought to extenuate the enuy which was afterwards raised against Cicero by aggrauating the hainousnesse of their offence who had formerly suffered for it But in regard of the difficultie wee know no certaintie of this matter There was one Qu. Curius of this Conspiracie a man of no obscure parentage but otherwise debauched with all kind of lewdnesse and villany whom the Censours in regard of the scandall had remoued out of the Senate This man had no lesse vanity then boldnesse he could not be silent of what he heard nor conceale his owne delinquencies Neither was he regardfull of what he said or did There had beene an ancient League of whoredome betwixt him and Fuluia a noble Dame vnto whom when he was lesse welcome then before because his pouerty disinabled his bounty he presently vaunting of him selfe began to promise her seas and mountaines Then he menaced her with his drawne sword to make her yeeld vnto his pleasure and finally vsed her with more insolency then hee was formerly wont to doe But Fuluia hauing drawne the knowledge of the cause from the insolent demeanour of Curius would not conceale from the State such a dangerous secret but the Authour being vnmentioned she disclosed to diuers what particulars she had heard and after what manner concerning the Conspiracie of Catiline This occasion first wrought the mindes of men to conferre the Consular dignity on Mar. Tul. Cicero For before the greatest part of the Nobility did swell with enuy against him and thought that the honour of the Consul-ship would bee blemished if a new vpstart although well deseruing shold be inuested in the dignitie But danger making his approch iniustice pride became disrespected Wherevpon the assembly for the election being met Mar. Tullius and Ca. Antonius were declared Consuls which Act did vnioynt the Confederates designes yet was not Catilines fury any thing remitted but euery day he meditated new mischiefes he disposed armes throughout Italy in conuenient places he conueyed money taken vp vpon his owne or his friends credit to one Manlius at Fesulae who afterwards proued a principall party in the rebellion He is said to haue wrought about this season men of all conditions to his faction yea and some women also who in the prime of their youth hauing made large profit by prostituting their bodies afterwards when their age had put a period to their lucre but not to their luxury were deepely ingaged in other mens debts By these she-Agents Catâ—line was confident to procure the Romane slaues to fire the Citie to drawâ— their husbands into the Conspiracy or otherwise to murther them In this list there was one Sempronia who had often committed many masculine exploits this woman was fortunate in her birth beauty husband and children she was learned in the Greek and Latine languages she could sing and dance more elegantly then was fitting for a modest matrone she had sundrie other qualities which serued as instruments for her luxurie But vnto her all things were dearer then the repute of Honour and honestie It were difficult for you to define whether she were more lauish of her coyne or credit so itchingly lustfull that she would oftner court men then stay their courting before this she had dealt perfidiously had abiured her debts had beene conscious of murther and precipitated her selfe into Riot and want yet was not her wit despicable she could compose verses breake iests discourse of any subject whether modest loose or abusiue she was altogether made of mirth and iollity CHAP. 4. Catiline resolues the death of Cicero but is preuented by Fuluiaes intelligence Manlius raiseth a rebellion in Hetruria THese prouisions being made Catiline resolues notwithstanding all opposition to sue for the Consul-ship the next yeere hoping if he were elected that hee should be able to deale with Antonius according to his pleasure Neither was hee quiet in the meane time but sought to intrappe Cicero by all possible meanes who wanted neither fraud nor subtletie to assure himselfe against his plots for from the beginning of his Consullship he had dealt with Fuluia by promising her largely that Qu. Curius of whom we haue spoken before should bewray to him the depth of Catilines Counsels His Colleague Antonius hee had likewise obliged by the exchange of his Prouince that he should not entertaine any thoughts of innouation against the Commonwealth Besides he had Guardes of his friends and Clients attending
so besotted that being forgetfull of Cinnaes mischiefes by whose returne into the Citty all orders and decency were ouerthrowne you will neuerthelesse submit your selues your wiues and children to Lepidus what need is there of decrees what need of Catulus assistance but that he and other good men must vndertake in vaine the charge of the Republicke Doe as you will prouide for your selues the patronages of Cethegus and other Traitours who desire to renew rapines and fierings and to arme their hands against their household gods But if liberty and warres delight you more institute decrees worthy of your name and giue incouragement to valiant men A new Army is at hand and besides the Colonies of the old Souldiers all the Nobility with the ablest Commanders Fortune followes the best men Now those succours which are raised will be dissolued through your negligence Wherefore my censure is this that since Lepidus out of his owne priuate counsell contrarie to the authority of this order leadeth an Army vnto the Citty composed of most wicked men and Enemies to the Common-wealth that Appius Claudius the Interregent with Q. Catulus the Proconsull and others who haue orders for it shall be carefull to gard the Citty and indeuour that the CoÌ„monwealth suffer no detriment Collections out of the second booke of SALVSTS Fragments The magnificent entertainment of Metellus in Spaine BVt Metellus returning after one yeere into the further Spaine is receiued with great honour both of men and women who ran forth to see him from the high wayes and house toppes when as C. Vrbinus the Treasuror and others knowing his minde inuited him to supper