Translation of Sallust's Catilinarian War 1

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: I ]

Omnis homines, qui sese student praestare ceteris animalibus, summa ope niti decet, ne vitam silentio transeant veluti pecora, quae natura prona atque ventri oboedientia finxit.

All men, who desire to distinguish themselves from other living creatures, ought to strive with the utmost effort, lest they pass their lives in obscurity like beasts of burden, which nature has fashioned stooping and servile to their belly.

Sed nostra omnis vis in animo et corpore sita est: animi imperio, corporis servitio magis utimur; alterum nobis cum dis, alterum cum beluis commune est.

But our power as a whole resides in our mind and in our body: we make more use of the authority that comes from our mind than the servitude from the body: the one we have in common with the gods, the other with wild beasts.

Quo mihi rectius videtur ingeni quam virium opibus gloriam quaerere et, quoniam vita ipsa, qua fruimur, brevis est, memoriam nostri quam maxume longam efficere. Nam divitiarum et formae gloria fluxa atque fragilis est, virtus clara aeternaque habetur.

Wherefore, I think it is more fitting to seek renown through our innate genius rather than our physical strength and to ensure that the remembrance of us is as lasting as possible, since the life we enjoy is short. For the renown that arises from wealth and beauty is mercurial and transient, excellence is held as illustrious and eternal.

Sed diu magnum inter mortalis certamen fuit, vine corporis an virtute animi res militaris magis procederet. nam et prius quam incipias consulto et ubi consulueris mature facto opus est. ita utrumque per se indigens alterum alterius auxilio eget

But amongst men there has been a great and long debate about whether military success depends more on physical or mental skills. Before you start a military action, there is a need for deliberation, but when you have made your plans, there is a need for timely action. Thus, each are deficient on their own, the one needs the help of the other.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: II ]

Igitur initio reges (nam in terris nomen imperi id primum fuit) divorsi pars ingenium, alii corpus exercebant: etiam tum vita hominum sine cupiditate agitabatur; sua cuique satis placebant. Postea vero quam in Asia Cyrus, in Graecia Lacedaemonii et Athenienses coepere urbis atque nationes subigere, lubidinem dominandi causam belli habere, maxumam gloriam in maxumo imperio putare, tum demum periculo atque negotiis compertum est in bello plurumum ingenium posse.

Therefore in the beginning, the kings -- for this was the first name used for authority in the world -- took differing approaches, some relied on the mind, others relied on physical strength. Yet at this time the life of men was lived without covetousness; what one possessed was sufficient for each man. However, after Cyrus in Asia and the Spartans and Athenians in Greece began to subjugate city-states and other lands, they believed that the lust for dominion was the reason for war and they thought that the greatest glory came from the most extensive empire, then finally it was learned through experience that intellectual skill was the most effective in war.

Quod si regum atque imperatorum animi virtus in pace ita ut in bello valeret, aequabilius atque constantius sese res humanae haberent neque aliud alio ferri neque mutari ac misceri omnia cerneres.

But if the mental skills of kings and imperators were as effective in peace as they were in war, human affairs would have been more stable and settled and you would not see men continually changing sides, causing everything to be in a state of confusion and mixed up.

Nam imperium facile iis artibus retinetur, quibus initio partum est. Verum ubi pro labore desidia, pro continentia et aequitate lubido atque superbia invasere, fortuna simul cum moribus inmutatur. ita imperium semper ad optumum quemque a minus bono transfertur.

For authority is easily retained by those skills through which it was obtained in the first place. But when laziness takes root instead of hard work, lust and arrogance instead of moderation and equanimity, fortune is changed along with custom. Thus, authority is continually being transfered from a lesser man to whomever is slightly more deserving. [ a bono ... ad optumum: in my view the transference of power is not from the weak to the strong, but from the less strong to the more strong; an important difference, since otherwise it would seem that Sallust is arguing this is a good state of affairs, which I think he is not. ]

Quae homines arant, navigant, aedificant, virtuti omnia parent.

