Speeches against Catilina

by Marcus Tullius Cicero

templa atque delubra. See [on 3. 2].

fatale ad perniciem, 'destined to the destruction of,' referring to his belief that he was the third Cornelius who should rule over Rome ([3. 9]). In the second clause 'prope' ('I may almost say') is added because the expression might seem too arrogant without qualification. Cf. [3. 19] 'nisi di immortales prope fata ipsa flexissent.'

[§3].

pro eo ac mereor, 'in proportion to my deserts.' Cf. 'simul ac,' 'aeque ac,' 'aliter ac,' etc.

consulari, 'to one who has been consul,' because no higher honour remained to be won.

misera sapienti. The Stoic philosophy, of which Cicero was an adherent, taught that true happiness consisted in being independent of the external accidents of life.

ille ferreus, 'a man of such iron nature.'

fratris. Q. Cicero, now praetor designatus.

uxor, Terentia; filia, Tullia; filius, Marcus, now two years old.

gener, C. Calpurnius Piso, Tullia's first husband. Not being yet a senator he was not seated in the assembly, but standing with the crowd at the open doors of the temple.