as his own dignity and the honour of his Ancestors required this his Vote as an Hostage of his perpetual good affection to the State It is to be discerned what difference there is between the vanity of Demagogues and a mind truly popular seeking the safety of the People 10. I see some body of those that would be counted popular absent that they may not pass Sâ—ntence on Roman Citizens in good time The same person both the other day committed Cethegus and P. Lentulus Roman Citizens to prison and voted a Thanksgiving for me and yesterday highly rewarded the Informers Now none can question what he who has voted imprisonment to the Malefactor thanks to the Judge reward to the Informer judges concerning the whole case and business But now C. Caesar conceives The Sempronian Act was made concerning Roman Citizens whereas he that is an Enemy to the State can by no means be a Citizen In a word thatâ— The very Maker of the Sempronian Act by Order of the People was executed for his Treason He too does not think that Lentulus the Prodigal anâ— the great Corrupter of the Peopleâ— having so bitterly and cruelly plotteâ— thâ— subversion of the Stateâ— anâ— the destruction of the City can be called popular Therefore like â— soft and good natured man hâ— sticks not to commit P. Lentulus to everlasting Chains and darkness â— and enacts for the future That no one may vaunt himself in the release â—f his punishment and comâ— to be popular to the ruin of the State â— He further adds The Confiscâ—tion of their Goods that the want aâ—â— beggâ—ry of the body may follow 〈◊〉 the torments of the Soul 11. Wherefore whether you shall conclude upon this you will furnish â—e with a Companion to the Assembly that is beloved and â—aking with the Roman People or if you shall follow that other Vote of Silanus you will easily justifie me and your selves from any aspersion of Cruelty and I shall have it granted that that was far the gentler Cause Although my Lords what Cruelty can there be in punishing the Inhumanity of so great Treason Now I judge as I am sensible of the nature of the fact for so may you and I long enjoy the quiet of the State as my earnestness in this case does not proceed from any bitterness of spirit for who can be milder than I but from a king of singular tenderness and compassionâ— For me thinks I see this City the light of the whole world and the Cittadel of all Nations of a sudden sinking in one Conâ—â—agration I see in my mind my Countrey buried heaps of Citizens miserable and unburied the Look of Cethegus and his rage swaggering in your slaughteâ— passes before my eyes 12. But when I consider Lentulus upon the Throne as himselâ— confessed that he expected by Prophesies this Gabinius his Couâ—tier clad in Purple Catilinâ— come with his Army then â— dread the shrieks of honest Women and the â—light of Virgins and Boys and the haling of Vestal Priestesses now because these things seem to me miserable anâ— pitiful in the Excess therefore I shew my self severe and earnesâ— against those who designed to accomplish them For I put the case if any Master of a Family having had his Children dashed iâ— pieces by his Servant his Wife killed and his House burnt should noâ— inâ—lict a most sore punishment upon the Slave were he to be thought gentle and mercifulâ— or a most inhumane and cruel creature In truth I should think him hard-hearted and senseless that should not ease his own grief and torment with the grief and torment of the Malefactoâ—â— So we towards those men which would murder us ouâ— Wives and our Children who endeavoured to raze the particular House of every one of us and this General Seat of the Eâ—pirâ— who attempted to place the Nation of the Allobroges in the ruins of this City and in the ashes of the Consumed Empire If we shall be most eager we shall be accounted mercifulâ— if we shall be slack we must undergo the infamy of the greatest Cruelâ—yâ— in the destruction of our Countrey and Countreymen 13. Unless perchance L. Caesar a most valiant and well-affected Patriot might be thought the other day by any one somewhat cruel when â—e said his Brother in Law the Husband of his own Sister a most vertuous Lady when he was there presenâ— and in hearing must be put to death when he further said that His Grandfather was slain by the Order of the Consul and his young Soâ— Ambassador from the Father executed in the Prison whose action how far short came it of this What Plot was there laid to confound the Commonâ—wealth A corrupt humor of proâ—useness was then stirring in the State and a kind of stickling for parties Now at that time the Grandfather of this Lentulus an honourable person in Arms pursued Gracchus and then received in his Body a sore hurt that the Majesty of the State might in no point receive abatement This here present to subvert the foundations of the State called in the Gauls raised the Slaves invited Catiline allotted us to be assassinated by Cethegus the other