SecondPhilippic

[44]
1. visne: ne enclitic; 2nd person sing. pres subjunctive of Volo, to want/wish; volo takes the
subjunctive without ut (A.G.565).
inspiciamus: subjunctive. igitur is conjunction (A.G.324).
opinor:to suppose, deponent 1st sing pres ind
2.ordiamur: to begin, hortatory subj. It is used in the present tense to indicate invitation or
command, i.e “let us begin.” (A.G. 439)
tenesne: introduces indirect statement where te is the accusative subject and decoxisse is the
verb.
praetextatum: predicate attribute of te. “until about age of 15 or 16 when freeborn Roman boys
donned the plain white toga uirilis of manhood, they wore the toga praetexta, which had a purple
border recalling the purple gown formerly worn by the kings of Rome.” (Ramsey)
5.quattuodecim ordinibus: “in the theatre, the first fourteen rows immediately behind the
orchestra (where senators sat) were reserved for the equites by the provisions of the tribunician
lex toscia of 67 (MRR II 145). Those who fell below the census of a knight (see Phil. I.20 isti
ordini n.) could be fined for sitting in those seats (Suet. Aug. 40. I).” (Ramsey)
esset … constitutus: 3rd person, singular, pluperfect, subjunctive passive
7.quis: in reference to decoctoribus (repeat its reference)
decoxisset: to become bankrupt; 3rd sing pluperfect subj act
virilem: sc. togam
8.volgare: 2nd sing pres ind pass
11.tamquam...dedisset: dedisset:3rd sing pluperf subj act; tamquam is a conditional clause
that takes the subjunctive (A.G.524)

[45]
1.causa: ablative, takes the genitive, for the sake of ... (A.G. 359b)
4.ne … intrares: 2nd sing imp subj act, negative purpose clause (A.G. 531)
5.demitterere: 2nd sing imperf subj pass
6.scisne: indicates indirect statement  me...dicere
7.recordare: deponent 2nd sing present imperative, passive form
10.sestertium sexagiens: “6 mill sesterces”
si … peteret: 3rd sing imperf subj act, conditional clause present contrary to fact (A.G. 513c)
11.intercessisse: from intercedo, cedere, cessi, cessus:  to interpose credit on someone’s
behalf (CT Lewis)

[46]
1.tempore: ablative of time when/within which (A.G. 424) relative been used in exclamatory way
2.persuasi ut: indirect command that governs all the verbs. It is the asyndeton of ut
cum...meminisses: a temporal clause with cum and the imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive
describes the circumstances that accompanied or preceded the action of the main verb
(A.G.545). meminisses: from memini; 2nd person singular pluperfect subjunctive active
nisi confideres, ausus esses: mixed contrary to fact conditional sentence where imperfect
refers to present time, the Pluperfect to past (A.G.517). confideres:2nd person singular

imperfect subjunctive active; ausus esses: semideponent form from audeo; 2nd person
singular pluperfect subjunctive passive

[47]
1.omittamus: hortatory subjunctive of omitto, 1st plural pres act subjunctive
2.honeste: adv. from honestus,a,um
3.eo: adv. in that direction; to that object/point/stage; antecedent of quod
4.audire: “‘to hear (spoken of you)’ (OLD 5a).” (Ramsey)
5.videte: 2nd plural presnt active imperative, to consider, in reference to the senate
perstringam: 1st person singular future indicative active
6.Ad haec...festinat animus: animus is the subject of the whole sentence and festinat is the
verb. The first quae is the relative pronoun of Ad haec, and the second quae is the relative
pronoun of ad ea
8.multo:adv. much, by a great deal
peto ut: introduces indirect command attente audiatis.
9.ut facitis: Temporal clause; when you do
audiatis: hortatory subjunctive of audio, 2nd plural pres act subj, modified by attente
10.non solum...sed etiam: not only...but also
12.sero: adv. too late (COMP);
etsi incidamus: “and yet let us cut short (in+cado); despite the subj. (here jussive), etsi is best
taken as corrective rather than concessive.” (Ramsey)

4858 summary

59.
reliquorum factorum: “Antony sailed from Dyrrachium with reinforcements towards the end of
March, 58, and after a perilous voyage landed at Nymphaeum (San Giovani di Medua). He then
marched south and joined Caesar (Rice Holmes, iii. 12932). At Pharsalus he commanded the
left wing.” (Denniston)
difficilis and lubrica are the predicate adjectives of the copula est. lubrica: hazardous.
“Because of the risk of offending Caesar’s veterans.” (Ramsey)
versatus est: the subject here is Antony.
si... felicitas: ulla felicitas is the subject of potest.
sed quoniam...volumus: Volumus is 1st person plural present indicative active from volo,
velle, volui; Quoniam is a causaul clause. Volumus takes accusative and infinitive. veteranis
cautum esse: “‘care to have been taken for (the interests of) the veterans’; caveo + the dat. is
here impersonal passive.” (Ramsey)
quamquam: concessive clause
tua and tu: “Antony’s. Cicero suddenly switches from the third to the second person in referring
to Antony.” (Loeb)
secuti sunt: deponent 3rd person plural perfect indicative active from sequor, sequi, secutus
sum: follow.
quaesisti: quaesivisti, 2nd person singular perfect indicative active

ne...voces: a purpose clause. Voces is 2nd person singular present subjunctive active
dicam: 1st person singular present subjunctive active; future indicative.
Victor: appositive of the understood subject tu revertisti.
magnum beneficium: accusative of exclamation
potuisse enim fateor: fateor introduces indirect statement where potuisse (sc. te) is the verb.
fateor is deponent 1st person singular present indicative: confess
quamquam: concessive clause
qui mihi non censeret parci oportere: lit. who did not think it was fitting for me to be spared.
qui censeret: the antecendant of qui is nemo.

