did approue Catilines vndertakings and this seemes to be done according to custome for alwayes in a Common-wealth those men whose fortunes are low enuy the good magnifie the bad mislike antiquities wish for nouelties and in disdaine of their proper estates they desire a generall alteration feeding themselues securely with troubles and tumults because their pouerty could hardly bee damnified But as for the Plebeians of the City they precipitated themselues into this action through sundry motiues First of all those who most exceeded in lewdnesse and petulancy then those who had shamefully wasted their Patrimonies and lastly all snch whom some notorious offence or outrage had expelled from their owue dwellings the confluence of these repaired to Rome as if it had beene a sinke of receite Besides many others being mindefull of Syllaes victorie because they had seene some common Souldiers made Senatours and others so inriched that in dyet and apparell they liued after a Royall manner hoped to reape such fruites by the victory if that were purchased by their Armes Moreouer the Peazant youth who by the hire of their hands had got their liuings in the fields being allured with the hope of priuate and publicke largesses had preferred the Citties ease before the thriftlesse Country labour These and all others of this kind did feed on the publike calamity It being a matter not much to be wondred at that penurious persons of euill conditions and aspiring mindes should equally neglect themselues and the Common-wealth Moreouer such as had their parents proscribed their goods confiscated and the priuiledge of their liberties intrenched vpon by the rigour of Syllaes victory did attend the euent of this warre with a resolution answerable to the former Againe whosoeuer were of any faction except of the Senatorian did rather desire the trouble then the tranquillity of the State This mischiefe after many forepassed yeeres made his reuerse againe into the Citty For after the Tribunitiall power was restored Cn. Pompeius and M. Crassus being Consuls certaine young men hauing gotten the soueraigne authority whose yeeres and spirits were disposed to violence they began by traducing the Senate to exasperate the common people and then to ingage them further by their large gifts and promises by which popular courses they themselues became renowned and powerfull Against these Innouatours the greatest part of the Nobility opposed themselues with the strongest meanes that they could vnder the pretence of maintaining the Senate but indeed for the support of their owne greatnesse For that I may briefly deliuer the truth whosoeuer in these times disturbed the publicke peace counterfeiting the care of the Common-wealth vnder the fauour of honest names as to be protectours of the peoples priuiledges or aduancers of the Senates authority all of them stroue to inlarge their owne power Neither was there any meane nor modesty in their contentious courses and being victorious they were euer vnmercifull But after that Cn. Pompeius was sent vnto the maritime and Mithridaâ—icke warres the Plebeian faction declined all greatnesse being ingrossed by some few These intrested themselues with Magistracies Prouinces and all other dignities Then they spent their time in security flourishing without any mans disturbance As for the rest they terrified them with their seuerity the meanes by which they thought to rule the people best in this their vsurped Magistracy But as soone as the first hope of innouation presented it selfe the former quarrell inflamed their courages so that if Catiline had beene superiour in the first Battell or had fallen off vpon equall termes for certaine a miserable slaughter and calamity had oppressed the Romane State for those who had vanquished should not long haue inioyed the benefit of the victory but a stronger party would haue extorted from them being weary and wounded their acquired Empire and liberty There were many men besides not listed in the Conspiracy who with the first went forth to Catiline Amongst these there was one A. Fuluius the sonne of a Senator who being fetcht backe as hee was vpon his iourney was slaine by his fathers command CHAP. 12. Lentulus strengthneth his party at Rome Vmbrenus acquaints the Ambassadours of the Allobroges with the plot Sanga gets a draught of it DVring the time of these occurences Lentulus sollicited at Rome either by him-selfe or his Agents according as Catiline had giuen order all those whom for their conditions or fortune he thought fit instruments for his purpose Neither did he deale with the Cittizens alone but with all sorts of men that were seruiceable for the warres To this end hee giues instructions to P. Vmbrenus that he should found the Ambassadours of the Allobroges and draw them if he could into the society of this action thinking that they would easily be perswaded to ioyne as being in priuate and publicke much indebted and besides the nation of the Gaules is by nature in clined to Armes Vmbrenus by reason he had negotiated in Gaule did know and was knowne vnto most of their principall Citizens Therefore as soone as he saw the Ambassadours in the Common-hall hauing made some few demands concerning the State of their Citty and seeming to deplore her wrerched case he began to inquire what end they did expect of these their great greeuances When he perceiued that they complayned by way of reply of the couetousnesse of the Magistrates and blamed the Senate because they could haue no redresse from them and that they expected no