Citizens to be murdered by Gabinius the City to be set a fire by Cassius all Italy to be laid wast and plundered by Catiline You may be timorous I warrant you lest in so barbarous and unnatuâ—al a Treason you may be thought to have passed too severe a Sentence when ye ought much rather to dread least by remissness of punishment you should be rather judged cruel to your Countrey than by severity of Execution too vigorous towards its most bitter Enemies 14. But my Lords I cannot conceal what I hear boldly spoken for words are given out which are come to my ears of some as would seem to fear my having strength enough to put in execution what you shall this day enact All things are provided ready and concluded upon my Lords both by my great care and diligence as also by the far greater forwardness of the Roman People to retain their Empire and preserve their common â—â—rtâ—nes All men of all ranks nay of all ages are here The Market-Place is full all the Avenues of this House and Temple are full For since the foundation of the City this is the onely case has arrived wherein all persons are of one and the same mind excepting those who seeing themselves must perish choose rather to pull down all than to fall alone 15. These men I am willing to exclude and separate for neither do I reckon them in the number of bad Citizens but of most desperate Enemies But the rest now Immortal Gods with what concourse with what earnestness with what courage do they conspire to the common honour and safety What do I mention here the Roman Knights that so render to you in supremacy of Order and Counsel as that in good affections to their Countrey they contend with you whom after many years
from me a kind of almost just Complaint of my Countrey mark I beseech you attentively what I shall say and treasure it up faithfully in your minds and memories For if my Countrey which is far deareâ— to me than my life if all Italy if the whole Common-wealth should speak to me Marcus Tuâ—ly What do you mean Would you suffer him to go forth that you know certainly to be a Rebel that you see will be the General of the War that you are sensible is expected as Chief Captain in the Enemies Camp having been the Contriver of the Treason the Chief of the Conspiracy the Raiser of the Slaves and desperate Citizens that he may be thought not so much let out as set on the Town Will not you command him to be put in Irons to be carried to Execution to be punished with death 28. What I pray hinders Is it the old Custom Nay often in this State Persons out of Commission have put dangerous Citizens to death Or the Laws which have been made about the punishing free Citizens of Rome But never in this State have those who revolted from the Government preserved the Priviledges of Freemen Do you fear the Envy of Posterity Now you fairly requite the People of Rome who has exalted you a Person known for your self onelyâ— without any Commendation of your Ancestors so early to the supream Magistracy through all the degreâ—s of subordinate Offices if for envy or the fear of any danger you neglect the safety of your Countreymen But if there be any fear of Envy is the Censure of Severity and Courage more greatly to be feared than that of Baseness and Cowardise Do you not think when Italy shall be made desolate with War the Cities plundered the Houses a-fire you shall then fall under a flagrant Eny 29. To these most sacred words of the State and the minds of those men which are of the same judgment I shall answer a word Had I my Lords Judged it most expedient for Catiline to be put to death I had not allowed that Sword-Player one hours respite to live For if those most eminenâ— and honourable Patriots were so far from polluting that they rather ennobled themselves with the bloud of Saturninus and the Gracchi and Flaccus and of many others in former times Truly I have no reason to fear least this Murderer of the Citizens being slain any envy should rise against me for the future But if never so much did hang over me yet I was alwayes of this Judgment to think Envy gotten by Vertue to be no Envy but Glory 30. Although there are some in this House who either not seâ— what is imminent or dissemblâ— what they see who have cherish'd the hopes of Catiline with â—eâ—iss Votes and have conâ—irmed â—he rising Conspiracy by not believing it whose Authority many not onely out of malice but of simplicity following had I executed him would have said it had been a cruel and tyrannical Act. Now I understand if he shall arrive whither he intends at the Camp of Manlius no body will be so foolish as not to see it was a Plot no body so bold as not to confess it But if he singly was slain I understand this plague of the State might be a little supprest but not wholly extinguished But if he fly out and carry his party along with him and gather to the same place all other desperate persons from every part gleaned up not only this so ripe a plague of the Common-wealth