[60]
tanta … ut … essem: result clause, tanta ut: so great … that …. sanctus: “‘inviolable’,
approaching the meaning of sacrosanctus.” (Ramsey)
quod … meminissent: a causal clause. meminissent: 3rd person plural pluperfect subjunctive
active, introduces the indirect statement: eam: accusative subject of the indirect statement, in
reference to Patria, servatam esse: verb of the indirect statement; perfect passive
fac + infinitive: “grant that.” (Lacey) takes te dedisse and meque te habere vitam.
quod non ademisti: relative noun clause, antecedent to id
quia … sit erepta: “The causal particles quia take the subjunctive when the reason is given on
the authority of another (A.G.540).” “The subjunctive makes the reason assigned an integral
part of the indirect statement: ‘because, as you remind you, it was not taken by you’ (Peskett).”
(Ramsey)
licuitne mihi … tueri: Licuit: impersonal from licet, it is permitted, takes dative and infinitive.
hoc tuum beneficium is the accusative object and tueri is the verb. tueri is the infinitive form
of tueor.
cum … videres: (cum + subjunctive) temporal clause, “describing the circumstances that
preceded or accompanied the action” (A.G 546). Videres introduces indirect statement where te
is the accusative subject and auditurum (sc. esse) is the verb. Auditurus is future active
participle.

[61]
In sinum quidem et in complexum: “Lit. ‘Bosom and embrace’, hendiadys. Mimulae is
probably contemptuous (Lacey).” “the diminutive is derogatory.” (Ramsey)
quod sit turpissimum confiteri: relative clause of characteristic, antecedent to id. confiteri is
infinitive of deponent confiteor, confiteri, confessus sum.
te municipiorum … veterani exercitus: parallell structure of descriptive genitives. Non
pudebat is impersonal. Lit. “It does not ashame you.” “It takes the genitive of cause of the
feeling and the accusative of the person affected (A.G.354.b.).” exercitus is genitive.
quis qui nescierit … gratulatum: nescierit is subjunctive because quis introduces indirect
question. Quis is the antecedent to miles. Nescierit also introduces indirect statement where
eam is the accusative subject and venisse is the verb; gratulatum is supine, ‘to congratulate.’
tot dierum viam: “an adverbial acc. with the intransitive verb venisse: ‘had come a distance of
so many days’.” (Ramsey)

quam … secutus esset: quam is interrogative adverb introduced by cognoscere.

[62]
Italiae: locative. “In Italy”
rursus: adv. again
mima: “Cytheris. Cicero’s favourite clause is given an entirely new effect by the three short
words eadem comite mima.” (Lacey)
deductio: “this word can refer to either the settling of colonists or the billeting of troops (OLD 2a
and b respectively). Here the reference is doubtless to the necessity of finding winter quarters
for Caesar’s troops, which were dispersed to the towns of Italy. The settlement of the soldiers in
colonies came later, after Caesar’s return to Italy in late Sept. 47.” (Ramsey)
auri, argenti: “behind this allegation may lurk the enforcement of a measure adopted by Caesar
in 49 to limit the possession of gold or silver coin. Individuals were permitted to have no more
than 60,000 sesterces (Dio 41.38.I).” (Ramsey)
accessit: impersonal.
ut … constitueretur: result clause. Constitueretur is 3rd person singular imperfect subjunctive
passive, and refers to Antony. Magister is the predicate noun to constitueretur. “When Caesar
became dictator for the second time, in Oct. 48. Cicero is distorting; if Caesar got himself and A
appointed simultaneously, Antony was appointed before being nominated by Caesar as dictator,
as he was in Alexandria. A debatingpoint rather than a real one.” (Lacey)
magister equitum: “an emergency magistrate nominated by the dictator (who was in early
times called magister populi). Apart from commanding the cavalry, he was the dictator's
lieutenant and deputy, whether at Rome or on military service. He held imperium derived from
the dictator and ranked with the praetors. His magistracy ended when his dictator laid down
office. A notable but unsuccessful attempt was made in 217 bc to equate the magister equitum
with the dictator as a colleague. The magister equitum for which we have evidence may derive
from a regular cavalry commander of the regal period of early republic (OCD).”
cum esset ille Alexandriae: a causal clause. esset is subjunctive. Ille refers to Caesar.
Alexandriae is locative. “After the Battle of Pharsalus on 9 Aug. 48, Caesar pursued Pompey in
flight to Egypt (Caesar. B Civ. 3. 106. i), where Pompey was treacherously murdered on 28
Sept., the day he landed.” (Ramsey)
existimavit: introduces the indirect statement, governing two clauses 1)with se as the
accusative subject and vivere the verb and 2)equos the accusative subject and tradere the
verbs.
tradere: lit. to hand over acc. to dat.
suo iure: “it is best to make this the leading idea in English: ‘he believed that he had the right
to….’’ (Ramsey)
equos vectigalis: “doubtless racehorses at the public games, for which contracts were let.
Asconius refers to them as vectigales quadrigae and informs us that senators were eligible to
bid on these contracts. C.’s point here is obscure. Possibly he is alleging that Antony gave the
contract to a goodfornothing, the actor Sergius, in place of an upstanding citizen (see Marshall
on Asconius loc. cit.). Nothing further is known about this Sergius.” (Ramsey)
hanc: Pompey’s house (Ramsey)

sed: coordinates between tum … tuetur and M. Pisonis … habitaret, using legaret as the
verb in both clauses
tuetur: from tueor, tueri, tuitus sum
tum...tum: anaphora.
ubi habitaret: The particle ubi may be used as Indefinite Relatives, and have the construction
similar to protasis (A.G.542). Here it is present contrary to fact
cogebat egestas: s.c. eum
tanta modifies hereditas
ei: dative of is, ea, id, i.e. Antony
repentinus heres: “sarcastic. Antony was in no sense an ‘heir’ of Pompey or ‘of the many
others who were absent’ (referring to those who were defeated by Caesar and had their
property condiscated); he was rather a sector.” (Ramsey)
erat vivendum: passive periphrastic. Lit. He must have lived…
ut...haberet: a result clause
tantum ... quantum: correlative, as much…as...

