Quotes from Cicero's Pro Flacco

Cicero defends a clearly guilty ally in this bizarre and funny speech.

The Latin quotes are selected for interest (int), language (lan), and rhetoric (bea), and are translated into English. The line numbers are from the Loeb edition, and start counting from line 0 of the section. All translations are by Gus Wiseman (Nafindix), with the exception of any contributions from other users. The sources of the Latin quotes are:

1. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, vol. X, 1977; Latin text with facing English translation by C. Macdonald.

2. M. Tullius Cicero, Pro L. Flacco Oratio. Albert Clark, Ed. (1909) http://data.perseus.org/texts/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0474.phi017.perseus-lat

Image credit: Ilya Yakubovich, CC BY-SA 4.0

Pro L. Flacco Oratio

1.0 int/bea

Cum in maximis periculis huius urbis atque imperi, gravissimo atque acerbissimo rei publicae casu, socio atque adiutore consiliorum periculorumque meorum L. Flacco, caedem a vobis, coniugibus, liberis vestris, vastitatem a templis, delubris, urbe, Italia depellebam, sperabam, iudices, honoris potius L. Flacci me adiutorem futurum quam miseriarum deprecatorem.

When, along with Lucius Flaccus, my ally and assistant in my plans and ventures, during the greatest dangers to this city and state, and amid that deepest and harshest disaster to the republic, I was expunging from Italy the assassins of your wives and children, and preventing the devastation of the temples and shrines of our city, I should have hoped, gentlemen, that today I might be advocating for an honorable man, not defending a victim of woe.

2.0 int/lan

Sed si forte aliquando aut benefici huius obtrectator aut virtutis hostis aut laudis invidus exstitisset, existimabam L. Flacco multitudinis potius imperitae, nullo tamen cum periculo, quam sapientissimorum et lectissimorum virorum iudicium esse subeundum.

But if perhaps at length some detractor of his service, some enemy of his virtue, some hater of his reputation should emerge, I expected Flaccus would undergo judgement from the untrained mob (though without any risk at all), rather than be called before our wisest and most learned men.

3.0 bea

Sed quoniam, iudices, multa nos et in nostris rebus et in re publica fefellerunt, ferimus ea quae sunt ferenda; tantum a vobis petimus ut omnia rei publicae subsidia, totum statum civitatis, omnem memoriam temporum praeteritorum, salutem praesentium, spem reliquorum in vestra potestate, in vestris sententiis, in hoc uno iudicio positam esse et defixam putetis.

But now, gentlemen, as many of our public and private affairs have failed, we shall bear what must be born; we only ask you to recognize that all supports of the republic, its whole constitution, all memory of times past, our present safety, and all hope for the future have been placed in your power, affixed to your words, and planted in this one trial.

3.8 bea

Si umquam res publica consilium, gravitatem, sapientiam, providentiam iudicum imploravit, hoc, hoc inquam, tempore implorat.

If ever the republic has demanded immaculate deliberation, responsibility, wisdom, and foresight from jurors, it does so now.

4.8 int/bea

Quam ob rem nisi hoc loco, nisi apud vos, nisi per vos, iudices, non auctoritatem, quae amissa est, sed salutem nostram, quae spe exigua extremaque pendet, tenuerimus, nihil est praeterea quo confugere possimus; nisi forte quae res hoc iudicio temptetur, quid agatur, cui causae fundamenta iaciantur, iudices, non videtis.

For this reason, unless here, among you, and through you alone, gentlemen, with my authority already lost, I can at least secure my safety, which hangs on a narrow string, I will have nowhere else to flee; unless perhaps you do not see what is being attempted in this trial, what is at stake, and what are the foundations already being laid.

FC.12 int

Huic hominum generi maiores nostri sic parcendum, iudices, arbitrabantur, ut eos non modo in invidia, verum etiam in culpa defenderent.

Our ancestors believed this class of men should be treated, gentlemen, in such a way that they were defended not only when a victim, but even when at fault.

9.0 lan

De quibus vos aliis testes esse debetis, de eis ipsi alios testis audietis?

Will you hear other witnesses about what you ought to be a witness yourselves?

15.6 bea

O morem praeclarum disciplinamque quam a maioribus accepimus, si quidem teneremus!

So great is the tradition and discipline we received from our ancestors, if only we had kept it!

