XXXV
Ille senatus dies, quo haec acta sunt, virtutem M. Catonis iam multis in rebus conspicuarn atque praenitentem in altissimo culmine locavit. Hic genitus proavo M. Catone, principe illo familiae Porciae, homo Virtuti simillimus et per omnia ingenio diis quam hominibus propior, qui numquam recte fecit, ut facere videretur, sed quia aliter facere non potuerat, cuique id solum visum est rationem habere, quod haberet iustitiam, omnibus humanis vitiis immunis semper fortunam in sua potestate habuit . Hic tribunus plebis designatus et adhuc admodum adulescens, cum alii suaderent, ut per municipia Lentulus coniuratique custodirentur, paene inter ultimos interrogatus sententiam, tanta vi animi atque ingenii invectus est in coniurationem, eo ardore oris orationem omnium lenitatem suadentium societate consilii suspectam fecit, sic irnpendentia ex ruinis incendiisque urbis et commutatione status publici pericula exposuit, ita consulis virtutem amplificavit, ut universus senatus in eius sententiam transiret animadvertendumque in eos, quos praediximus, censeret maiorque pars ordinis eius Ciceronern prosequerentur domum. At Catilina non segnius conata obiit, quarn sceleris conandi consilia inierat: quippe fortissime dimicans quem spiritum supplicio debuerat, proelio reddidit.
[35] (1) The meeting of the senate at which this action had been taken raised the character of Marcus Cato, (2) which had already shone forth conspicuously in other matters, to a lofty pinnacle. Descended from Marcus Cato, the first of the Porcian house, who was his great-grandfather, he resembled Virtue herself, and in all his acts he revealed a character nearer to that of gods than of men. He never did a right action solely for the sake of seeming to do the right, but because he could not do otherwise. To him that alone seemed reasonable which was likewise just. Free from all the failings of mankind he always kept fortune subject to his control. (3) At this time, though he was only tribune elect and still quite a young man, while others were urging that Lentulus and the other conspirators should be placed in custody in the Italian towns, Cato, though among the very last to be asked for his opinion, inveighed against the conspiracy with such vigour of spirit and intellect and such earnestness of expression that he caused those who in their speeches had urged leniency to be suspected of complicity in the plot. (4) Such a picture did he present of the dangers which threatened Rome, by the burning and destruction of the city and the subversion of the constitution, and such a eulogy did he give of the consul’s firm stand, that the senate as a body changed to the support of his motion and voted the imposition of the death penalty upon the conspirators, and a large number of the senators escorted Cicero to his home.
(5) As for Catiline, he proceeded to carry out his criminal undertaking with as much energy as he had shown in planning it. Fighting with desperate courage, he gave up in battle the life which he had forfeited to the executioner.
XXXVI
Consulatui Ciceronis non mediocre adiecit decus natus eo anno divus Augustus abhinc annos LXXXII, omnibus omnium gentium viris magnitudine sua inducturus caliginem. Iam paene supervacaneum videri potest eminentium ingeniorum notare tempora. Quis enim ignorat diremptos gradibus aetatis floruisse hoc tempore Ciceronern, Hortensium, anteque Crassum, Cottam, Sulpicium, moxque Brutum, Calidium, Caelium, Calvurn et proximum Ciceroni Caesarern eorumque velut alumnos Corvinum ac Pollionem Asinium, aemulumque Thucydidis Sallustium, auctoresque carminum Varronem ac Lucretium neque ullo in suscepto carminis sui opere minorem Catullum. Paene stulta est inhaerentium oculis ingeniorurn enumeratio, inter quae maxime nostri aevi eminent princeps carminum Vergilius Rabiriusque et consecutus Sallustium Livius Tibullusque et Naso, perfectissimi in forrna operis sui; nam vivorum ut magna admiratio, ita censura diffcilis est.
[36] (1) No slight prestige is added to the consulship of Cicero by the birth in that year — ninety-two years ago — of the emperor Augustus, who was destined by his greatness to overshadow all men of all races.
(2) It may now seem an almost superfluous task to indicate the period at which men of eminent talent flourished. For who does not know that at this epoch, separated only by differences in their ages, there flourished Cicero and Hortensius; a little earlier Crassus, Cotta, and Sulpicius; a little later Brutus, Calidius, Caelius, Calvus, and Caesar, who ranks next to Cicero; next to them, and, as it were, their pupils, come Corvinus and Pollio Asinius, Sallust, the rival of Thucydides, the poets Varro and Lucretius, and Catullus, who ranks second to none in the branch of literature which he undertook. (3) It is almost folly to proceed to enumerate men of talent who are almost beneath our eyes, among whom the most important in our age are Virgil, the prince of poets, Rabirius, Livy, who follows close upon Sallust, Tibullus, and Naso, each of whom achieved perfection in his own branch of literature. As for living writers, while we admire them greatly, a critical list is difficult to make.