they regarded equally the custome of Romanes and men the houses being adorned with Tapistry and Ensignes and with Scaffolds raised for the shew of the Stage-plaiers withall the ground was strowed with Saffron and other Pageants were showne in the forme of a most magnificent Temple Moreouer the Image of victory being let downe with a fixt loupe-window after the counterfeited noise of thunder imposed a Crowne vpon his head then with Frankincense supplications were made to him as to some new-come god An imbroidred gowne was his vsuall garment when he sate downe to eate his bankets were most exquisite neither were they furnished onely out of the whole Prouince but diuers strange kindes of birds and beasts were fetcht out of Mauritania By meanes whereof he somewhat obscured his glory especially amongst the ancient and religious men who thought these courses to bee proud vnsufferable and vnworthy of the Romane Empire Collections out of the third booke of SALVSTS Historicall Fragments The Epistle of Cu. Pompeius to the Senate being necessitated in the Sertorian warre IF against you my Country and houshold gods I had as often vndertooke labours and dangers as from my first youth your mortallest enemies haue beene beaten vnder my conduct and safety hath beene procured for your selues you could determine nothing worse against me being absent then now yee doe O ye Conscript Fathers whom being thrust out contrary to my age into a most cruell warre with a most well deseruing Army you haue as much as lyeth in you consumed with hunger the wretchedst death of all others With this hope did the Roman people send forth their children vnto the warre Are these rewards for wounds and blood so often shed for the Common-wealth Being tyred with writing and sending of Agents I haue spent all my priuate hopes and fortunes when in the meane time for these three yeeres scarce one yeeres meanes hath beene supplied from you By the immortall gods what thinke you can I make good the Office of the Treasury or maintaine an Army without corne and pay Verily I confesse that I went to this warre with more desire then counsell because hauing onely receiued the name of command from you in forty dayes I raised an Army and remoued the enemie lying vpon the neâ—ke of Italy from the Alps into Spain Through them I discouered another passage from that of Hanâ—ibals being more opportune for vs. I recouered Gaule the Pyâ—enaean Lacetanian and Ilergeâ—an Regions and sustained the first assault of conquering Sâ—rtoâ—ius with new Souldiers and â—ewer by farre and spent all the winter in Campe amongst most fierce enemies not in townes nor out of my owne ambitious choice Besides what should I recount batells fought or winter expeditions townes rased oâ— recouered when as deedes are more to bee regarded theâ— words The Enemies Camp surprized at Sucro a battell fought at the Riuer Durius and Caius Herennius one of their chiefe Captaines being subdued together with the Citty of Valentia and his Armie are things sufficiently knowne vnto you For which seruices O yee thankefull Fathers yee requite me with want and famine So that the same condition attends mine and the Enemies Army for pay is giuen to neither Both of them may come victorious into Italy Which I doe admonish and intreate you to consider and that you would not inforce me with necessities to prouide priuately for my selfe The hither Spaine which is not possessed by the enemies we or Sertorius haue quite wasted except the greatest Citties which of themselues are both a charge and burthen to vs. Gaule all this last yeere releeued Metellus Army with pay and Corne and now hauing had an ill haruest she her selfe doth hardly subsist I haue not onely spent my owne estate but credit also You remaine as yet who except you afford succours in despite of me and all my premonitions the Army will march from hence and with it all the warre of Spaine will passe into Italy The Oration of M. Lepidus Tribune of the people vnto the people IF you should not well consider O yee Romanes what difference might be betwixt the gouernment left vnto vs by our Ancestours and this seruitude prepared by Sylla it were requisite for me to discourse at large and shew for what iniuries and how often the armed Commonalty disunited themselues from the Fathers and how they procured Tribunes of the people to vindicate their right That which remaines now is onely to exhort and to goe the direct way by which I thinke liberty may be regained Neither doth it ouerpasse me how great supports of the Nobility I being alone and impotent with the vaine shadow of Magistracy onely must vndertake to remoue from the gouernment and how much more securely the wicked liue then the forelorne innocent But besides the good hope conceiued of you which hath subdued feare it hath beene my resolution that the difficulties of contending in the case of liberty beseeme more a valiant man then not to haue contended at all Although all other Magistrates created for yoâ—r right haue conuerted all their power and commaunds against you induced with fauour hope or rewards and hold it better to offend for hire then to doe well for bare thankes Therefore all are inthralled vnder the tyranny of some few who vnder a military pretence haue vsurped the Treasury Kingdomes Armies and