will be extinguished and rooted out but also the very strings and seeds of all mischief 31. For my Lords this great while are we engaged in the danger and the snare of this Conspiracy But now how it comes to pass I know not the ripeness of all Treasons and old rage and boldness is broke forth in the time of our Consulship Now if this one person shall be taken off we shall be thought perhaps relieved of our cares and fears but the danger will stick close and will be locked up in the bowels and veins of the Common-wealth as often times men in an acute Sickness when they are tossed with heaâ— and feaver if they drink cold water seem at first to be eased then afterwards are more grievously and violently afflicted so this Disease in the Body Politick being abated by his punishment will return more violently if the rest be left alive 32. Wherefore my Lords Let the Malignants fall off let them separate from the honest party let them draw to a head In a word as I have often before said Let them be parted from us with a Wall let them leave plotting against the Consul in his own house investing the Judges Bench surrounding the Senate with their Swords making Fire-balls and Brands to burn the City Lastly let it be written in every ones Fore-head how he stands affected to the State I promise you this my Lords there shall be so great diligence in us Consuls so much authority in you so much courage in the Roman Knights so great consent in the honest party that you may see the whole Plot discovered laid open suppressed and punished by the going out of Catiline 33. With this Prayer after you Catiline wishing It may prove preservation to the State ruin and confusion to your self and destruction to all those who have combined themselves with you in all villany and treason Go your way to an unnatural and rebellious War And thou Oh Juppiter who at the same dedication as the City wert consecrated by Romulus whom we truly style the Stay of this State and Empire repulse him and his Complices from the Altars and other Temples from the Houses and Walls of the City from the life and fortunes of all the Citizens And all the Maligners of the well-affectâ—d Enemies of their Countrey Plunderers of Italy confound them both quick and dead with eternal punishment The Second ORATION Against CATILINE The Argument Catiline having flung out of the Senate went home and there reflecting upon the unsuccessfulness of the Morning attempt upon the Person of the Consul and seeing the City strongly guarded concluded it safest with what forces he could suddenly and secretly carry wit him to gain the Camp of Manlius Wherefore having given Lentulus and Cethegus in charge to strengthen his Faction in the City and at convenient season to put in execution the Results of their former Counsels in order to a general Insurrection when he should draw up with his Army towards the City at Midnight he left Rome with 300 in company The next day being the IX of November Tully calls the People to the Place of Assembly both to justifie to them his challenging Catiline of Conspiracy the day before and to warn them to stand upon their Guard against the Confederates that still remain behind in the Town Gentlemen 1. AT last with much ado have we either expelled or let out or else waited upon L. Catiline of himself going
dissention this day and this Cause joyns to us having reduced them to an agreement and unity with our Order which Conjunction consummated in my Consulship if we shall hold steadily in the Common-wealth I assure you no civil and home-bred mischief shall hereafter accrue to any part of the State I see the Commissioners of the Treasury most courageous persons and also all the Clerks have flocked hither with the like affection to defend the State whom this day having casually drawn to the Treasury I see to be turned from attendance upon their Lot to the Common Safety All the multitude of Freemen assists even of the meanest 16. For who is there to whom these Templesâ— the very face of the City possession of Liberty in a word this very light and this common ground of his Countrey is not both dear and also sweet and delightful It is worth the while my Lords to observe the Factions of the Freedmen who having by their industry purchased the fortâ—ne of the City judge this in truth to be their own Countrey Whereas some boâ—â— here and born in the highest rank have not judged it their Countâ—ey but an Enemiâ—s City But why do I mention men of this rank whom their private fortunes whom the Common State whom lastly that liberty which is most sweet has raised to defend the safety of their Countrey There is no Slave that is but in a tolerable condition of service but dreads but desires to withstand the audaciousness of desperate Citizens but contributes as much as he dares and as much as he can to the common endeavour after safety 17. Wherefore if what hath been said do chance to weigh with any of you that a certain Pimp of Lentulus's