Now, speaking to the citizens of Rome, rather than the Senate, Cicero informs to the Roman people that their wicked enemy Catiline has, at long last, fled from the city after making mischief, chaos, and threats. (Tandem aliquando, Quirites, L. Catilinam furentem audacia, scelus anhelantem, pestem patriae nefarie molientem, vobis atque huic urbi ferro flammaque minitantem ex urbe vel eiecimus vel emisimus vel ipsum egredientem verbis prosecuti sumus.)
After discussing Catiline's flight, Cicero tells the Romans that by fleeing from Rome, Catiline not only admitted to his conspiracy, but also brought joy to Cicero by leaving the city walls.(Sed cur tam diu de uno hoste loquimur, et de eo hoste, qui iam fatetur se esse hostem, et quem, quia, quod semper volui, murus interest, non timeo;)
Cicero then begins to change the subject and focus on the fellow conspirators still remaining in Rome because their threat to the Republic of Rome is still very real. (de his, qui dissimulant, qui Romae remanent, qui nobiscum sunt, nihil dicimus?)
To seem merciful and caring, Cicero tells the Romans that he isn't going to punish these conspiring men, rather that he is going to heal both them and the Republic, for their own good. Cicero believes this can be done, but only if the conspirators will hear him out. (Quos quidem ego, si ullo modo fieri possit, non tam ulcisci studeo quam sanare sibi ipsos, placare rei publicae, neque, id quare fieri non possit, si me audire volent, intellego.)
To clarify the conspiracy, Cicero tells his people that Catilines "troops" were raised from a variety of classes. (Exponam enim vobis, Quirites, ex quibus generibus hominum istae copiae comparentur;)
The first class included indebted high class men, who Cicero says should be feared the least. The second class of Catiline's conspirators included indebted men who strove for political control. The third class included elders from the colonies established by Roman general Sulla, who, like Catiline, had strong negative feelings towards Rome. The fourth class was made up of indebted, lazy, and worthless soldiers, who are by no means an immediate threat. The fifth class included murderers, assassins and criminals that outnumbered Cicero's power. The final class was made up of Catiline's personal friends, allies and acquaintances, who were directly rounded up by Catiline himself.
Cicero plans to heal these men from their wickedness with his words from his orations, rather than punishment. (deinde singulis medicinam consilii atque orationis meae, si quam potero, afferam)
