CAT: Lesson - Reading Cicero in Latin

Image: an illustration from the 18th century of Cicero, showing "modern" costumes Reading Cicero in Latin

Now that you have read the full case against Catiline, it's time to explore parts of the speech in Latin. Remember, the goal here is to take the context you learned by reading the entire text and applying that to the Latin to make it more readable. Look out for specific rhetorical devices as you read as well. The image of Cicero arguing his case against Catiline to the right was created by James Sayer in the 18th century. The widespread appeal of Cicero's speech is apparent here, as we see the artist has updated the traditional Roman garb to reflect an 18th-century English trial, including the use of wigs for the prosecutor and judge. 

Download Handout

Please download the Cicero: In Catilinam Latin Reading Handout Links to an external site.. Fully complete this handout before continuing in the course. Be sure to contact your instructor for any additional help with the content.

For Your Entertainment

Below you will find a video in which a modern actor performs a part of Cicero's speech against Catiline. We may quibble a bit here and there with some of the choices in his pronunciation (he uses a lot of elided forms that do not fit our typical classical pronunciation standards - but that make for a more pleasant sounding speech), but the overall effect is really valuable.

Note: the video lacks captions, as the English meaning of the speech is displayed on screen as he speaks in Latin. To offset this lack of captions, we have included a transcript of the Latin text below the video.

Video Source: The Prince Sterline (YouTube)

Text of the Speech - Transcribed

[1] I. Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia? Nihilne te nocturnum praesidium Palati, nihil urbis vigiliae, nihil timor populi, nihil concursus bonorum omnium, nihil hic munitissimus habendi senatus locus, nihil horum ora voltusque moverunt? Patere tua consilia non sentis, constrictam iam horum omnium scientia teneri coniurationem tuam non vides? Quid proxima, quid superiore nocte egeris, ubi fueris, quos convocaveris, quid consilii ceperis, quem nostrum ignorare arbitraris? [2] O tempora, o mores! Senatus haec intellegit. Consul videt; hic tamen vivit. Vivit? immo vero etiam in senatum venit, fit publici consilii particeps, notat et designat oculis ad caedem unum quemque nostrum. Nos autem fortes viri satis facere rei publicae videmur, si istius furorem ac tela vitemus. Ad mortem te, Catilina, duci iussu consulis iam pridem oportebat, in te conferri pestem, quam tu in nos [omnes iam diu] machinaris.

[3] An vero vir amplissumus, P. Scipio, pontifex maximus, Ti. Gracchum mediocriter labefactantem statum rei publicae privatus interfecit; Catilinam orbem terrae caede atque incendiis vastare cupientem nos consules perferemus? Nam illa nimis antiqua praetereo, quod C. Servilius Ahala Sp. Maelium novis rebus studentem manu sua occidit. Fuit, fuit ista quondam in hac re publica virtus, ut viri fortes acrioribus suppliciis civem perniciosum quam acerbissimum hostem coercerent. Habemus senatus consultum in te, Catilina, vehemens et grave, non deest rei publicae consilium neque auctoritas huius ordinis; nos, nos, dico aperte, consules desumus.

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