HKB
[124] Building over seas--See c. 13.
[125] Embossed plate--Toreumata. The same as vasa coelata, sculptured vases, c. 11. Vessels ornamented in bas-relief; from [Greek: toreuein], sculpere; see Bentley ad Hor. A. P., 441. "Perbona toreumata, in his pecula duo," etc. Cic. in Verr. iv. 18.
[126] XXI. What support or encouragement they had, and in what quarters.--Quid ubique opis aut spei haberent; i.e. quid opis aut So c. 27, init. Quem ubique opportunum credebat, i.e., says Cortius, "quem, et ubi illum, opportunum credebat".
[127] Abolition of their debts--Tabulas novas. Debts were registered on tablets; and, when the debts were paid, the score was effaced, and the tablets were ready to be used as new. See Ernesti's Clav. in Cio.sub voce.
[128] Proscription of the wealthy citizens--Proscriptionem locupletium. The practice of proscription was commenced by Sylla, who posted up, in public places of the city, the names of those whom he doomed to death, offering rewards to such as should bring him their heads. Their money and estates he divided among his adherents, and Catiline excited his adherents with hopes of similar plunder.
[129] Another of his ruling passion--Admonebat--alium cupiditatis suae. Rose renders this passage, "Some he put in mind of their poverty, others of their amours." De Brosses renders it, "Il remontre à l'un sa pauvreté, à l'autre son ambition." Ruling passion*, however, seems to be the proper sense of *cupiditatis; as it is said, in c. 14, "As the passions of each, according to his years, appeared excited, he furnished mistresses to some, bought horses and dogs for others", etc.
[130] XXII. They asserted--Dictitare. In referring this word to the circulators of the report, I follow Cortius, Gerlach, Kritzius, and Bernouf. Wasse, with less discrimination, refers it to Catiline. This story of the drinking of human blood is copied by Florus, iv 1, and by Plutarch in his Life of Cicero. Dio Cassius (lib. xxxvii.) says that the conspirators were reported to have killed a child on the occasion.
[131] XXIII. Quintus Curius--the same that is mentioned in c. 17.
[132] To promise her seas and mountains--Maria montesque polliceri. A proverbial expression. Ter. Phorm., i. 2, 18: Modò non montes auri pollicens*. Perc., iii. 65: *Et quid opus Cratero magnos promittere emontes.
[133] With greater arrogance than ever--Ferocius quam solitus erat.
[134] To Marcus Tullius Cicero--Cicero was now in his forty-third year, and had filled the office of quaestor, aedile, and praetor.
[135] A man of no family--Novus homo. A term applied to such as could not boast of any ancestor that had held any curule magistracy, that is, had been consul, praetor, censor, or chief aedile.
[136] XXIV. Manlius--He had been an officer in the army of Sylla, and, having been distinguished for his services, had been placed at the head of a colony of veterans settled about Faesulae: but he had squandered his property in extravagance. See Plutarch, Vit. Cic., Dio Cassius, and Appian.
[137] Faesulae--A town of Etruria, at the foot of the Appennines,
At evening from the top of Fesole, Or in Valdarno to descry new lands, etc. Par. L. i. 28.
[138] XXV. Sempronia--Of the same gens as the two Gracchi. She was the wife of Decimus Brutus.
[139] Sing, play, and dance--Psallere, saltare. As psallo signifies both to play on a musical instrument, and to sing to it while playing, I have thought it necessary to give both senses in the translation.
[140] By no means despicable--Haud absurdum. Compare, Bene dicere haud absurdum est, c. 8.
[141] She was distinguished, etc.--Multae facetiae, multusque lepos inerat.* Both facetiae and *lepos mean "agreeableness, humor, pleasantry," but lepos here seems to refer to diction, as in Cic. Orat. i. 7: Magnus in jocando lepos.