Continuing his speech, Cicero asks yet another set of rhetorical questions to his audience. ("Ubinam gentium sumus...urbe vivimus?") In this set of rhetoricals, he essentially asks if they were still in the Rome he knew.
To confront Catiline further, Cicero points out how Catiline's plan failed. "Fuisit igitur apud Laecum illa nocte...morae quod ego viverem." Cicero points out that he knew Catiline had met up with Laecus, since Laecus's girlfriend told him about the meeting. Furthermore, Cicero states that Catiline had been planning who he wanted to leave in Rome, those who he wanted to take with him, and parts of the city he wanted to burn amongst other things. However, there was one problem in his plan: Cicero was still alive and well.
"Reperti sunt duo equites Romani...esse pollicerentur." Essentially, Catiline couldn't kill Cicero by himself, so he hired two horsemen, or mercenaries, to go and kill Cicero. However, it was said that he was supposed to be killed in his sleep, yet he's still alive (so we'd assume the knights failed).
Hi Joseph,
ReplyDeleteHe is asking if this is the Rome he knew, certainly. Please analyze that further. What is he saying about this place?
The man's name is Laeca. His girlfriend did not report the meeting to Cicero. I mentioned anecdotally that someone's girlfriend did this. It was not Laeca's. I do tell you these things to ignite your curiosity for further research.
There is no mention of the other conspirators who are present in the senate which Cicero tells the audience. He also says what should be done with these men.
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