Everything which man ploughs, sails and builds is subject to his skill.

Sed multi mortales, dediti ventri atque somno, indocti incultique vitam sicuti peregrinantes transiere; quibus profecto contra naturam corpus voluptati, anima oneri fuit. Eorum ego vitam mortemque iuxta aestumo, quoniam de utraque siletur.
Verum enim vero is demum mihi vivere atque frui anima videtur, qui aliquo negotio intentus praeclari facinoris aut artis bonae famam quaerit.

But many men, beholden to pleasure and indolence, untutored and uncultivated, have spent their lives as lived by a stranger. And contrary to nature, their body was a source of pleasure, their mind a burden. And I judge the life and death of these men as one and the same thing because both are passed in silence. In fact, I think that it is only he, who is committed to some task and seeks reputation from a brilliant accomplishment or honourable pursuit, is the one who truly lives and enjoys life.

Sed in magna copia rerum aliud alii natura iter ostendit.

But in the great abundance of choices nature shows different paths for different individuals.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: III ]

Pulchrum est bene facere rei publicae, etiam bene dicere haud absurdum est; vel pace vel bello clarum fieri licet; et qui fecere et qui facta aliorum scripsere, multi laudantur.

It is honorable to perform a good deed for the state but it is also honorable to speak well on its behalf: so in both peace and war it is possible to acquire renown; many of those who have acted or have written about actions are praised.

ac mihi quidem, tametsi haudquaquam par gloria sequitur scriptorem et auctorem rerum, tamen in primis arduom videtur res gestas scribere: primum quod facta dictis exaequanda sunt; dehinc quia plerique quae delicta reprehenderis malevolentia et invidia dicta putant, ubi de magna virtute atque gloria bonorum memores, quae sibi quisque facilia factu putat, aequo animo accipit, supra ea veluti ficta pro falsis ducit.

And, although in no way at all does the same amount of glory follow the writer as it does the actor, nevertheless I think it is especially difficult to write about the accomplishments of others. First, because actions must be equalled by words, next because most men think that which you rebuke as crimes are said because of dislike and jealousy. And finally when you recall the great virtue and renown of eminent men, that which anyone thinks is easy for them to do, he readily accepts, but those going beyond his capabilities he construes as untrue as if stories. [cf: Thucydides: 2.25.2 ]

Sed ego adulescentulus initio sicuti plerique studio ad rem publicam latus sum, ibique mihi multa advorsa fuere. nam pro pudore, pro abstinentia, pro virtute audacia largitio avaritia vigebant.

But as a young man, just like many others, I was initially carried by a zeal for public affairs but then many obstacles came in my way. For instead of modesty and self-restraint and merit, impudence and bribery and greed flourished.
[ largitio instead of virtute, avaritia instead of abstinentia, audacia instead of pudore, so: bribery used by those who lacked merit, desire for more used by those who lacked restraint, reckless daring used by those who lacked modesty. ]

quae tametsi animus aspernabatur insolens malarum artium, tamen inter tanta vitia imbecilla aetas ambitione corrupta tenebatur;

Although I despised these behaviours, unaccustomed as I was to evil practices, nonetheless being surrounded by such depravity my weakened state was seduced and corrupted by the desire for power (ambitio).

ac me, cum ab reliquorum malis moribus dissentirem, nihilo minus honoris cupido eadem qua ceteros fama atque invidia vexabat. [ honoris cupido eadem, quae ceteros, fama atque invidia vexabat. ]

And although I rejected the evil habits of those around me, nonetheless the same desire for public office and the same ill-repute and jealousy disrupted me as it did others.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: IV ]

Igitur ubi animus ex multis miseriis atque periculis requievit et mihi reliquam aetatem a re publica procul habendam decrevi, non fuit consilium socordia atque desidia bonum otium conterere neque vero agrum colundo aut venando, servilibus officiis, intentum aetatem agere;

Therefore, when I took leave from these misfortunes and dangers and I determined that the rest of my days ought to be spent at a distance from the public eye, it was not my plan to waste away my valuable leisure time in indolence and inactivity nor to live engaged in servile tasks such as tilling my land or hunting; (servilibus officiis: servile duties e.g. physical not intellectual activities)

sed, a quo incepto studioque me ambitio mala detinuerat, eodem regressus statui res gestas populi Romani carptim, ut quaeque memoria digna videbantur, perscribere, eo magis, quod mihi a spe, metu, partibus rei publicae animus liber erat.

