ON THE PUNISHMENT OF THE CATILINE
CONSPIRATORS[1]
(63 B.C.)
Born in 100 B.C., died in 44; Pontifex Maximus in 63; Consul in 60; Triumvir in 60; conquered Gaul, Britain, etc., in 58–51; Master of Italy in 49; defeated Pompey at Pharsalia in 48; Dictator in 48; conducted Egyptian and African campaigns in 48–46; reformed the calendar in 46; made Imperator in 45; assassinated in 44.
It becomes all men, conscript fathers, who deliberate on dubious matters, to be influenced neither by hatred, affection, anger, nor pity. The mind, when such feelings obstruct its view, can not easily see what is right; nor has any human being consulted, at the same moment, his passions and his interest. When the mind is freely exerted, its reasoning is sound; but passion, if it gain possession of it, becomes its tyrant, and reason is powerless.
I could easily mention, conscript fathers, numerous examples of kings and nations, who, swayed by resentment or compassion, have adopted injudicious courses of conduct; but I
- ↑ Delivered in the Roman senate in 63 B.C. Reported by Sallust. Translated by John S. Watson. Of this speech, the only one by Cæsar now extant, Froude says it "was not an imaginary sketch of what Sallust supposed him likely to have said, but the version generally received of what he actually did say, and the most important passages of it are certainly authentic."
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