bustles about the Shops hoping that the minds of indigent and simple men may be wrought upon with money such a thing indeed was set on foot and attempted but there were none found so much either in fortune miserable or in Principles debauched but desired that very place of his Stall and work and daily earnings but his bare lodging and bed nay but the very idle course of their life to be in safety yea far the greatest part of Shop-keepers or in truth for it should rather be so said that whole Rank is very fond of peace for all their Tools all their day-labour and gain is supported by the populousness of the Towns and cherished by peace whose gain if it be impaired at the Shutting up of their Shops what would become of it at the burning of them 18. Which things being so my Lords you do not want the Guards of the Roman People look to it that ye be not thought wanting to the People of Rome You have a Consul reserved from many dangers and plots and from the midst of death not for his own life but for your safety All â—anks do conspire in mind affection endeavour courage and voice to preserve the State The common Countrey beset with Fire-brands and the Weapons of the unnatural Conspiracy humbly holds forth her hand to you To you comments her self to you the life of all her Citizens to you the Tower and Capitol to you the Altars of the Houshold Gods to you the continual and everlasting Fire of Vesta to you all the Temples and Oratories of the Gods to you the Battlements and Houses of the City Besides this day you must pass judgment upon your own Lives the Breath of your Wives and Children the Fortunes of all your Houses and Healths 11. You have a Leadâ—r regarding you forgetting himself an opportunity not alwayes given You have all Ranks all Men â—ll the Roman People which in a Civil Case we now first behold in one and the same mind Consider how one Night has almost confounded an Empire founded with what Labours A liberty established upon what Valour Fortunes improved and raised by what bounty of the Gods That such a thing may never hereaâ—ter be not onely effected but contrived you must this day provide Nor have I spoken all this to press you who in your affections do almost out-run me but that my voice which ought to be leading in the Government may appear to have discharged the duty of a Consul 20. Now before I come home to my Vote I 'll premise a word concerning my selâ— I see that I have drawn upon my self so great a multitude of Enemies as is the Party of the Conspirators which you perceive to be very great but I judge to be base and weak contemptible and lost But if in any time to come that Party headed by the fury and treachery of any person shall come to be more prevalent than your Honour and that of the State yet I shall never repent my Lords of my Actions and Counsels For Death with which perchance they menace mâ— is appointed for all but so great a praise of life as you by your Acts have honoured me with no one has attained to For ye have voted to all others alwayes Thanks for having well-served but to me alone for having preserv'd the State 21. Let that Scipio be renowned by whose Conduct and Valour Hannibal was obliged to face about into Africa and quit Italy â— Let the other Africanus be adorned with excellent praise who razed two Cities most incensed against this Empire Carthage and Numantia Let Lu. Paâ—luâ— be accounted an extraordinary person whose Chariot the once most puissâ—nt and noble King Perses honoured Let Mâ—rius be in eternal renown who freed Italy â—rom Siege and the fear of Bondage Let Pompey be advanced beyond them all whose actions and gallantries are contained in â—he â—ame Counâ—râ—ys and Bounds as the course of the Sun There will be in truth amidst the praises of these persons some room for our Glory unless perchance it be more to open us Provinces whither we may escape than to look that they that are absent may have a place whiâ—her they may return victorious 22. Although in one point the Condition of a Foreign Victory is better than that oâ— a Domestical one because Ouâ—landish Enemies either are subdued and brought into bondage or reconciled and judge themselves obliged by that favour But they which from the Rank of Citizens depraved by some false Principle are onâ—e turned Enemies to their Counâ—rey when you have put â—hem by their mischievous intentions you can neither by Force restrain nor by any kindness reconcile Wherefore I see I have entred into an implacâ—ble quarrel with revolâ—ed Citizens which yet I have good confidence may be by your and all honest mens assistance and thorow the memory of those greaâ— dangers which shall alwayes stick not onely in this people which has been preserved but also in the discourses and minds of all Nations fairly beaten off from me and mine Nor indeed shall there ever be found any so great power which can infringe and shake the Union that is between you and the Roman Knights and such an harmony of