J. B. Greenough, G. L. Kittredge, Select Orations of Cicero, Allen and Greenough's Edition.

in custodiam dedisti, i.e. into free custody, on parole. This appears to have been late in October, when Catiline was prosecuted on the Lex Plautia de vi. When a respectable Roman was charged with a crime it was customary for some person to bail him out, as it were, by becoming responsible for his appearance. Being thus responsible, the surety kept the accused in a kind of custody at his house.

ad M'. Lepidum, etc.: ad = apud. Lepidus was the consul of B.C. 66.

ad me: this was of course intended by Catiline as a demonstration of his innocence.

domi meae: § 428, k (258, e); G. 411, a.4; H.-B. 454.1.

parietibus, loc. abl.; moenibus, abl. of means. Observe the difference of meaning in these words and the emphasis of the contrast,

qui . . . essem: this would be subj. (sim) in dir. disc. as implying the reason; § 535, e (320, e); B. 283, 3; G. 626, a.; H. 592, 598 (517); H.-B. 523.

Metellum: Q. Metellus Celer, consul B.C. 60; he afterwards did good service in the campaign against Catiline.

virum optimum, an excellent man (ironical, of course).

sagacissimum, keen-scented; fortissimum, energetic and fearless.

videtur . . . debere, does it seem that he ought to be? Observe that the Latin prefers the personal construction ("does he seem," etc.), which the English idiom with ought does not allow us to imitate: § 582 (330, b, I); B. 332, b; G. 528, R2; H. 611, N.1 (534, 1, N.1); Cf. H-B. 590, I, a.