[63]
omittamus and loquamur: hortatory subjunctives, omitto, ere, omisi, sus: omit and loquor,
loqui, locutus sum: speak (deponent)
robustioris improbitatis: genitive of charge (A.G.352)
istis faucibus...istis lateribus...firmitate: “Quint. (9.4.23) admired the climax formed by the
progression of these three ablative of means which builds from the lesser (‘throat’) to the greater
(‘strength of your entire body befitting a gladiator’). Quint. (8.4.16) also points out that stress on
Antony’s physical physical prowess in this passage serves to convey the enormous quantity of
wine consumed.” (Ramsey)
ut...postridie: introduces the result clause. Exhauseras governs the ut clause. necesse esset
is the verb.
si...accidiset, quis...duceret?: mixed contrary to fact, if this happened … who would …? (A.G.
517)
coetu: from coetus, ‘meeting’
gerens: participle, which govern respectively negotium publicum.
vomens: intransitive.
cui...esset: relative clause of characteristic
veniamus: hortatory subjunctive, 1st person, plural, present subjunctive, active

[64]
Alexandria: ablative place from which, no preposition.
videbatur: passive. It seems + dat.
mea sententia: ablative.
qui...infelix: relative clause of characteristic
hasta posita: ablative absolute. “a spear tuck into the ground came to be the symbol for
advertising ‘a public auction’, probably from the association of the spear with the sale of
property captured in war.” (Ramsey)

bona: bonum, boni, ‘possessions, wealth’
aede Iovis Statoris: ‘there were two temples dedicated to Jupiter Stator in Rome: (i) at the foot
of the north slope of the Palatine Hill, scene of C.’s First Catilinarian, and (ii) in the Campus
Martius, south of the *Circus Flaminius (Richardson 225). C. probably refers to the former, since
its location just east of the Forum, a mere stone’s throw from Caesar’s residence, the domus
publica, made it an ideal place for holding the auction.
subiecta: s.c. sunt, the subject is bona
oblita: from obliviscor, oblivisci, oblitus sum, ‘forget,’ takes the genitive servitutis. Verbs of
reckoning and forgetting takes the genitive.
cum omnia metu tenerentur: concessive clause, where tamen is the main clause.
expectantibus omnibus: ablative absolute.
quisnam esset: quis is the interrogative and indefinite pronouns, meaning ‘who’. It is indirect
question and hence it takes the subjunctive case of a verb.
qui … auderet accedere: “Relative Clauses of Result are introduced by the relative pronoun
qui or a relative adverb (A.G.537.2).”
cum tot essent circum hastam illam: a temporal clause that describes the circumstances that
accompanied or preceded the action of the main verb (A.G. 546)
qui alia omnia auderent: a result clause. “Relative Clauses of Result are introduced by the
relative pronoun qui or a relative adverb (A.G.537.2),” instead of ut. Anaphora of tam.
unus inventus est, qui id auderet: a relative cluase of characteristic may follow unus and
solus (A.G.535.b)
quod omnium fugisset et reformidasset audacia: relative clause of characteristic. The
subject is audacia, which is modified by omnium.

[65]
tantus…ut primum...non scias : a result clause governed by oppressit, where the subjects
are stupor and furor, which is signaled by tantus. The verb of the result clause is scias.
ut verius dicam: concessive clause (A.G.526). verius: adv.
primum: adverb.
cum...natus, cum...sector: circumstantial clause, the verb is sis: 2nd person, singular, present
subjunctive, active, from sum.
isto loco natus: natus, from nascor, nasci, natus sum, is participle. “lit. ‘born in that place’,
his nobility.” (Lacey)
non te exsecratum..., non..., non..., non...scias: Four indirect statements introduced by scias,
which is subjunctive: 1) te is the accusative subject and exsecratum (sc. esse) is the verb. 2)
detestabilem (sc. esse) is the accusative object. 3) omnis deos is the accusative subject, esse
and futuros are the verb, and inimicos is the accusative object. 4) omnis homines is the
accusative subject, esse and futuros are the verb, and inimicos is the accusative object.
quam insolenter: adverbial phrase, modifies invasit.
helluo: helluo, helluonis, ‘glutton’. the glutton of Pompey’s possessions, i.e. Antony
invasit: “this verb describing unlawful seizure(41.25) calls into question here and below(75.10)
Antony’s right to occupy this property which he had purchased at auction.” (Ramsey)
eius viri … cuius: i.e. Pompey. eius viri is antecedent to cuius.

cuius: “construe with the causal abls. virtute and iustitia.” (Ramsey)
In...cum...ingurgitasset: a circumstantiall clause. ingurgitavisset: 3rd person singular,
pluperfect, subjunctive, active: plunge in. It governs the direct object se.
de mimo: “‘from a play.’” (Ramsey)
modo egens, repente dives: lit. “lacking just now, rich man suddenly.”
poetam: “the author is the thirdcentury BC poet Cn. Naevius (Trag. fr. 51 Ribbeck), as we
learn from Paulus ex Fest. p.270 Muller. In his speeches, C. often attributes a quotation to an
author in this vague way so to avoid giving the appearance of pedantry (e.g. Phil. 13.49 ut ait
poeta nescio quis).” (Ramsey)
male parta male dilabuntur: parta, from pario, parere, peperi, partus, perfect passive
participle, “beget.” dilabuntur: from dilabor, dilabi, dilapsus sum, deponent form, active
meaning, ‘disperse.’

[66]
portenti: literally omen, closer in this sense to “miracle”. Simile takes the dative case.
quonam...effuderit: indirect question; the subject is Antony. It governs illa tam multa.
paucis...mensibus: ablative of time when.
magnifica multis locis: “this third adj. modifying supellex picks up the idea contained in lauta,
while the locative abl. multis locis corresponds to multa. The arrangement, therefor, is chiastic.
paucis diebus: ablative of time when.