24.6 int/lan

Si quem infimo loco natum, nullo splendore vitae, nulla commendatione famae defenderem, tamen civem a civibus communis humanitatis iure ac misericordia deprecarer, ne ignotis testibus, ne incitatis, ne accusatoris consessoribus, convivis, contubernalibus, ne hominibus levitate Graecis, crudelitate barbaris civem ac supplicem vestrum dederetis, ne periculosam imitationem exempli reliquis in posterum proderetis.

But if he were born in an inferior place, without the splendor of life, without the commendation of reputation, still I should by right of pity and common humanity deter you from Flaccus, lest to unknown witnesses and assessors, who have been incited, fed, and lodged by the accuser (men like Greeks in levity and barbarians in cruelty) you betray a citizen, your supplicant, and establish a dangerous precedent for others in the future.

27.0 lan

Etenim iam universa istorum cognita cupiditate accedam ad singulas querelas criminationesque Graecorum.

Now, with the common avarice of Greeks revealed, I move to their individual complaints and accusations.

33.2 int/bea

Qui igitur probari potest in ea pecunia non referenda crimen sibi ipsum facere in qua crimen esset nullum, si referret?

How could you prove it is a crime to not report an expenditure that would not be a crime if he had reported it?

34.-2 bea

Flaccus quid alii postea facturi essent scire non poterat, quid fecissent videbat.

What others were going to do, Flaccus could not know; he only saw what they had done.

36.-4 int/bea

Quod ergo unus Asclepiades fortuna egens, vita turpis, existimatione damnatus impudentia atque audacia fretus sine tabulis, sine auctore iecerit, id nos quasi crimen aut testimonium pertimescamus?

I suppose what Asclepiades alone, a despised man of little means living a shameful life of impudence and audacity, has thrown out before us without documents and without anyone to validate his story, should be feared as if it were evidence of a crime?

36.3

Nam ut signum publicum inspexit praeclarus iste auctor suae civitatis, solere suos civis ceterosque Graecos ex tempore quod opus sit obsignare dixit.

As he inspected the seal, your city's fine representative explained that his people and other Greeks normally signed whatever the moment called for.

40.0 lan

Quiescant igitur et me hoc in lucro ponere atque aliud agere patiantur. non sinunt.

So let them relax, let us count this a win, and let me move on; but they do not allow it.

41.-3 lan

Qui hoc evenit ut, qui locuples testis doloris et sanguinis sui non fuerit, idem sit gravis auctor iniuriae publicae?

How is it that one who was not a trusty witness of his own sorrow and his own people could be a weighty authority on an injury to the State?

41.10 int/lan/bea

At istud columen accusationis tuae, Mithridates, postea quam biduum retentus testis a nobis effudit quae voluit omnia, reprensus, convictus fractusque discessit; ambulat cum lorica; metuit homo doctus et sapiens, ne L. Flaccus nunc se scelere adliget, cum iam testem illum effugere non possit, et, qui ante dictum testimonium sibi temperarit, cum tamen aliquid adsequi posset, is nunc id agat ut ad falsum avaritiae testimonium verum malefici crimen adiungat.

But Mithridates, that column of your case, who, after being retained two days as witness and saying all that he wished, left refuted, beaten, and broken, now walks about wearing armor, for this wise and learned man feared that Flaccus may bind himself in a crime, now that he could no longer escape the witness, and that, though he could restrain himself before the testimony (when something might still come of it), he would try to join a true crime to the false evidence of greed.

46.0

Atque ut eius impudentiam perspicere possitis, causam ipsam quae levissimi hominis animum in Flaccum incitavit, quaeso, cognoscite.

So that you can clearly see his impudence, let me explain exactly what incited this most trivial man against Flaccus.

47.0

Habebat enim rhetor iste discipulos quosdam locupletis, quos dimidio redderet stultiores quam acceperat; neminem tamen adeo infatuare potuit ut ei nummum ullum crederet.

That orator of yours had certain wealthy students whom he had made more stupid by half than when he had received them, but nobody could be persuaded to love him who would lend him a single penny.

48.0 int

Nolite existimare, iudices, non unam et eandem omnibus in locis esse fraudatorum et infitiatorum impudentiam.

Resist to think, gentlemen, that the impudence of fraudsters and defaulters is not one and the same in all places.

49.6 int

Frater meus pro sua aequitate prudentiaque decrevit ut, si iudicatum negaret, in duplum iret; si metu coactos diceret, haberet eosdem recuperatores.

My brother, showing his signal fairness and prudence, decreed that, if the judgment was wrong, there should be a new trial with twice the consequences; and if there was a charge of intimidation, the assessors should be the same.

