Catiline

[kat-l-ahyn]

noun

1. Lucius Sergius Catilina, 108?–62 b.c., Roman politician and conspirator.

Catiline

/ ˈkætɪˌlaɪn, ˌkætɪlɪˈnɛərɪən /

noun

1. Latin name Lucius Sergius Catilina. ?108–62 _bc , Roman politician: organized an unsuccessful conspiracy against Cicero (63–62)

Other Word Forms

• Catilinarian adjective

Example Sentences

Randall name-checks philosophers — Hegel, Kant, Nietzsche, Plato, Marcus Aurelius — he misunderstands to his advantage and drops references to the Catiline Conspiracy and the Battle of Actium to make base actions sound important and dignified.

From Los Angeles Times

This mention of Catiline is worth a momentary pause, in part because the reference is so unfamiliar to modern ears as to seem meaningless, and also because it was so familiar to the leaders of the revolutionary generation as to require no further explanation.

From Literature

This was the decision that caused Hamilton to repeat his earlier characterizations of Burr as the unprincipled American Catiline, which in turn generated the newspaper reports containing the offensive word “despicable.”

From Literature

Whereas no one else in the revolutionary generation wanted the role of Catiline, Burr seemed to be auditioning for the part at every opportunity.

From Literature

By accusing Burr of being Catiline, Hamilton was making the ultimate accusation, for Catiline was the treacherous and degenerate character whose scheming nearly destroyed the Roman Republic and whose licentious ways inspired, by their very profligacy, Cicero’s eloquent oration on virtue, which was subsequently memorized by generations of American schoolboys.

From Literature