[67]
Charybdis: a mythological reference. “a sort of whirlpool or maelstrom in a narrow channel of
the sea (later identified with the Straits of Messina, cf. JHS 1965, 172), opposite Scylla (1) (Od.
12. 101 ff.); it sucks in and casts out the water three times a day and no ship can possibly live in
it. Odysseus, carried towards it by a current when shipwrecked, escapes by clinging to a tree
which grows above it and dropping into the water when the wreckage is cast out (432 ff.). Hence
proverbially, a serious danger, as Horace, Carm. 1. 27. 19 (OCD).”
me dius fidius: “an expression of swearing (sc. adiuuet): ‘so help me the god of faith’. dius
fidius is perhaps to be identified with Jupiter, the Defender of Oaths (OLD s.v. Fidius).”
(Ramsey)
clausum, obsignatum and scriptum: sc. erat. the subject nihil is repeated three times, an
example of anaphora.
condonabantur: 3rd plural imperfect indicative passive, “to be handed over”, the subject is
apothecae, ‘storehouse.’
potabatur: an example of impersonal passive. “impersonal verb to stress what went on, not who
did it.” (Ramsey)
iste: i.e. Antony
stratos: sc. esse. sterno, sternere, stravi, stratus, ‘spread,’ the subject is lectos, ‘bed.’
videres: 2nd person singular imperfect subjunctive active. Potential subjunctive.
desinite: 2nd person plural present imperative active. Cicero is addressing the Senate.

mirari: miror, mirari, miratus sum, deponent, “wonder.” a complementary infinitive, follows
desinite. It introduces indirect statement where haec is the accusative subject and esse
consumpta is the verb.
tanta nequitia: the subject of potuisset, potential subjunctive.
aedis...hortos: sc. devorare potuisset.

[68]
o audaciam immanem: accusative of exclamation.
ingredi: from ingredior, ingredi, ingressus sum, “enter,” deponent.
illam domum: “Pompey’s domus was in the *Carinae district (Suet. Gram. 15; Tib. 15.I), a posh
part of town (Virg. Aen. 8.361), which lay on the western slope of the southern spur of the
Esquiline Hill.” (Ramsey)
ausus es: from audeo, audere, ausus sum, “dare,” semideponent.
tu...intrare, tu...ostendere: sc. ausus es.
dis penatibus: “Roman spirits connected with the inner part (penus, penitus, etc.) of the house
(Cicero De natura 2. 67, Servius on Aeneid 1. 378); the name only exists in the plural and as an
adjective with Di (gods) (OCD).” “In Roman religion, ‘the gods dwelling in the store cupboard’
(penus, ‘provisions’), who had their images in the atrium of every Roman house and were
regarded together with the lares as protectors of the house.”  (Oxford Companion to Classical
Literature)
aliquamdiu: echoed by tam diu.
deversari: deversor, deversari, deversatus sum, “lodge,” deponent.
quamvis...sapias: quamvis introduces concessive clause and takes the subjunctive.
sapias: 2nd person singular present subjunctive active
vestibulo: “‘forecourt’, not a part of the house proper, but an open area immediately in front of a
house through which one passed from the street in order to reach the door. Frequently the area
was enclosed to the left and right of the door by buildings that extended to the street (Gell.
16.5.3; cf. Varro, Ling. 7.81).” (Ramsey)
rostra: It is a speaker platform, decorated with beaks. “Captured, no doubt, from the pirates in
67. The houseentrance was often used for the display of such trophies.” (Denniston)
cum adspexisti: a temporal clause. “Temporal clause with cum, when, and some past tense of
the indicative dates or defines the time at which the action of the main verb occurred (A.G.545).”
domum...putas: putas introduces an indirect statement where introire is the verb, te is the
accusative subject, and domum tuam is the object.
quamvis...sis: quamvis introduces concessive clause and takes the subjunctive.
te et tua et tuos: deliberative repetition. “lit. yourself and your talents and your own kin.”
(Lacey)
tuos: “the rostra commemorating Pompey’s success against the pirates provided a constant
reminder to Antony of his grandfather’s limited success and his father’s dismal failure in
campaigns aimed at eradicating piracy from the Mediterranean.” (Ramsey)
nosti: syncopated, original form is novisti.
nec...consistere: credo introduces indirect statement where te is the accusative subject,
consistere is the verb, and vigilantem is the object.

necesse est: an impersonal verb where excitari and furere is the main verb and te is the
accusative subject.
cum...obiecta sit: circumstantial clause.
species: “as we can tell from de somno excitari, species= a ‘spectre’, ‘vision’ (OLD 9), not
merely some physical representation of Pompey, such as a statue.” (Ramsey)
singularis viri: i.e. Pompey

[69]
miseret: “as impersonal, miseret takes the genitive of the cause of feeling and the accusative of
the person affected (A.G.354.b.).”
ille vir: i.e. Pompey
cum (rel.)...tum (dem.): “while...so also; not only.. but also(A.G.323.g.).”
foris: locative.
domi: locative.
magis...quam: comparative, “more than.”
stabula: “brothel”
negat: the subject is Antony.
nolite quaerere: negative imperative where nolo takes the infinitive. lit. “do not ask question”.
frugi: an indecl. adj. meaning “frugal”
mimulam: ie. Cytheris.
mimulam...iussit: “the formula for divorce prescribed in the Twelve Tables, the foundation of
Roman law, along with demanding back the keys, the symbol of trustworthy wife.” (Lacey)
ex duodecim tabulis: :the Twelve Tables were traditionally drawn up in 451450 and formed
the first collect of written laws, from which later Roman law developed.” (Ramsey)
nihil...quam: comparative. lit. “nothing is more…”
quod: a relative clause. it can be translated as “the fact that.”
cum mima: cum here is a preposition.

[70]
crebro: adv. often
et consul et Antonius: “Antony may have used this expression in his speech on 19 Sept. in
order to call attention to his noble birth in contrast with the novitas of C., who was the first
member of his family to hold consulship. If so, then crebo will mean ‘repeatedly’ in that one
speech.” (Ramsey)
si...significaretur...dixisset: mixed conditions contrary to fact, translated as “had...would.”
dignitas: “esteem obtained by status.” (Lacey)
avus tuus: “Anthony's grandfathers were M. Antonius, counsel at 99 B.C.. He was one of the
foremost orators of his age and was assigned a prominent role in Cicero’s De Oratore.”
(Ramsey)
conlega meus: C. Antonius Hybrida, counsel at 63 B.C.
patruus: “father's brother.”
quae: peccata is its antecedant.

earum partium: “as revealed by tuas partis in the next line, Cicero refers to the ‘role’ played by
Antony in causing and waging the Civil War.” (Ramsey)
quod: its antecedent is bellum.
natum and conflatum: sc. est
opera tua: ablative of cause. “Thanks to you for your effort,” or “because what you did.”