liued in your eye both a priuate person Magistrate those that would vsed my tongue counsell and money neither did I exercise my eloquence craftily nor my wit mischieuously being most couetous of priuate fauour I vndertooke great quarrells for the Commonwealth who being vanquished together with her when destitute of other helpe I expected farther miseries you O ye Romanes restored againe to me my Country and houshold gods with an exceeding great dignity For which benefits I should not seeme sufficiently thankfull if for them seuerally which I cannot doe I should expend my very soule For life and death are the rights of nature that thou mayest liue without disgrace with thy fellow Citizens thy fame and fortunes being intire that is neither giuen nor taken as a donatiue You haue made vs Consuls O ye Romanes the Common-wealth being much intangled both at home and abroade for the Generalls of Spaine require pay Souldiers Armes and corne and the occasion inforceth it for after the reuolt of our Confederates and the flight of Sertorius ouer the mountaines they can neither come to fight nor prouide necessaries Our Armies in regard of Mithridates great forces are maintained in Asia and Cilicia full of enemies is Macedonia no lesse the maritime regions of Italy and the Prouinces when in the meane time our tributes being small and vncertainely ballanced for the warres scarce sustaine a part of the charges thus we saile with a lesse Fleet then formerly we did for the Conuoy of victuals If these things are contracted by our negligence and fraudulent dealing proceed and take punishment as you will but if the common fortune be in fault wherefore doe you vndertake things vnworthy of your selues of vs and the Commonwealth And I ouer whose age death is impendent doe pray for it if by that you can quit any inconuenience neither can any thing more honest this ingenious body then if it cease to liue for your safety Behold I C. Cotta the Consull am here I doe that which our ancestours haue often done in dangerous warres I vow and abandon my selfe for the Common-wealth the which to whom you may commit bee circumspectiue from hence forwards for no good man will desire that honour when as of the fortune of peace and warre transacted an account is to be giuen or an ignominious death to be suffred Onely reserue this in your mindes that I was not slain for lewdnesse or auarice but for the requitall of your greatest benefits I gaue vp my soule as a free-wil offring Coniured therefore by your selues and the glory of your ancestours O ye Romanes be patient in aduersities and prouide for the Common-wealth much care attends the châ—efest command and many vast labours which you refuse in vaine and seeke the plenty of peace when all Prouinces Kingdomes Seas and Lands are indangered and harraged with the warres SALVSTS ORATIONS The first Oration of the institution of a Common-wealth directed to C. Caesar THe Romane people got formerly Kingdomes and Empires it gaue fortune for a donatiue and other things which are greedily desired by mortals because as if it had beene out of meere lust they were often conferred vpon vnworthy persons neither remained they vncorrupted with any But experience hath taught that to be true which Appius in his verses saith That euery man is a forger of his owne fortune and this is verified especially in thee who hast so farre outgone others that men are first wearied with praising thy deeds then thou art of doing things praise-worthy But vertuous acquisitions like edifices ought to be preserued with very much industry lest they be deformed with negligence or ruined through weakenesse For no man willingly resignes rule to another and although hee bee good and milde who can doe most yet because it is lawfull for him to bee wicked he is feared This happeneth for that many men who are powerfull in authority counsell peruersly and thinke themselues by so much the more fortified by how much those ouer whom they command haue beene the more wicked But this ought to be indeuoured against that thou being vertuous and valiant mayst command ouer the best For euery man that is most lewde with most difficulty suffreth a gouernour But this is more laborious for thee then for all men before thee to settle an estate gotten by Armes Thou hast managed a warre more gentle then the peace of others besides the conquered are Cittizens Amongst these difficulties thou must make an euasion and for euer hereafter the Commonwealth is to be confirmed not by armes onely nor against enemies but which is greater and harder by farre with the profitable Arts of peace Therefore the occasion summons hither all who are much and meanely wise that euery man should aduise the best he can And this seemes so to me that in that manner as thou shalt settle the victory all things will succeed But now that thou mayest dispose this more readily and easily receiue in few words what my minde tells me Thou hast had a warre O Emperour with a famous man of great wealth greedy of rule of greater fortune then wisedome whom some few haue followed being made thy enemies by their owne iniury withall whom affinity or any other aliance hath incited For neither was any man partaker of his domination nor if he could haue suffred it had the whole world beene shaken with warre The rest of the multitude rather out of the vulgar custome then Iudgement followed him one after another as if he had beene the prudenter person About that time some men being possessed with hope by the suggestions of the wicked of vsurping vpon the Common-wealth made thy Campe their place of Concourse hauing first polluted all things with lewdnesse and luxury and openly menaced vnto the peaceable death rapines and finally all outrages which their depraued nature vrged A great part of whom after they saw neither debt to be remitted nor thy selfe to vse Cittizens as thou wouldst enemies shrunke away from thee a few stayd who were likely to haue more security in the Campe then at Rome So egerly did the Creditours pursue them But for the same causes it is incredible to be spoken what great persons and how many departed afterwards vnto Pompey and vsed him all the time of the warre as a sacred and vnuiolated Sanctuary Therefore because peace and warre must be agitated by thee the Conquerour this that thou mayst leaue it ciuilly that that it may be most iust and diâ—â—urnall first of all thinke with thy selfe because thou art to compose them what is best to bee done Verily my opinion is that all tyrannicall gouernments are more grieuous then lasting neither can any man be feared by many but feare from many must reflect on him that kinde of life wageth a continuall and doubtfull warre because thou canst neither be assured from before behind or either side thou must liue alwaies in danger and feare Contrariwise they who with bounty and clemencie haue