remedy for their miseries but by death onely Why then saith he if you will shew your selues men I will put you into a course by which you may shunne all these inconueniences As soone as he had deliuered these words the Allobroges being possest with great hopes importune Vmbrenus to take compassion on them for there was nothing so dreadfull nor difficult but they would vndertake to doe it willingly so that the performance of it would free their Citty from her debts Thence he brings them into the house of D. Brutus as being neere to the Common-hall and by meanes of Sempronia no stranger vnto the plot And Brutus was as then absent from Rome Besides that his speech might carry the more authority he sends for Galinius Hee being present Vmbrenus discloseth the conspiracy at large Hee names the confederates and with them many men of sundry degrees being altogether innocent and this he did to giue further incouragement to the Ambassadours Then he dismisseth them home after they had promised their best assistance But as for the Allobroges they stucke long vpon doubtfull resolutions On the one side stood their debts their inclination to war and the large rewards expected from the victory On the other side they beheld a stronger party safe courses and certaine rewards for vncertaine hopes They pondering these things in their minds the fortune of the Republicke at length preuailed And so they deliuered vnto Q. Fabius Sanga a man whose patronage their Citty much vsed a full draught of the Conspiracy according
Houses Farmes Skutcheons and Pictures more then the Common-wealth if you will retaine those things which you so much imbrace of what condition so euer they be if you will giue full scope to your pleasures rouze vp your selues at length and vndertake for the Republicke Our tributes are not questioned nor the wrongs of our Confederates our liberties and liues are become doubtfull Often haue I spoken at large ye Conscript Fathers in this Assembly and haue frequently complained of the luxury and auarice of our Cittizens for which cause I haue many enemies I that could neuer fauour any offence in my selfe or my owne soule did hardly remit faults to the lust of others But although you meanely regarded my words yet the State stood firme prosperity bore out our negligence But now it is not questioned whether we liue in a good condition or bad neither how great and glorious is the Empire of the Romane people but whether these whatsoeuer they be shall be intirely ours or ours together with our enemies Here will any man name to me lenity and mercy we haue for certaine lost already the proper appellatioÌ„s of things for the donation of other mens goods is termed liberality a mischieuous daring fortitude To such extremities is the State now reduced Well let them be since such are the customes liberall out of their friends fortunes let them be mercifull to the Robbers of the publicke Treasure yet let not them lauishly giue our blood and whilst they spare some few wicked seeke to ruine all good Patriots Well and learnedly hath C. Caesar discoursed not long since in this Assembly concerning life and death as I conceiue thinking those things to be false which are reported of the infernall places that the euill in a Region remote from the good haue loathsome rude filthy and fearefull habitations Therefore hath he censured that their goods should be confiscated that themselues should be kept prisoners in the infranchised Townes forsooth lest being at Rome they might be forcibly freed either by their fellow Conspiratours or by the suborned multitude as though wicked lewd men were onely in the Citty and not throughout all Italy or that boldnesse could not there doe most where the meanes to defend are weakest Vaine therefore is this counsell if he doubt any danger from them but if hee alone feares not in a generall feare by so much the more it conceâ—nes me to be fearefull both for my selfe and you Wherefore when you shall determine of Lentulus and the rest hold it for a certainty that you haue decreed of all the Conspiratours By how much the more you shall be carefull in this by so much their spirits will be the more deiected but if they shall see you to faint neuer so little all of them will forthwith insult with more fiercenesse Doe not thinke that our Ancestours made from a small one this Republicke great by Armes if it were so we should inioy it more flourishing by farre in that wee abound more then they in Allies Cittizens Armour and horses No there were other aduantages which made them great and are wanting to vs industry at home Iustice abroad a Iudgement free in Counsell neither obnoxious to errour or passion In lieu of these we haue entertained luxury and auarice with sordidnesse in the publicke and aboundance in our priuate expences We commend Riches follow sloth there is no distinction made between good and euill men ambition vsurpeth all the rewards of vertue Neither is it strange since all of you for your selues hold your Counsels a part since at home you are slaues to your pleasures here to money or fauour so that wrong is inforced vpon the neglected Common-wealth But these things I omit Cittizens most nobly descended haue conspired to ruine their Country they inuite the Gaules a Nation most aduerse to the Romane name vnto the warre the Captaine of the Rebels with his Army houers ouer your heads you protract time and euen now you doubt what to doe with these Traitours being apprehended within the walls I thinke you pitty them being young men forsooth they haue offended