Catilinarian Orations Passage 4

sed cum viderem, ne vobis quidem omnibus etiam tum re probata si illum, ut erat meritus, morte multassem, fore ut eius socios invidia oppressus persequi non possem, rem huc deduxi ut tum palam pugnare possetis cum hostem aperte videretis. quem quidem ego hostem, Quirites , quam vehementer foris esse timendum putem, licet hinc intellegatis, quod etiam illud moleste fero quod ex urbe parum comitatus exierit. Vtinam ille omnis secum suas copias eduxisset! Tongilium mihi eduxit quem amare in praetexta coeperat, Publicium et Minucium quorum aes alienum contractum in popina nullum rei publicae motum adferre poterat: reliquit quos viros, quanto aere alieno, quam valentis, quam nobilis!

But since I saw that, if I punished him with death as he deserved before the facts had been proved even to all of you, I would be so crushed by unpopularity that I could not pursue his associates, I brought matters to this point so that you could fight openly once you plainly saw the enemy. How greatly I think that enemy must be feared outside the city, citizens, you may understand from the fact that I am even distressed that he left with too few companions. If only he had led all his forces out with him! He took Tongilius, whom he had begun to love while the boy still wore the bordered toga, and Publicius and Minucius, whose debts contracted in a tavern could cause no upheaval in the republic. But what men he left behind, with what debts, how powerful and how noble!

Mais je voyais que, si je le punissais de mort comme il l’avait mérité avant même que le fait fût prouvé à vous tous, la haine dont j’aurais été accablé m’aurait empêché de poursuivre ses complices. J’ai donc conduit l’affaire à ce point que vous puissiez combattre ouvertement lorsque vous verriez l’ennemi à découvert. Combien je pense, Quirites, qu’il faut craindre cet ennemi une fois dehors, vous pouvez le comprendre au fait que je supporte même avec peine qu’il soit sorti de la ville si peu accompagné. Plût aux dieux qu’il eût emmené toutes ses forces ! Il a emmené Tongilius, qu’il avait commencé à aimer quand celui-ci portait encore la prétexte, ainsi que Publicius et Minucius, dont les dettes contractées dans une taverne ne pouvaient provoquer aucun trouble dans la République. Mais quels hommes il a laissés, chargés de quelles dettes, combien puissants, combien nobles !