Summary

[80]
iratus: perfect passive participle.
dixit: the subject is Antony.
di boni: voc. “good gods.”
cum...ostendisset: circumstantial clause.
priusquam: a conjunction that is common with imperfect subjunctive when the subordinate verb
implies purpose or expectancy in past time, or when the action that it denotes did not take place
(AG.551.b).
proficisceretur: “Caesar planned to leave Rome in the spring of 44 (on 18 Mar., according to
App.2.11, 114) for a period of up to three years to conduct a war in the Middle East against the
Parthians, who had inflicted a humiliating defeat on Crassus’ army in 53.” (Ramsey)
Dolabella: “allegedly born 69 bc (App. BCiv. 2. 129. 539), but certainly earlier. After a dissolute
youth (Cicero twice defended him), he divorced his wife in 50 and, against Cicero's wishes,
married Tullia (2), embarrassing Cicero by (unsuccessfully) prosecuting Ap. Claudius Pulcher
(3). (Divorce followed in 46 and he never repaid the dowry.) After working for Caesar before 49,
he was defeated commanding a fleet for him (49), then fought without distinction in Greece.
Alleging illness, he returned, had himself adopted by a plebeian Lentulus (see D. R. Shackleton
Bailey, Two Studies in Roman Nomenclature (1976) 29 ff.), and, as tribune 47, in Caesar's
absence, provoked street fighting (which M. Antonius (2) failed to suppress) by proposing
cancellation of debts—largely to escape his own creditors. Forgiven by Caesar, he
accompanied him to Africa (but is not mentioned at Thapsus), then fought for him in Spain, was
wounded, and utterly charmed him. He was rewarded with confiscated estates and picked to
become consul when Caesar left for the east; but Antonius blocked the election. On Caesar's
death he seized the consulship and, securing recognition, courted the tyrannicides’ supporters
while negotiating with Antonius. He thus obtained Syria for five years (and Cicero considered
accepting a position on his staff (legatio): Att. 15. 11. 4). Crossing to Asia, he brutally
assassinated the proconsul C. Trebonius and plundered the province. The senate now united to
outlaw him (cf. Cic. Phil. 11). In May 43 he crossed into Syria, was soon besieged by C. Cassius
Longinus (1) in (Syrian) Laodicea, and when, despite support from Cleopatra VII, he could not
hold it, committed suicide. He was the grandfather of the following (OCD).”
Dolabellam...iussurum: an indirect statement governed by ostendisset where the verb is
iussurum, the accusative subject is se, the object is Dolabellam, the copula is esse and
predicate accusative is consulem. “se iussurum Dolabellam esse consulem.”
regem: from “rex, regis.” Caesar as king, or a despot.

eius modi aliquid: aliquid is the object of both faceret and diceret. eius modi is genitive of
description.
qui...diceret: relative clause of characteristics.
bonus augur: ie. Antony. Cicero is being sarcastics by using the word bonus.
tum...dixit: dixit introduces an indirect statement where se is the accusative subject, and esse
praeditum is the verb.
ut...posset...adseveravit: a purpose clause which illustrate the function of a sacerdotium.
vel inpedire vel vitiare: “by announcing an auspicium oblatiuum, Antony could block the
assembly from taking action or render flawed action already taken.” (Ramsey)
idque...adseveravit: an indirect statement is introduced by adseveravit, where the verb is
facturum esse, accusative subject is se and object is id.
cognoscite: 2nd person plural present imperative active

[81]
quid enim: “‘For why is that?’ this can be used as a rhetorical question to introduce something
confirmatory.” (Ramsey)
quod...dixisti: an indirect statement is introduced by dixisti where posse is the verb, facere is
the complementary infinitive, and te is the accusative subject.
sacerdoti iure: lit. “by the right of priesthood.”
si...potuisses: mixed present and past contrary to fact, supposedly translated as “had...would
have.”
vide ne: “‘see if it isn’t the case that’; with facilius, sc. facere potuisses.” (Ramsey)
nos: “both Cicero and Antony were augurs.” (Ramsey)
nuntiationem: “describes the report of a sign (real or imagined) such as a clap of thunder, bolt
of lightning, tremor of the earth, etc. that had been observed without any conscious effort to
elicit it, an auspicium oblatiuum. The announcement of an unfavorable omen was styled
obnuntiatio, and when it came from an augur, it caused the suspension of the public act that
was in progress.” (Ramsey)
etiam spectionem: sc. habent. “magistrates (esp. consuls who ‘possessed the auspices’), but
no augurs, could announce their intention to watch for signs, socalled auspicia impetratiua,
such as a flash of lightning or a sudden noise during the taking of the auspices. These signs
were universally treated as unfavourable omens (dirae) and caused a suspension of whatever
act was in progress.” (Ramsey)
esto: “so be it.” imperative of sum.
imperite: adv. from imperitus, “unskilled.” sc. dixisti.
est...postulanda: passive periphrastic, the subject is prudentia.
multis...dixit: dixit introduces an indirect statement where se is the accusative subject,
prohibiturum and facturum esse are the verb, and comitia and id are the object respectively.
prohibiturum: sc. esse, “withhold something (acc.) from someone (dat.).”
Quisquamne: “anyone.” ne proposes a question.
quid...sit: an indirect question uses requires subjunctive verb.
si qui servavit...debet nuntiare: constitutes a complete past and present conditional clause
(AG. 515). It can be translated as “has watched...he ought to”

nisi qui: nisi (ali)qui. “someone.”
comitiis habitis: ablative absolute.
priusquam habeantur: “when referring to future time, take the present indicative; rarely the
present subjunctive (AG.551.b).” Although here it is the present subjunctive.
verum...est: implicata est is the perfect passive verb and inscientia inpudentia is the subject.
augurem: sc. decet.
nec scit...decet: The two main verbs (ABAB structure) are scit and facit. decet is the
impersonal verb of the relative clause of quod, and the accusative is used after it.