52.-6

Novi genus hominum, novi consuetudinem, novi libidinem.

I knew what sort of man he was, what were his principles, what his temptations.

54.-5 int/bea

Sin istum semper illi ipsi domi proterendum et conculcandum putaverunt, desinant putare auctoritatem esse in eo testimonio cuius auctor inventus est nemo.

But if you always felt that man of yours was one to be stepped on and crushed under your own feet at home, then cease to see the authority in that testimony which no one can be found to authenticate.

55.-3 lan/bea

Usque adeo orba fuit ab optimatibus illa contio ut princeps principum esset Maeandrius; cuius lingua quasi flabello seditionis illa tum est egentium contio ventilata.

The public assembly was protested by all the best men to such an extent that the most distinguished leader present was Maeandrius, whose tongue fanned the meeting of desperados with an air of sedition.

57.3 lan/bea

Impudenter facit; non enim omnia quae dolemus, eadem queri iure possumus.

It acted rashly, for we cannot take everything we don't like to court.

57.6 int/bea

Quo loco etiam atque etiam facite ut recordemini quae sit temeritas multitudinis, quae levitas propria Graecorum, quid in contione seditiosa valeat oratio.

Again and again make sure to record the temerity of the multitude, the singular levity of the Greeks, and the power of seditious words in a public meeting.

57.9 int/lan/bea

Hic, in hac gravissima et moderatissima civitate, cum est forum plenum iudiciorum, plenum magistratuum, plenum optimorum virorum et civium, cum speculatur atque obsidet rostra vindex temeritatis et moderatrix offici curia, tamen quantos fluctus excitari contionum videtis!

Even here, in the most serious and steady city, where the forum is full of courts, magistrates, and distinguished men and citizens, while the Senate-house, punisher of temerity and director of duty, watches over and guards the Rostra– such turbulence you see roused in public meetings!

60.0

Quae quidem a me si, ut dicenda sunt, dicerentur, gravius agerem, iudices, quam adhuc egi, quantam Asiaticis testibus fidem habere vos conveniret; revocarem animos vestros ad Mithridatici belli memoriam, ad illam universorum civium Romanorum per tot urbis uno puncto temporis miseram crudelemque caedem, praetores nostros deditos, legatos in vincla coniectos, nominis prope Romani memoriam cum vestigio omni imperi non modo ex sedibus Graecorum verum etiam ex litteris esse deletam.

If I were to say what must be said, I would be pressing more strongly, gentlemen, than yet I have, how little you should trust Asiatic witnesses; I should be calling you to remember the Mithridatic war and that miserable and cruel synchronous slaughter of all Roman citizens in so many cities, our praetors surrendering, our officers put in chains, and nearly all memory of the Roman name and every vestige of its command lost, not only from the Greek settlements but even from the written record.

61.9 lan/bea

In hac igitur urbe se iactant quam oderunt, apud eos quos inviti vident, in ea re publica ad quam opprimendam non animus eis, sed vires defuerunt?

They course through this city which they hate, among men they wish not to see, and would overthrow the republic if they only had the strength.

62.-5 bea

Aspiciant hunc florem legatorum laudatorumque Flacci ex vera atque integra Graecia; tum se ipsi expendant, tum cum his comparent, tum, si audebunt, dignitati horum anteponant suam.

Let them look at this flower of officers and friends of Flaccus taken from the true and original Greece; then let them weigh themselves, compare themselves to these, and, if they dare, rate their own honor first.

66.6 int

Sequitur auri illa invidia Iudaici.

Next is the ill will concerning the Jewish gold.

67.0 int

Cum aurum Iudaeorum nomine quotannis ex Italia et ex omnibus nostris provinciis Hierosolymam exportari soleret, Flaccus sanxit edicto ne ex Asia exportari liceret.

Since the Jewish gold was customarily exported to Jerusalem every year from Italy and all our provinces, Flaccus enacted an edict to forbid its export from Asia.

69.-6 int

Apameae manifesto comprehensum ante pedes praetoris in foro expensum est auri pondo c paulo minus...

At Apamaea a little less than 100 pounds of gold was legally seized in the forum and weighed at the feet of the praetor.

69.3 int/bea

Sua cuique civitati religio, Laeli, est, nostra nobis.

Each city has its own religion, Laelius, and we have ours.

69.9 int/bea

...quam cara dis immortalibus esset docuit, quod est victa, quod elocata, quod serva facta.

How dear that religion was to the immortal gods is shown in that it is conquered, taxed out, and made to serve.

