2.
Further, when I drove Catiline out of the city, (for I do not fear the unpopularity of this
expression, when that is more to be feared that I should be blamed because he has departed
alive,) but then when I wished him to be removed, I thought either that the rest of the band
of conspirators would depart with him, or that they who remained would be weak and powerless
without him.
[4]
And I, as I saw that those whom I knew to be inflamed with the greatest madness and
wickedness were among us, and had remained at Rome, spent ail my nights and days in taking
care to know and see what they were doing, and what they were contriving that, since what I
said would, from the incredible enormity of the wickedness, make less impression on your
ears, I might so detect the whole business that you might with all your hearts provide for
your safety, when you saw the crime with your own eyes. Therefore, when I found that the
ambassadors of the Allobroges had been tampered with by Publius Lentulus, for the sake of
exciting a Transalpine war and commotion in Gaul, and that they, on their return to Gaul, had
been sent with letters and messages to Catiline on the same road, and that Vulturcius had
been added to them as a companion, and that he too had had letters given him for Catiline, I
thought that an opportunity wits given me of contriving what was most difficult, and which I
was always wishing the immortal gods might grant, that the whole business might be manifestly
detected not by me alone, but by the senate also, and by you.
[5]
Therefore, yesterday I summoned Lucius Flaccus and C. Pomtinus, the praetors, brave men and
well-affected to the republic. I explained to them the whole matter, and showed them what I
wished to have done. But they, full of noble and worthy sentiments towards the republic,
without hesitation, and without any delay, undertook the business, and when it was evening,
went secretly to the Mulvian bridge, and there so distributed themselves in the nearest
villas, that the Tiber and the bridge was between them. And they took to the same place,
without any one having the least suspicion of it, many brave men, and I had sent many picked
young men of the prefecture of Reate, whose assistance I constantly employ in the protection
of the republic, armed with swords.
[6]
In the meantime, about
the end of the third watch, when the ambassadors of the Allobroges, with a great retinue and
Vulturcius with them, began to come upon the Mulvian bridge, an attack is made upon them;
swords are drawn both by them and by our people; the matter was understood by the praetors
alone, but was unknown to the rest.
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