[82]
Idus Martias: Ides of March, which is March 15th. Cicero here refers to the date when Caesar
was assassinated.
quis: sc. est, asyndeton. Short clauses are intense emotions.
adparitor: “A general term for the free attendants on the Roman magistrates and priests (as
distinguished from the servi publici); the corresponding verb apparere is often found in
inscriptions.” (Denniston)
ipse: ie. Antony
in aversam lecticam: “Cicero pictures Antony walking behind Caesar’s litter in a subservient
fashion and poking his head through the curtains in the rear where the head of the occupant
rested and a whispered conversation could take place. Within the city, litters were felt to be
appropriate chiefly for women and invalids. They were regarded as articles of luxury, and
Caesar attempted to restrict their use by means of legislation. Caesar doubtless travelled by this
means so that he could employ his time productively and also because at this period in his life
he suffered from bouts of ill health. So, for instance, on the Ides of March, when he was feeling
poorly, he was carried to the Campus Martius in a litter.” (Ramsey)
quae venderet: relative clause of purpose.
sortitio: “casting of lots.”
praerogativae: “out of the prima classis, one of the 35 centuries of iuniores (citizens of military
age, 1846) was selected by lot to vote first. The vote of the centuria praerogatiua was regarded
as having potentially great influence over the course of election.” (Ramsey)
renuntiatur: “Dolabella is declared elected.” (Ramsey)
adsolet: sc. fieri.
prima classis: “this was the highest census class; to be assigned, a citizen had to have
property rated at a minimum of 40,000 to 50,000 sesterces. At this stage in the election, 82
centuries voted: 34 centuries of iuniores, 35 centuries of seniores, 12 centuries of equites, and 1
century of artisans.” (Ramsey)
citius: comparative adv. “more swiftly.”

[83]
confecto negotio: ablative absolute. “Not necessarily much exaggerated. If the eighteen
equestrian centuries and the first two classes voted solid for Dolabella, he had 158 votes. To get
a majority out of 373 he needed 187.” (Denniston)

C. Laelium diceres: “sc. eum esse. Laelius, cos. 140, was an augur (Amic. 7) and surnamed
‘Sapiens’ hence his selection here. Because of his noted friendship with the younger Scipio
Africanus, Laelius was made the chief spokesman in C.’ essay De amicitia, which was written at
about the same time as this speech.” (Ramsey)
alio die: ablative of time when. “The formal expression uttered by an augur in response to an ill
omen. It caused assembly to be adjourned to another day (Leg. 2.31) and nullified any action of
the assembly.” (Ramsey)
o inpudentiam singularem: accusative of exclamation.
neque...dixisti: indirect statement introduced by dixisti. te is the accusative subject and
servasse, unsyncopated form servavisse, is the verb.
tu...provideras: provideras introduces indirect statement where futurum esse is the verb,
“there will be.”
Kalendis Ianuariis: “on the occasion of Dolabella’s invective against Antony.” (Ramsey)
hercule: exclamation, lit. “O Hercules!”
magna tua: sc. “calamitate.” Ablative of manner.
ementitus es: deponent, “ementior, ementiri, ementitus sum”
auspicia: “literally ‘bird-watching’, but the term was applied to various types of divination. There
were five types of auspical sign: from the sky (thunder and lightning), from birds (their number,
position, flight, cries, and feeding), from sacred chickens (kept hungry in a cage; if food fell from
their beaks when they were eating, this was an excellent sign), from quadrupeds (e.g. a wolf
eating grass), and from unusual, threatening occurrences. They were either unsolicited or
solicited. Through the auspices the gods only expressed their approval or disapproval of an
action either contemplated or in progress. They were valid for one day only, and pertained
solely to the time of an action, not to its substance. Auguries were the auspices that pertained
not only to timing but also to substance. At inaugurations of priests and temples the deity gave
approval not only for the day of the ceremony but also for the person or the place to be
inaugurated. The auguries had no time limit, and to remove their effects a special ceremony
was necessary. The auguries could be conducted only by the augurs; any person could use the
auspices, hence the division into private and public auspices. The latter were administered by
the magistrates. All public acts were performed after a consultation of solicited auspices, e.g.
elections, census, military operations.” (OCD)
obstrinxisti: “the report was binding because an augur who announced a prohibitive sign, even
on that he had made up, was felt to bring it into existence by his very act of proclaiming it. The
consequences of disregarding the announcement of an unfavourable omen, even a fake one,
could be ruinous for the nation, and so C. expresses the hope that Antony’s actions may result
in his own ruin.” (Ramsey)
nolo plura: sc. dicere.
ne...videar: a purpose clause. videar is 1st person singular present subjunctive passive.
acta: “in 43, the flawed nature of Dolabella’s election to the consulship because of Antony’s
obnuntiatio was adduced as one of the grounds for challenging the validity of Antony’s
legislation that had been passed with cosponsorship of his colleague.” (Ramsey)
necesse est: it takes subjunctive without ut.