78.-2 lan/bea

Quae quidem quam sancte solita sint observari scitis omnes.

All know how religiously these are generally observed.

83.4

Nam quid emebat, cum te emebat?

What was he buying when he was buying you?

85.10 bea

At istius hereditatis iam Globulo praetore Flacci nomine petita possessio est.

But possession of that estate was already sought on behalf of Flaccus when Globulus was praetor.

87.0 lan

Sed tamen Lurconem, quamquam pro sua dignitate moderatus est in testimonio dicendo orationi suae, tamen iratum Flacco esse vidistis.

Lurco with his usual grace checked his speech when giving evidence, though you clearly saw he was angry with Flaccus.

87.5 int/bea

O condiciones miseras administrandarum provinciarum, in quibus diligentia plena simultatum est, neglegentia vituperationum, ubi severitas periculosa est, liberalitas ingrata, sermo insidiosus, adsentatio perniciosa, frons omnium familiaris, multorum animus iratus, iracundiae occultae, blanditiae apertae, venientis praetores exspectant, praesentibus inserviunt, abeuntis deserunt!

What a sorry office of administering provinces, in which diligence breeds deceit, negligence retribution; sternness is dangerous, generosity thankless, enthusiasm insidious, agreement pernicious; and while the faces of all are friendly, the minds of many are angry; their ire is occult, their flattery is vain; coming praetors are waited for, those present are preserved, and departing they are deserted!

90.-3

Ex quo intellegi debet eum contra leges pecunias non cepisse qui tam fuerit in hereditate concedenda liberalis.

From which it should be understood that one so liberal in the concession of an inheritance did not take money contrary to the laws.

90.5 int

Ergo is cui, si aram tenens iuraret, crederet nemo, per epistulam quod volet iniuratus probabit?

So the one who, even if he swore it on an alter, nobody would believe, proves whatever he wants through an unsworn letter?

93.5 int/lan/bea

His tu igitur epistulis, Deciane, recitatis, his mulierculis productis, illo absente auctore laudato tantum te crimen probaturum putasti, praesertim cum ipse non deducendo Falcidium iudicium feceris plus falsam epistulam habituram ponderis quam ipsius praesentis fictam vocem et simulatum dolorem?

Therefore, with these letters read out, Decianus, and these poor women produced, along with your recommendation of the absent author, did you really think you could prove the charge, especially when by not producing Falcidius you have made the judgment that a fake letter has more weight than than the lying voice and simulated sorrow of the man himself?

94.6 lan

Cum alia multa certi homines, tum hoc vel maxime moliuntur ut vestrae quoque mentes, vestra iudicia, vestrae sententiae optimo cuique infestissimae atque inimicissimae reperiantur.

Especially about this, certain men are conspiring to ensure that your minds, your judgements, and your votes will turn out hostile and inimical to the best of us.

95.7 int/lan/bea

Quam potestis P. Lentulo, qui vos in complexu liberorum coniugumque vestrarum trucidatos incendio patriae sepelire conatus est, mactare victimam gratiorem quam si L. Flacci sanguine illius nefarium in vos omnis odium saturaveritis?

How can you sacrifice a victim more favorably to Publius Lentulus, who tried to slaughter you in the embrace of your wives and children and bury you in the flames of your fatherland, than to sate his vile hatred of you all by the blood of Lucius Flaccus?

103.8 int/bea

Etenim multo acriorem improborum interdum memoriam esse sentio quam bonorum.

For I perceive that our memory of evil men is often much keener than good.

106.2

Cui si patrem conservatis, qualis ipse debeat esse civis praescribetis; si eripitis, ostendetis bonae rationi et constanti et gravi nullum a vobis fructum esse propositum.

If you acquit his father, you will teach him how to be a citizen; if you rip his father away, you will show him there is no value in good reasoning, virtuous thought, tenacity, and bravery.

106.5 int/lan

Qui vos, quoniam est id aetatis ut sensum iam percipere possit ex maerore patrio, auxilium nondum patri ferre possit, orat ne suum luctum patris lacrimis, patris maerorem suo fletu augeatis; qui etiam me intuetur, me voltu appellat, meam quodam modo flens fidem implorat ac repetit eam quam ego patri suo quondam pro salute patriae spoponderim dignitatem.

Now that he is of an age that he can sense his father's grief, but is too young to help, he beseeches you not to increase his grief by the tears of his father, nor his father's by his own; even now he watches me and calls upon me by his expression, and somehow his weeping keeps my faith in looking for the honors I once promised to his father for preserving us all.