through ambition and therefore you may dismisse them armed But assuredly this meekenesse and mercy if they shall once take Armes will turne to your calamity For certaine the case is dangerous yet you feare it not yes verily nothing more But through sloth and softnesse of spirit expecting one another you make delayes relying belike on the immortall gods who haue preserued this Common-wealth in many and most great daÌ„gers Not by vowes nor womanish prayers the succour of the gods is procured through vigilancy action and good counsell all designes succeed well Whereas you abandon your selues to sloth and idlenesse you implore the gods in vaine they by this are offended and angred Amongst our Predecessours A. Manlius Torquatus in the Gallicke war commanded his son to be slaine because against command he had fought with an enemy and thus this braue young man suffered mortall punishment for his immoderate valour Doe you delaye what you shall decree of these most cruell parricides Perchance their former life mitigates this offence But spare Lentulus dignity if euer he spared his modesty reputation the gods or men pardon the youthfulnesse of Cethegus if this be not the second time that he hath made warre against his Country For of Gabinius Statilius and Ceparius what shall I speake vnto whom if any thing had euer beene respectiue they would neuer haue entertained such counsels against the State Last of all yee Conscript Fathers if indeed there could bee any suffrance of this mischiefe I could well indure that you should be corrected by the euent it selfe but euery where wee are circumuented Catiline with his Army braues vs to our teeth other Traitours are within the walls and in the bosome of the Citty Nothing can be prepared nor counselled with secrecie for which cause the more expedition is to be made wherefore thus I censure That since by the mischieuous counsell of some wicked Cittizens the Common-wealth hath bin brought into the greatest dangers and these men are conuicted by the deposition of Ti. Vulturtius and the Ambassadours of the Allobroges and haue confessed that they intended slaughter fire and other outrages horrid and hainous against their Cittizens and Country that vpon them confessing as men apparantly guilty punishment should be inflicted according to the custome of our Auncestours After Cato was set downe all those who had beene Consuls and a great part of the Senate besides commended his Sentence and euen to the Heauens extoll his vertue some of them blaming others call them dastards Cato is reputed great and excellent CHAP. 17. A digression of the Authour occasioned from the premisses with a true description and comparison of M. Cato and C. Caesar BVt vnto me reading and hearing many things which the Romane people in peace and warre on the land and sea haue atchieued brauely it seemed good to consider what meanes had
tempred command all ioyfull and prosperous euents haue attended them yea their enemies were more iust then to others their owne Citizens But will some say that I am a corrupter of thy victory and too much a wel-wisher of the vanquished forsooth because those things which we and our ancestours haue giuen to forraigne Nations enemies by nature I thinke fit to be granted to Cittizens neither after a barbarous manner would haue murder with murder and blood expiated with blood What hath obliuion defaced those outrages which not long before this warre were obiected against Pompey and Syllaes victory he slew Domitius Carbo Brutus with others besides being not armed neither according to the law of Armes but butchered afterwards being suppliants with the greatest villany that could be the Common-people of Rome in a publicke Village were slaughtered after the manner of Cattell Out alas how clandestine were Cittizens funeralls and how suddaine were their murthers in the bosomes of parents and children with the flight of women and yonglings and the spoile of houses before the victory gotten by thee all was full of rigour and cruelty Vnto which courses the very same men perswade thee and that forsooth was the end of both your quarrels that with mutuall consent iniuries should be done and that the Commonwealth was not recouered but taken by thee And for that cause the ablest and oldest Souldiers of the Army being cashiered contended in Armes some against their brethren and parents others against their children that from the miseries of others they might being the wickedst of all men procure expences for their gluttony and vnsatiable lust and might be the reproaches of the victory by whose debauchments the praise of good men might bee blemished Neither yet doe I thinke that thou doest ouerpasse with what manners and modesty each man demeaned himselfe the victory as yet being doubtfull and how in the administration of the war some of them frequented whores and bankets whose age if it had beene in peacefull times could not without obloquy haue tasted such pleasures Of the warre inough hath beene spoken Of establishing a peace because both thou and all thine deliberate First consider this I beseech thee what that is about which thou consultest thus good and euill men being disseuered thou shalt proceed in the open way to truth I coniecture thus because all things which are borne dye that at what time the fate of dectruction shal approach towards the Citty of Rome that Citizens against Citizens shall ioyne in battell thus they being wearied and bloodlesse will become the prey of some King or Nation Otherwise not the whole world nor all people vnited