XXXVII
Dum haec in urbe Italiaque geruntur, Cn. Pompeius memorabile adversus Mithridaten, qui post Luculli profectionem magnas novi exercitus viris reparaverat, bellum gessit. At rex fusus fugatusque et omnibus exutus copiis Armeniam Tigranemque socer generum petiit, regem eius temporis, nisi qua Luculli armis erat infractus, potentissimum. Simul itaque duos persecutus Pompeius intravit Armeniam. Prior filius Tigranis, sed discors patri, pervenit ad Pompeium; mox ipse supplex et praesens se regnumque dicioni eius perrnisit, praefatus neminem alium neque Romanum neque ullius gentis virum futurum fuisse, cuius se societati commissurus foret, quam Cn. Pompeium; proin omnem sibi vel adversam vel secundam, cuius auctor ille esset, fortunam tolerabilem futuram: non esse turpe ab eo vinci, quem vincere esset nefas, neque inhoneste aliquem summitti huic, quem fortuna super omnis extulisset. Servatus regi honos imperii, sed multato ingenti pecunia, quae omnis, sicuti Pompeio moris erat, redacta in quaestoris potestatern ac publicis descripta litteris. Syria aliaeque, quas occupaverat, provinciae ereptae, et aliae restitutae populo Romano, aliae tum primum in eius potestatem redactae, ut Syria, quae tum primum facta est stipendiaria. Finis imperii regii terminatus Armenia.
[37] (1) While these occurrences were taking place in the city and in Italy, Gnaeus Pompeius carried on a notable campaign against Mithridates, who after the departure of Lucullus had again prepared a new army of great strength. (2) The king was defeated and routed, and after losing all his forces sought refuge in Armenia with his son-in‑law Tigranes, the most powerful king of his day, though his power had been somewhat broken by Lucullus. (3) Pompey accordingly entered Armenia in pursuit of both kings at once. First a son of Tigranes, who was at variance with his father, came to Pompey. (4) Then the king in person, and, in the guise of a suppliant, placed himself and his kingdom under the jurisdiction of Pompey, prefacing this act with the statement that he would not have submitted himself to the alliance of any man but Gnaeus Pompeius, whether Roman or of any other nationality; that he would be ready to bear any condition, favourable or otherwise, upon which Pompey might decide; that there was no disgrace in being beaten by one whom it would be a sin against the gods to defeat, and that there was no dishonour in submitting to one whom fortune had elevated above all others. (5) The king was permitted to retain the honours of royalty, be was compelled to pay a large sum of money, all of which, as was Pompey’s practice, was remitted to the quaestor and listed in the public accounts. Syria and the other provinces which Mithridates had seized were wrested from him. Some were restored to the Roman people, and others were then for the first time brought under its sway — Syria, for instance — which first became a tributary province at this time. The sovereignty of the king was now limited to Armenia.
XXXVIII
Haud absurdum videtur propositi operis regulae paucis percurrere, quae cuiusque ductu gens ac natio redacta in formulam provinciae stipendiaria facta sit, ut quae partibus notavimus, facilius simul universa conspici possint. Primus in Siciliam traiecit exercitum consul Claudius, sed provinciam eam post annos ferme duos et quinquaginta captis Syracusis fecit Marcellus Claudius. Primus Africam Regulus nono ferme anno primi Punici belli aggressus est; sed post centum et novem annos P. Scipio Aemilianus eruta Carthagine abhinc anno
s centum septuaginta tris Africam in formulam redegit provinciae. Sardinia inter primum et secundum bellum Punicum ductu T. Manlii consulis certum recepit imperi iugum. Immane bellicae civitatis argumentum, quod semel sub regibus, iterum hoc T. Manlio consule, tertio Augusto principe certae pacis argumentum Ianus geminus clausus dedit. In Hispaniam primi omnium duxere exercitus Cn. et P. Scipiones initio secundi belli Punici abhinc annos ducentos quinquaginta; inde varie possessa et saepe amissa partibus, universa ductu Augusti facta stipendiaria est. Macedoniam Paulus, Mummius Achaiam, Fulvius Nobilior subegit Aetoliam, Asiam L. Scipio, Africani frater, eripuit Antiocho, sed beneficio senatus populique Romani mox ab Attalis possessam regibus M. Perpenna capto Aristonico fecit tributariam. Cyprus devicta nullius adsignanda gloriae est; quippe senatus consulto, ministerio Catonis, regis morte, quam ille conscientia acciverat, facta provincia est. Creta Metelli ductu longissimae libertatis fine multata est. Syria Pontusque Cn. Pompei virtutis monumenta sunt.
