In Catilinam 1.20

Latin
1

Hi everyone,
I have a question regarding the last sentence of “In Catalinam 1.20”:
"Quid exspectas auctoritatem loquentium,
quorum voluntatem tacitorum perspicis?"

I would translate it in English like this:
Why are you waiting for the authority of (those) words, whose silence you perceive the choice?

But, I saw somewhere this translation:
Why are you waiting for authority of the words of those whose wishes you see when they are silent?

May I have not understood this form: “quorum voluntatem tacitorum”.
Any explanation?

2

loquentium and tacitorum don’t mean “words” and “silence.” They’re participles. So literally it’s “Why are you waiting for the authority of [people] speaking, whose wish [when they are] silent you perceive” (tacitorum agreeing with quorum).

1 Like
3

Ok, now I understand it better. It is clearer.
Thanks for the help.