together can moue or demolish this Empire Therefore the benefits of concord are to be confirmed and the mischiefes of discord are to be remoued This will fall out so if thou shalt take away the licence of expences and rapines not by recalling to the ancient ordinances which long since in this deprauation of manners are made a laughing stocke but if thou shalt perscribe to euery man a limited estate and measure of expences Because this custome is much practized that young men thinke it a most glorious action to consume their owne and other mens goods to deny nothing to their lust or to others crauing They esteeme this to bee vertue and greatnesse of minde shamefastnesse and modesty being reputed cowardice By this meanes their proud mindes being entred into an euill course when as wonted meanes are wanting are spleenefully carried sometimes against Alies then against Cittizens they disturbe affaires that are settled and seeke out new fashions for old Wherefore for euer hereafter the Vsurer is to be remoued that euery man may care for his own This is the true and plaine way to sway the Magistracy for the profit of the people not of the creditour and to shew the greatnesse of spirit in adding not in taking from the Republicke And I know how difficult this will be at first especially with such who thought in the victory to liue more licentiously and freely not more strictly For whose safety if thou shalt prouide rather then for their lust thou shalt settle both them vs and our Alies in a firme peace If the youth shall follow the same studies and Arts certainely thy renowned fame together with the Citty of Rome will be ruined in a short time Finally wisemen for the respect of peace wage warre they sustaine labour for the hope of quietnesse except you confirme this what difference is there to haue vanquished or to be vanquished wherefore coniured by the gods vndertake the Commonwealth passe through all difficulties as thou art accustomed For either thou alone canst heale or farther care is to be omitted by all men Neither doth any man inuoke thee to cruell punishments seuere Iudgemēts by which a City wasted rather then reformed but that thou wouldest restraine the youth from euill Arts wicked desires This indeed wil be clemēcy to haue prouided that Citizens may not be expelled out of their Country vndeseruedly to haue retained them from folly deceiteful pleasures to haue established peace and concord not if thou being obsequious to vices suffring offēces shalt giue way to a present ioy accōpanied with a mischiefe which will forthwith insue And my courage is most of all erected with that which others feare the difficulty of the businesse And for that all Lands and Seas are at once to be composed by thee because such a Spirit as thine cannot touch vpon meane things for thy great care there remaines a great reward Therefore thou must prouide that the Common people corrupted with Largesses and corne publickly giuen may be imployed in affaires proper for themselues and by which they may be with-held from publicke mischiefe that the youth apply themselues to honesty and industry not to expences nor riches This will come to passe thus if thou shalt cut off the vse and reputation of money which is the greatest plague of all others For I my selfe pondering oftentimes in my minde by what meanes men of most renowne had found out greatnesse what things had inlarged people and Nations by Authors of great vndertaking and last of all for what causes most mighty Kingdomes and Empires had beene ruined I found alwaies the same things to be good and euill and that ail the Conquerors contemned riches and that all the conquered desired them Nor otherwise can any man raise vp himselfe and being mortall attaine things diuine except the delights of mony and the body being neglected hee be indulgent to the minde not gratifying a peruerse fauour by flattering or yeelding to concupiscence but exercising himselfe in labour patience wholesome precepts and valiant exploits For to build vp a house or village and to adorne it with Skutcheons Tapistry and other workes and to make all of them a spectacle rather then thy selfe that is not to haue riches for an ornament but for a mans selfe to be a reproach
to them Moreouer they who twice in a day are accustomed to loade their bellies and not to sleepe one night without a whore when as they haue oppressed the soule with seruitude which ought to command That being afterwards growne dull and lame vainely they seeke to exercise it For with imprudence they precipitate both themselues and many things besides But these and many other mischiefes will together end with the reputation of money if nei-Magistracies nor other things to be coueted by the vulgar shall be set to sale Besides prouision must bee made by thee how Italy and the Prouinces may be better secured the meanes whereof is not obscoure For the same men make a generall waste by forsaking their owne houses and by seizing wrongfully on others Withall that warrefare as it hath beene hitherto be not vniust nor vnequall when some serue out thirty payes others not so much as one and that corne which was formerly a reward of slouth it will be conuenient to distribute vnto them throughout the infranchised townes and Colonies when as they shall returne home after the expiration of their stipendary yeeres What things are necessary for the Commonwealth and glorious for thee I haue deliuered in a few words It seemes good to me now to speake something of this that I haue done Most men haue or faine themselues to