Instead, I returned to that same undertaking and that area of study which blind ambition had distracted me from and I set to write down the accomplishments of the Roman people in sections, as each one seemed to be a worthy of mention, in this the better so, because my mind was free of ambition, clear of fear and uninfluenced by political partisanship.

Igitur de Catilinae coniuratione, quam verissume potero, paucis absolvam; nam id facinus in primis ego memorabile existumo sceleris atque periculi novitate. De cuius hominis moribus pauca prius explananda sunt, quam initium narrandi faciam.

Therefore, I shall briefly untangle Cataline's conspiracy with as much truth as I am able. For I judge this villainy to be most worthy of recall, especially given the uniqueness of its wickedness and its danger. But first, I must use a few words to describe the character of this man before I start the narrative.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: V ]

L. Catilina, nobili genere natus, fuit magna vi et animi et corporis, sed ingenio malo pravoque. Huic ab adulescentia bella intestina, caedes, rapinae, discordia civilis grata fuere ibique iuventutem suam exercuit.

Lucius Catiline, born of noble lineage, was blessed with impressive intellectual and physical powers, but he was a man of a depraved and evil disposition. From his youth, intestine conflicts, butchery, plunder, sedition were a source of pleasure and it is here admist them that he spent his early years.

Corpus patiens inediae, algoris, vigiliae supra quam cuiquam credibile est. Animus audax, subdolus, varius, cuius rei lubet simulator ac dissimulator, alieni appetens, sui profusus, ardens in cupiditatibus; satis eloquentiae, sapientiae parum. Vastus animus immoderata, incredibilia, nimis alta semper cupiebat.

His body was able to endure starvation, the frigid cold and a lack of sleep, all to an unbelievable degree. He was audacious, underhanded, capricious, both a dissimulator and dissembler as it suited, desirous of the property of others, profligate with his own, consumed by desires; sufficient in eloquence, lacking wisdom. His insatiable appetite was always seeking the extravagant, the extraordinary and the unattainable.

Hunc post dominationem L. Sullae lubido maxuma invaserat rei publicae capiundae; neque id quibus modis adsequeretur, dum sibi regnum pararet, quicquam pensi habebat. Agitabatur magis magisque in dies animus ferox inopia rei familiaris et conscientia scelerum, quae utraque iis artibus auxerat, quas supra memoravi. Incitabant praeterea corrupti civitatis mores, quos pessuma ac divorsa inter se mala, luxuria atque avaritia, vexabant.

And after the despotic rule of Sulla, an intense lust for seizing control of the Republic overwhelmed Cataline. Nor did he hold it of any import, how he achieved this objective as long as it readied him for rule. Day by day his mind became more and more vicious due to the lack of Familiar resouces and the recognition (guilt) of his crimes, each of which was magnified by those traits I mentioned earlier. Moreover, the corrupt morals of the State urged him onwards, morals which extravagance and greed (those worst and most contradictory evils) were undermining.

Res ipsa hortari videtur, quoniam de moribus civitatis tempus admonuit, supra repetere ac paucis instituta maiorum domi militiaeque, quo modo rem publicam habuerint quantamque reliquerint, ut paulatim immutata ex pulcherruma atque optuma pessuma ac flagitiosissuma facta sit, disserere.

Because this topic has reminded about me the morals of the State, it urges me to look further back and to discuss briefly the institutions of our ancestors both at home and in military service, how they held the Republic in check and how much they left behind, how as gradually the Republic was changed from the most felicitous and best State, it became the worst and most shameful.