[38] (1) It does not seem out of keeping with the plan which I have set before me in my work to give a brief synopsis of the races and nations which were reduced to provinces and made tributary to Rome, and by what generals. Thus it will be easier to see at a glance when grouped together, the facts already given in detail.
(2) Claudius the consul was the first to cross into Sicily with an army, but it was only after the capture of Syracuse, fifty years later, that it was converted into a province by Marcellus Claudius. Regulus was the first to invade Africa, in the ninth year of the First Punic war. It was one hundred and nine years later, one hundred and seventy-three years ago, that Publius Scipio Aemilianus destroyed Carthage and reduced Africa to the form of a province. Sardinia finally became subject to the yoke in the interval between the First and Second Punic War, through the agency of Titus Manlius the consul. (3) It is a strong proof of the warlike character of our state that only three times did the closing of the temple of the double-faced Janus give proof of unbroken peace: once under the kings, a second time in the consulship of the Titus Manlius just mentioned, and a third time in the reign of Augustus. (4) The two Scipios, Gnaeus and Publius, were the first to lead armies into Spain, at the beginning of the Second Punic War, two hundred and fifty years ago; from that time on we alternately acquired and lost portions of it until under Augustus the whole of it became tributary. (5) Paulus conquered Macedonia, Mummius Achaea, Fulvius Nobilior Aetolia, Lucius Scipio, the brother of Africanus, wrested Asia from Antiochus, but, by the gift of the senate and the Roman people, it soon afterwards passed to the ownership of the Attalids. It was made a tributary province by Marcus Perpenna after the capture of Aristonicus. (6) No credit for the conquest of Cyprus can be assigned to any general, since it was by a decree of the Senate, carried out by Cato, that it became a province on the death of its king, self-inflicted in consciousness of guilt. Crete was punished by Metellus by the termination of the liberty which she had long enjoyed. Syria and Pontus are monuments to the valour of Gnaeus Pompeius.
XXXIX
Gallias primum a Domitio Fabioque, nepote Pauli, qui Allobrogicus vocatus est, intratas cum exercitu, magna mox clade nostra, saepe et adfectavimus et omisimus. Sed fulgentissimum C. Caesaris opus in his conspicitur; quippe eius ductu auspiciisque infractae paene idem, quod totus terrarum orbis, in aerarium conferunt stipendium. Ab eodem facta [...] Numidicus. Ciliciam perdomuit Isauricus et post bellum Antiochinum Vulso Manlius Gallograeciam. Bithynia, ut praediximus, testarnento Nicomedis relicta hereditaria. Divus Augustus praeter Hispanias aliasque gentis, quarum titulis forum eius praenitet, paene idem facta Aegypto stipendiaria, quantum pater eius Galliis, in aerarium reditus contulit. At Ti. Caesar quam certam Hispanis parendi confessionem extorserat parens, Illyriis Delmatisque extorsit. Raetiam autem et Vindelicos ac Noricos Pannoniamque et Scordiscos novas imperio nostro subiunxit provincias. Ut has armis, ita auctorita.te Cappadociam populo Romano fecit stipendairiam. Sed revertamur ad ordinem.
[39] (1) Domitius and Fabius, son of Paulus, who was surnamed Allobrogicus, first entered the Gauls with an army; later these provinces cost us much blood in our attempts at conquest alternating with our loss of them. In all these operations the work of Caesar is the most brilliant and most conspicuous. Reduced under his auspices and generalship, they pay almost as much tribute into the treasury as the rest of the world. (2) Caesar also made Numidia a province, from which Metellus had long before won by his valour the cognomen of Numidicus.
Isauricus conquered Cilicia, and Vulso Manlius Gallograecia after the war with Antiochus. Bithynia, as has been already said, was bequeathed to the Romans by the will of Nicomedes. Besides Spain and other countries whose names adorn his Forum, Augustus made Egypt tributary, thereby contributing nearly as much revenue to the treasury as his father had brought to it from the Gauls. (3) Tiberius Caesar extorted from the Illyrians and Dalmatians a definite confession of submission such as that which Augustus had wrested from Spain. He also added to our empire as new provinces Raetia, Vindelicia, Noricum, Pannonia, and the Scordisci. These he conquered by arms. Cappadocia he made tributary to the Roman people through the mere prestige of his name. But let us now return to the order of events.