haue wit inough to censure but to reprehend other mens doings and sayings the disposition of all men is earnestly bent the mouth seemes not sufficiently open nor the tongue prompt which can onely vtter things meditated in the minde To whose interpretation that I am subiect it doth not repent mee it would haue grieued me more to haue kept silence For whether thou shalt proceede in this or any other course surely I shall speake and assist thee to the best of my power That which remaines is to wish that what things shall please thee the immortall gods may approue and suffer them to succeed happily The second Oration of the institution of a Commonwealth to C. Caesar I Know how difficult and dangerous a thing it is to giue counsell to a King or Emperour finally to any man whose power is seated on high because they haue both abundance of counsellers neither can any man be circumspectiue and prudent inough of future euents Besides oftentimes euill counsels succeed more prosperously then good because fortune swayeth most things according to her pleasure But it was my desire from my first youth to vndertake the Commonwealth and in knowing it I tooke much and most speciall care not to that end alone that I might be capable of a magistracy which many haue gotten by euill Arts but that I might take a suruay of the State both at home and abroad and how powerfull shee might bee in Armes men and money Therefore by me as I meditated many things with my selfe this counsell was approued to esteeme my owne reputation and modesty after thy dignity and to hazard any thing so that any glory might accrue to thee from that And this I haue not resolued rashly nor because of thy fortune but for that amongst others I haue found in thee this one Art admirable aboue the rest that thy minde was alwaies greater in aduerse then prosperous fortunes But this amongst other mortals is most remarkable that men are also first wearied with praising and admiring thy munificence then thou art in doing things meriting glory Verily this is my resolution that nothing can be found out so difficult which thou doest not readily apprehend Neither haue I written these things to thee of the Commonwealth which seemed to concerne it because I approued my owne wit and counsell more then was fitting but amongst the labours of warfare amongst battailes victories and gouernment I resolued to admonish thee of ciuill affaires For if this counsell be lodged in thy brest that to vindicate thy selfe from the violence of thy enemies thou wouldst by any meanes opposed against the Consull retaine the fauours of the people thou must harbour thoughts vnworthy of thy vertue But if that spirit be within thee which from the beginning hath disturbed the faction of the Nobility hath restored the Romane Commonalty from a grieuous seruitude vnto liberty in thy Praetourship vnarmed hath broke the Armes of thy enemies at home and abroad hath atchieued so great and such glorious exploites that thy very aduersaries dare nor complaine of any thing but thy greatnesse then heare that which I shall speake of the summe of the Common-wealth which verily thou shalt finde to be true or not farre remoued from truth But because â—n Pompeius either out of his corrupt disposition or that he desired nothing more then that he might hinder thee fell into such an errour that he put weapons into his enemies hands by what meanes hee troubled the Commonwealth by the same thou oughtest to restore it First of all he gaue to a few Senatours the chiefe power of moderating about tributes expences and iudgements the Romane Commonalty whose power was formerly chiefest he left together with vs vnder the same conditions of seruitude Although the iudgements as before were restored to the three orders yet the selfesame factious men sway giue and take away what pleaseth them they circumuent the innocent they aduanceir their owne Fauourites to honour Not villany not scandall or lewdnesse doth hinder them from being capable of Magistracies what is commodious they force they take by violence finally as in a captiued Citty they vse lust and licence for Lawes And verily I should be somewhat grieued if they should exercise a victory gotten by vertue after this their seruile custome But these vnactiue persons all whose force and valour lyes in the tongue mannage insolently a domination thrust into their hands by fortune and anothers cowardice For what other sedition or ciuill dissension hath plucked vp from the roote so many and such illustrious Families or in whose victory euer was the minde so precipitated and immoderate Lu. Sylla vnto whom all things were lawfull in the victory by the Law of warre although he conceiued that the enemies party was fortified by Sulpitius yet some few being slaine he was desirous to retaine the rest with bountie rather then feare But now together with Cato L. Domitius and the rest of that faction forty Senators and many young men of good hope haue beene slaughtered like sacrifices when in the meane time this most mischieuous kinde of people could not be glutted with the blood of so many miserable Citizens not Orphants not Parents in the cloze of their age not the mourning of men the lamentation of women could mollifie their barbarous mindes But doing and speaking worse euery day more then other they went about to remoue some men out of their dignitie others out of the Citty For what should I speake of thee whose contumelie these most slothfull men would exchange for their owne life In regard that domination is not such a pleasure to them