Cicero 29 & 30 Flashcards
iam vero virtuti Cn. Pompei quae potest oratio par inveniri? quid est quod quisquam aut illo dignum aut vobis novum aut cuiquam inauditum possit adferre?
Besides, to the (innate) excellence of Gnaeus Pompeius what discourse can be found that measures up? What is there that anyone could adduce either worthy of him or novel to you or unfamiliar to anyone?
neque enim illae sunt solae virtutes imperatoriae, quae vulgo existimantur, labor in negotiis, fortitudo in periculis, industria in agendo, celeritas in conficiendo, consilium in providendo, quae tanta sunt in hoc uno, quanta in omnibus reliquis imperatoribus, quos aut vidimus aut audivimus, non fuerunt.
Nor, in fact, are those the only qualities distinctive of a general, which are commonly so considered, namely effort in public affairs, courage in dangers, care in operating, speed in finishing, good judgement in exercising forethought; these are present in this one man to such an extent as they have not been in all the other generals, whom we have either seen or heard of.
testis est Italia, quam ille ipse victor L. Sulla huius virtute et subsidio confessus est liberatam: testis est Sicilia, quam multis undique cinctam periculis non terrore belli, sed consilii celeritate explicavit:
Italy is my witness, which the great conqueror Lucius Sulla himself admitted was freed by the excellence and the assistance of this man. Sicily is my witness, which, when it was surrounded on all sides by many dangers, he rescued not by the horror of war but by the speed of his counsel.
testis est Africa, quae magnis oppressa hostium copiis eorum ipsorum sanguine redundavit: testis est Gallia, per quam legionibus nostris iter in Hispaniam Gallorum internicione patefactum est:
Africa is my witness, which, borne down upon by massive enemy forces, overflowed with the blood of the self-same foes. Gaul is my witness, through which- by the slaughter of the Gauls- a route has been opened up into Spain for our legions.
testis est Hispania, quae saepissime plurimos hostes ab hoc superatos prostratosque conspexit:
Spain is my witness, which most frequently has seen great numbers of the enemy overcome and laid low by this man
testis iterum et saepius Italia, quae cum servili bello taetro periculosoque premeretur, ab hoc auxilium absente expetivit, quod bellum exspectatione eius attenuatum atque imminutum est, adventu sublatum ac sepultum.
Over and over again, Italy is my witness, which, when it was weighed down by a foul and dangerous slave war, sought assistance from him though he was far away; and this war was weakened and diminished in expectation of him and crushed and buried upon his arrival.
