First Translation of Cicero's Speech Against Catiline into Modern Ukrainian Published
The Ovcharov Institute of Rhetoric presents a singular publication—the first translation of Cicero's First Speech Against Catiline into contemporary Ukrainian literary language. This constitutes a landmark event for Ukrainian philological and historical scholarship, as the Ukrainian reader may now, for the first time, engage with one of antiquity's most distinguished exemplars of rhetoric in their native tongue.
The translation has been executed by the Institute's founder, Mykola Ovcharov, from the perspective of a practising orator. In contradistinction to linguistic translations, this rendering focuses upon reproducing Cicero's oratorical techniques—anaphora, rhetorical interrogation, ethopoeia, and the emotional resonance of the speech.
"Cicero is not merely a historical document, but living oratorical artistry which must sound compelling today," observes Mykola Ovcharov. "My task was to convey not only the substance, but to render it as authentically resonant as possible."
Innovative Translation Decisions
The translation incorporates several principled decisions by the translator. The celebrated "O tempora, o mores!" is rendered as "О часи, о моралі!" ("O times, O morals!") rather than the traditional "О часи, о звичаї!" ("O times, O customs!"), which more profoundly conveys the dramatic force of Cicero's appeal to the fundamental foundations of Roman society.
Two phrases from this oration are universally recognised as celebrated maxims: "How long, Catiline, will you continue to test our patience?" and "O times, O morals!" Ovcharov has also identified, for the first time, a third memorable phrase from the speech: "Hatred earned through courage is glory, not hatred", which had not previously been distinguished amongst Cicero's renowned aphorisms, though no less striking in its import.
Historical Significance
The First Speech Against Catiline was delivered on 7th-8th November 63 BC in the Temple of Jupiter Stator. It proved the pivotal moment in exposing Lucius Sergius Catilina's conspiracy against the Roman Republic and compelled the conspirator to flee the city. The oration has served for two millennia as the paradigm for the study of Latin and oratorical excellence.
Features of the Edition
The translation is accompanied by detailed annotations concerning the historical context of Catiline's conspiracy, the symbolic significance of the Temple of Jupiter Stator, Cicero's rhetorical techniques, and the rationale for translation decisions. The edition presents both the Ukrainian translation and the original Latin text for comparison.
The translation is available gratis on the Institute's website and through Google Books.
This publication opens a new chapter in Ukrainian reception of classical heritage and demonstrates the continuing relevance of classical rhetoric to contemporary oratorical practice.
About the author: Mykola Ovcharov is the founder of the Institute of Rhetoric (2009), author of "Master of Public Speaking," "Small Ethics," "Evidential Argumentation," and editor of "The Unknown Orator" journal.