XL
Secuta deinde Cn. Pompei militia, gloriae laborisne maioris incertum est. Penetratae cum victoria Media, Albania, Hiberia; deinde flexum agmen ad eas nationes, quae dextra atque intima Ponti incolunt, Colchos Heniochosque et Achaeos, et oppressus auspiciis Pompei, insidiis filii Pharnacis Mithridates, ultimus omnium iuris sui regum praeter Parthicos. Tum victor omnium quas adierat gentium Pompeius suoque et civium voto maior et per omnia fortunam hominis egressus revertit in Italiam. Cuius reditum favorabilem opinio fecerat; quippe plerique non sine exercitu venturum in urbem adfirmarunt et libertati publicae statuturum arbitrio suo modum. Quo magis hoc homines timuerant, eo gratior civilis tanti imperatoris reditus fuit: omni quippe Brundusii dimisso exercitu nihil praeter nomen imperatoris retinens cum privato comitatu, quem semper illi astare moris fuit, in urbem rediit magnificentissimumque de tot regibus per biduum egit triumphum longeque maiorem omni ante se inlata pecunia in aerarium, praeterquam a Paulo, ex manubiis intulit. Absente Cn. Pompeio T. Ampius et T. Labienus tribuni plebis legem tulerant, ut is ludis circensibus corona aurea et omni cultu triumphantium uteretur, scaenicis autem praetexta coronaque aurea. Id ille non plus quam semel, et hoc sane nimium fuit, usurpare sustinuit. Huius viri fastigium tantis auctibus fortuna extulit, ut primum ex Africa, iterum ex Europa, tertio ex Asia triumpharet et, quot partes terrarum orbis sunt, totidem faceret monumenta victoriae suae. Numquam eminentia invidia carent. Itaque et Lucullus et Metellus Creticus memor tamen acceptae iniuriae, non iniuste querens (quippe ornamentum triumphi eius captivos duces Pompeius subduxerat) et cum iis pars optimatium refragabatur, ne aut promissa civitatibus a Pompeio aut bene meritis praemia ad arbitrium eius persolverentur.
[40] (1) Then followed the military exploits of Gnaeus Pompeius, in regard to which it would be difficult to say whether the glory they earned or labour they cost was the greater. Media, Albania, and Iberia were invaded with victorious arms. Then he changed the direction of his month to the regions of the interior, to the right of the Black Sea — the Colchians, the Heniochi, and the Achaei. Mithridates was crushed, the last of the independent kings except the rulers of the Parthians, through the treachery of his son Pharnaces, it is true, but during the period of Pompey’s command. (2) Then, after conquering all the races in his path, Pompey returned to Italy, having achieved a greatness which exceeded both his own hopes and those of his fellow-citizens, and having, in all his campaigns, surpassed the fortune of a mere mortal. It was owing to this impression that his return created such favourable comment; for the majority of his countrymen had insisted that he would not enter the city without his army, and that he would set a limit upon public liberty according to his own caprice. (3) The return of so great a general as an ordinary citizen was all the more welcome because of the apprehensions which had been entertained. For, dismissing his whole army at Brundisi
um, and retaining none of his former power except the title of imperator, he returned to the city with only the retinue which regularly attended him. There he celebrated, for a period of two days, a most magnificent triumph over the many kings whom he had conquered, and from the spoils he contributed to the treasury a far larger sum of money than any other general had ever done except Paulus.
(4) In Pompey’s absence the tribunes of the people, Titus Ampius and Titus Labienus, proposed a law that at the games of the circus Pompey should be permitted to wear a golden crown and the full dress of the triumphator, and at the theatre the purple-bordered toga and the golden crown. But he forbore to use this honour more than once, and indeed that was itself too often. This man was raised by fortune to the pinnacle of his career by great leaps, first triumphing over Africa, then over Europe, then over Asia, and the three divisions of the world thus became so many monuments of his victory. Greatness is never without envy. (5) Pompey met with opposition from Lucullus and from Metellus Creticus, who did not forget the slight he had received (indeed he had just cause for complaint in that Pompey had robbed him of the captive generals who were to have adorned his triumph), and from a section of the optimates who sought to prevent the fulfilment of Pompey’s promises to the various cities and the payment of rewards in accordance with his wishes to those who had been of service to him.
Complete Works of Velleius Paterculus Page 49