[84]
hominis: i.e. Antony
quam diu: takes indicative.
vitiosus: sc. est.
cum voles: temporal clause where cum takes indicative.
creatus: sc. est, the subject is Dolabella.
cum...nuntiat: temporal clause.
nuntiasti: syncopated form of nuntiavisti.
confitere: imperative. It introduces an indirect statement where te is the accusative subject,
fuisse is the verb, and sobrium is the predicate adjective.
sin: conj. “but if; if on the contrary”
ea...sit: indirect question which is introduced by requiro, and thus takes the subjunctive.
ne...transiliat oratio: negative purpose clause and takes the subjunctive. transiliat is 3rd
person singular present subjunctive active.
forte: adv. “by chance.”
veniamus: hortatory subjunctive.
Lupercalia: “at this festival on 15 Feb,. the priests (Luperci), of whom Antony was one,
sacrificed goats and a dog at the Lupercal, a cave situated at the foot of the Palatine, where
Romulus and Remus had traditionally been suckled by the shewolf. Then, covering only their
loins with a goatskin, the Luperci ran a circuit around the Palatine and struck those whom they
met, especially women, with thongs of goatskin as symbolic act of promoting fertility. according
to Varro, the festival was one of purification.” (Ramsey)
dissimulat: the subject is now Antony, as Cicero is addressing to the senate now.
quidlibet: a pronoun from quilibet, “any one you will.”
modo...nauseet: a negative proviso which takes the subjunctive.
faciat: jussive subjunctive, takes quidlibet as the object.
quod: antecedent of quidlibet.
in porticu Minucia: “this portico was constructed by M. Minucius Rufus (counsel 110) to
commemorate his victories in Thrace and was situated in the *Campus Martius, immediately
south of where the *Diribitorium later stood (Richardson 316).” (Ramsey)
ut videam: a ut purpose clause which takes subjunctive.
ubi: indirect question which takes subjunctive
campus Leontinus: “to catch in Antony’s defense some brilliance of rhetoric that will justify that
grant of a huge parcel of land in the Leontine Plain to his speaking coach Sex. Clodius.” (Loeb)

[85]
in rostris: “The speaker’s platform at an early date acquired the name rostra from the prows of
the ships captured at the Battle of Antium (338 BC) with which it was decorated.” (Ramsey)

conlega tuus: i.e. Julius Caesar.
toga purpurea, in sella aurea: “these two honours had recently been voted to Caesar by the
Senate, and it appears probable that Caesar first displayed these trappings at the Lupercalia.
The purple gown is associated with royalty and distinct from the vestis triumphalis (the
embroidered toga picta), which had been voted to Caesar in the previous year.” (Ramsey)
coronatus: Caesar had been granted the right to wear a laurel crown on all occasions, an
honour that he is said to have welcomed because it allowed him to conceal his receding.
However, according to Dio, Caesar wore a gilded crown at the Lupercalia. It must have been,
therefore, either a version of the triumphator’s crown that had been voted to him recently by the
Senate or the crown associated with Rome’s early kings.” (Ramsey)
escendis: the subject here is Antony, as it is the subject for the following verbs such as accedis
and ostendis. “sc. rostra. This and the following two historical presents make the scene more
graphic. Cicero was most likely an eyewitness to what he is describing.” (Ramsey)
ita...ut: “ita is concessive, ‘though...yet (ut)’. While it was traditional for a Lupercus to appear
scantily clothed in the Forum, a consul should not a theme treated at length by Dio (45.30.I5).
Cicero claims in phil. 3.12 that Antony had no right to be considered consul after behaving in
such a scandalous fashion at the Lupercalia, that he had abdicated his office.” (Ramsey)
te...meminisse deberes: an indirect statement introduced by meminisse where te is the
accusative subject, esse is the verb, and consulem is the predicate subject.
diadem: “ or ‘coronet’, a small headband of laurel with a white ribbon knotted at the base, which
was the important element, as it was regal.” (Lacey)
toto foro: locative.
unde diadema: “sc. adeptus es.” (Ramsey)
abiectum: sc. diadema.
ille: ie. Julius Caesar
tu...posset: rewrite as: “tu...es, cum...esses eumque...dominum habere velles, qui idem
temptares, quid...posset.”
cum...esses...velles: a circumstantial clause which takes the subjunctive.
quid...posset: Indirect question that takes the subjunctive.

[86]
supplex te ad pedes abiciebas: supplex is the appositive of tu, the understood subject.
“Cicero credits Antony with performing an act of proskynesis (prostration at the feet of the ruler),
which was a common feature of court life in Persia and at the courts of the later Hellenistic
monarchs.” (Ramsey)
ut servires: a purpose clause.
ut...paterere, ut...servires: a result clause.
o...tuam: accusative of exclamation.
cum...contionatus: temporal clause which takes the indicative.
quid...turpius: sc. est.
hoc...suppliciis omnibus: ablative of comparison.
num exspectas: introduces a direct question and expects a “no” answer.
dum...fodiamus: proviso clause takes the subjunctive.

Haec...haec: “anaphora is used in lieu of a conj. to link the two predicates having oratio as their
subj.: lacerat and cruentat.” (Ramsey)
sensus, us: fourth declension. here it is genitive.
vereor ne: fear clause, which takes subjunctive verb.
summorum virorum: “the conspirators, esp. M. Brutus and C. Cassius, whom Cicero calls
‘heroes’ in Att. 14.4.2.” (Ramsey)
dicam: hortatory subjunctive.
Quid: sc. est.
indignius: indignus takes a subjunctive clause with a relative.
quam vivere eum: infinitive with subject accusative in a comparison.
qui...diadema: relative clause of characteristic.
cum...esse: sc. eum. a cum circumstantial clause and fateantur introduces an indirect
statement where interfectum esse is the verb and eum is the accusative subject, Caesar
understood.

[87]
iussit: “the language is intentionally ambiguous: is the subject Caesar or Antony? The echo of
at enim at the opening of 86, where the subject is Antony, might suggest that Antony is also the
subject of issut, thereby causing the blame to fall on him, not Caesar, for making this boastful
and false claim (see line 32 populi iussu). Dio (44.11.3, 35.31.3), however, attributes this act to
Caesar, and most modern scholars follow his lead; see Hohl 92 n. I.” (Ramsey)
fastis: “The Fasti included dates of historical events as well as of festivals, exactly as our
almanacs contain, say, the date of Waterloo. Other incidents in Caesar’s life are found in extant
remains of the Fasti.” (Denniston)
iussit...noluisse: iussit takes infinitive and the accusative object.
adscribi: impersonal passive.
dictatori perpetuo: “Caesar assumed this office some time after 26 Jan. 44 (see Phil. I.4n).”
(Ramsey)
populi iussu: “denied by Cicero. In the speech that Dio (46.19.5) attributes to Calenus in 43,
Calenus freely admits that Antony fabricated authorization from the people, claiming that he did
so to shame Caesar into renouncing his intention to have himself named king.” (Ramsey)
uti: present infinitive, from “utor, uti, usus sum.” deponent form.
miror...bibere: miror introduces an indirect statement where te is the accusative subject,
perturbare,odisse, and bibere are the verbs, and otium,urbem,lucem are the accusative
objects.
cum: preposition. Ablative accompaniment.
de die: “‘from early in the day’, on accasion as early as the third hour, roughly between 8 and 9
a.m.” (Ramsey)
in diem: “daily.” (Ramsey)
qui...potest: qui locus is the subject of potest.
dominatu...sustulisti: “Antony overturned the courts and laws by serving as the catalyst
(causa) that brought about Caesar’s invasion of Italy and made possible his tyranny. To his

