The workes of Caius Crispus Salustius contayning the Conspiracie of Cateline The Warre of Iugurth. V. bookes of historicall fragments. II orations to Cæsar for the institution of a co[m]monwealth and one against Cicero.
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Title
The workes of Caius Crispus Salustius contayning the Conspiracie of Cateline The Warre of Iugurth. V. bookes of historicall fragments. II orations to Cæsar for the institution of a co[m]monwealth and one against Cicero.
Author
Sallust, 86-34 B.C.
Publication
[London :: Printed by Elizabeth Allde,] Are to be sould at the Eagle and Child in Brittaines Burse by Tho: Walkley,
1629.
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"The workes of Caius Crispus Salustius contayning the Conspiracie of Cateline The Warre of Iugurth. V. bookes of historicall fragments. II orations to Cæsar for the institution of a co[m]monwealth and one against Cicero." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A11365.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed October 31, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 636
Collections out of the fifth booke
of SALVSTS Historicall
Fragments.
The Oration of Ca. Cotta the
Consull, to the people.
MAny dangers (O ye Ro∣manes)
haue happened to
me, both at home, and abroad,
many calamities: some of which
I haue suffered, others I haue re∣pelled
by the ayde of the gods,
and my owne vertue: in all which
neither my minde was wanting to
my businesse, nor labour to my
resolutions. Aduerse and pros∣perous
affaires changed wealth,
not my wit.
But contrariwise in these mise∣ries,
all things haue forsaken me:
besides, old age greeuous in it
selfe, doth redouble my care: to
whom being wretched, it is not
descriptionPage 637
lawfull in these my last yeeres
to hope for an honest death. For
if I am a Paricide of you, and
being borne for you, haue vilifi∣ed
my houshold gods, my
Country, and this most glorious
Empire, what torment is suffici∣ent
for me in my life, or what pu∣nishment
after death? when with
my wickednesse I haue exceeded
all the punishments mentioned in
hell.
From my first youth I liued in
your eye both a priuate person
& Magistrate; those that would,
vsed my tongue, counsell, and
money: neither did I exercise my
eloquence craftily, nor my wit
mischieuously: being most co∣uetous
of priuate fauour, I vnder∣tooke
great quarrells for the
Commonwealth: who being
vanquished together with her,
when destitute of other helpe, I
expected farther miseries; you
(O ye Romanes) restored againe
to me my Country, and houshold
descriptionPage 638
gods, with an exceeding great
dignity.
For which benefits I should
not seeme sufficiently thankfull,
if for them seuerally, which I can∣not
doe, I should expend my ve∣ry
soule. For life and death are
the rights of nature; that thou
mayest liue without disgrace with
thy fellow Citizens, thy fame and
fortunes being intire, that is nei∣ther
giuen, nor taken as a do∣natiue.
You haue made vs Consuls
(O ye Romanes) the Common∣wealth
being much intangled
both at home and abroade:
for the Generalls of Spaine re∣quire
pay, Souldiers, Armes, and
corne, and the occasion inforceth
it: for after the reuolt of our
Confederates, and the flight of
Sertorius ouer the mountaines,
they can neither come to fight,
nor prouide necessaries. Our
Armies, in regard of Mithridates
great forces, are maintained in
descriptionPage 639
Asia and Cilicia: full of enemies
is Macedonia: no lesse the mari∣time
regions of Italy, and the
Prouinces: when in the meane
time our tributes being small and
vncertainely ballanced for the
warres, scarce sustaine a part of
the charges: thus we saile with a
lesse Fleet, then formerly we
did, for the Conuoy of victuals.
If these things are contracted
by our negligence and fraudu∣lent
dealing, proceed, and take
punishment as you will: but if
the common fortune be in fault,
wherefore doe you vndertake
things vnworthy of your selues,
of vs and the Commonwealth?
And I, ouer whose age death is
impendent, doe pray for it, if by
that you can quit any inconueni∣ence:
neither can any thing more
honest this ingenious body, then
if it cease to liue for your safety.
Behold I C. Cotta the Consull
am here, I doe that which our
ancestours haue often done in
descriptionPage 640
dangerous warres: I vow and a∣bandon
my selfe for the Com∣mon-wealth:
the which to whom
you may commit, bee circum∣spectiue
from hence forwards;
for no good man will desire that
honour, when as of the fortune of
peace and warre transacted an ac∣count
is to be giuen, or an igno∣minious
death to be suffred. One∣ly
reserue this in your mindes,
that I was not slain for lewdnesse,
or auarice, but for the requitall
of your greatest benefits, I gaue
vp my soule as a free-wil offring,
Coniured therefore by your
selues, and the glory of your an∣cestours
(O ye Romanes) be pa∣tient
in aduersities, and prouide
for the Common-wealth: much
care attends the ch••efest com∣mand,
and many vast labours:
which you refuse in vaine, and
seeke the plenty of peace: when
all Prouinces, Kingdomes, Seas,
and Lands, are indangered and
harraged with the warres.
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