43. At Romae Lentulus cum ceteris, qui principes conjurationis erant,
paratis, ut videbatur, magnis copiis, constituerant, uti quum Catilina in
agrum Faesulanum cum exercitu venisset. L. Bestia tribunus plebis
contione habita quereretur de actionibus Ciceronis, bellique gravissimi
invidiam optimo consuli imponeret; eo signo[211] proxima nocte cetera
multitudo conjurationis suum quisque negotium exequeretur. Sed[212] ea
divisa hoc modo dicebantur: Statilius et Gabinius uti cum magna manu
duodecim simul opportuna loca urbis incenderent, quo tumultu facilior
aditus ad consulem ceterosque, quibus insidiae parabantur, fieret;
Cethegus Ciceronis januam obsideret eumque vi aggrederetur, alius autem
alium; sed filii[213] familiarum, quorum ex nobilitate maxima pars erat,
parentes interficerent, simul caede et incendio perculsis omnibus, ad
Catilinam erumperent. Inter haec parata atque decreta[214] Cethegus
semper querebatur de ignavia sociorum; illos dubitando et dies prolatando
magnas opportunitates corrumpere, facto, non consulto, in tali periculo
opus esse, seque, si pauci adjuvarent, languentibus aliis, impetum in
curiam facturum. Natura ferox, vehemens, manu promptus erat; maximum
bonum in celeritate putabat.

[211] _Signum,_ in military phraseology, is the visible or audible signal
for a movement which the army is to execute. The attack of the
tribune of the people on Cicero during his address to the people was
to be the signal. 'After this signal had been given' (_eo signo_),
_dato_ being understood. _Conjurationis_ for _conjuratorum_.
[212] _Sed_. According to ordinary Latinity, the sentence ought to have
been introduced by _autem_; see Zumpt, S 348, note. But it must be
observed that in the historical style of Sallust _sed_ very
frequently expresses not only opposition, but also mere transition
from one thing to another, which seems to be an affectation of