crime Antony has now added his attempt to crown Caesar, although the title was refused,
Caesar ruled like a monarch.” (Ramsey)
exactus: sc. est.
L. Tarquinius, Sp. Cassius, Sp. Maelius, M. Manlius: people who aimed at tyranny.
necati: sc. sunt.
ut...constitueretur: purpose clause which takes subjunctive.
M. Antonio: ablative of agent.

[88]
redeamus: hortatory subjunctive. Cicero is changing his topic.
Idibus Martiis: Ablative of time when. Ides of March, the day when Caesar was assassinated.
quaero...egisses: quaero introduces indirect question which takes subjunctive.
audiebam...venisse: audiebam introduces indirect statement where te is the accusative
subject, venisse is the verb, paratum is the predicate adjective.
quod...dicturum: subjunctive to indicate not the speaker’s thoughts. putares introduces an
indirect statement where me is the accusative subject, esse dicturum is the verb.
sustulit illum diem: “made unavailable for conducting business”, a technical expression (OLD
s.v. tollo 12b).” (Ramsey)
num: asking a question expects a negative answer.
tuum...iudicium: “Antony withdrew his opposition to Dolabella’s tenure of consulship on 17th
March.” (Denniston)
praevertendum est: passive periphrastic.
quae...quae...quae: “what a...what a...what…” Anaphora
praeclaro illo die: ablative of time when.
qui...voluerunt: volo takes infinitive and accusative.
clam: adv. “secretly.”
recepisti: from recipio, recipere, recepi, receptus, “return.”

[89]
o...auguria: “lit. ‘O my, in vain, always, most true prophecies.’” (Lacey)
dicebam...promissurum: dicebam introduces an indirect statement where te is the accusative
subject, promissurum the verb, omnia the object.
cum...vellent: circumstantial clause. volo takes the infinitive and accusative.
ut...adhortarer: a purpose clause.
ad defendendam rem publicam: gerundive expresses purpose with ad, “for the sake of.”
quoad: means “until” when it takes subjunctive.
similem...tui: indirect statement introduced by dicebam. te is the accusative subject, futurum
(esse)is the verb, similem is the predicate adjective, and it takes genitive.
irent, redirent: “went back and forth.”
in sententia mansi: “I hold my opinion.”
neque...credidi: credidi introduces an indirect statement where ullam societatem is the
accusative subject, posse the verb, and confirmari the complementary infinitive.

hoste: “a bold description of Antony, the consul, made more emphatic by the juxtaposition with
foedere, as if a state of war existed.” (Ramsey)
in aedem Telluris: “the Senate could meet and pass decrees in any templum, and the Temple
of Tellus, which was located on the west slope of the Esquiline, facing the Forum, was selected
for the meeting on 17 March because it was near Antony’s house, formerly the property of
Pompey. The Forum was not a safe place in the days following the assassination of Caesar: on
the night of 15/16 March, it had been garrisoned by soldiers under M. Lepidus, Caesar’s Master
of the Horse, and negotiations with the conspirators, who had occupied the Capitoline with a
bodyguard of gladiators, had produced no settlement.” (Ramsey)
invitus: with ego understood.
cum...obsiderent: circumstantial clause.
armati: substantive use. The subject of obsiderent.

[90]
qui: “what.” interrogative adjective.
inimicus: predicate adjective of extitisti.
miseret: “as impersonal, miseret takes the genitive of the cause of feeling and the accusative
of the person affected.” (A.G.354.b)
quod: causal clause.
qui...potuisses: qui and quand are interrogative adjectives. The conditional sentence is past
ContrarytoFact, translated as “had...would have.”
pacem haberemus: potential subjunctive.
quae: antecedent of pacem
nobilem, M. Bambalionis nepotem: “the placement of nobilem next to M. Bambalionis is
ironic because he child was nobilis (i.e. had consular ancestors) on his father’s side but not
apparently on his mother’s. On top of this, the cognomen Bambalio conveys a negative
connotation since, according to C. (Phil. 3.16), it as given to Fulvia’s father becasue of a speech
impediment and his slow wits.” (Ramsey)
magister officii: appositive to timor.
fecit: the subject is ea audacia. Postpone audacia for effect.
cum putabant : temporal clause.putabant: sc. esse. introduces indirect statement where te is
the accusative subject, and optimum the object.
me dissentiente: ablative absolute.
funeri: locative.

[91]
tua...tua...tua: anaphora. “Shakespeare’s speech of Antony in the Julius Caear begins with
‘Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.’” (Ramsey)
ille est: i.e. Julius Caesar’s body
L. Bellieni: “Nothing further is known about this Bellienus beyond the destruction of his house,
which must have been attacked because he was a known sympathizer of the Liberators.”
(Ramsey)
vi: ablative of means, from vis, “strength.”

fuligine abstersa: ablative absolute, “with the soot having been wiped off.”
in Capitolio: “the Capitoline Temple of Jupiter often served as the meetingplace of the Senate,
esp. on I Jan. but also on other occasions as well.
senatus consulta: senatus is genitive case. “decree of the senate.”
ne qua: ne aliqua.
immunitatis: refers to taxation.
quid dixeris: indirect question.
quo...videbatur: videbatur is impersonal which introduces an indirect statement where te is the
accusative subject, cepisse is the verb, odium is the object.
ut...tolleres: a result clause. eius refers to tyranny.

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