Sallust now proceeds to an etiological myth of Rome's foundation. Although thinly disguised as empirical history and, if understand as such, is open to questions of historical accuracy, Sallust's accounting of Rome's past establishes the moral standards and ideals that he believes were operational in the past and therefore should be recovered for future greatness.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: VI ]

Urbem Romam, sicuti ego accepi, condidere atque habuere initio Troiani, qui Aenea duce profugi sedibus incertis vagabantur, cumque iis Aborigines, genus hominum agreste, sine legibus, sine imperio, liberum atque solutum. Hi postquam in una moenia convenere, dispari genere, dissimili lingua, alii alio more viventes, incredibile memoratu est, quam facile coaluerint: ita brevi multitudo diversa atque vaga concordia civitas facta erat.

The city of Rome, as I understand it, was first founded and inhabited by the Trojans, who with Aeneas as their leader fled and wandered through unknown place, and by the original peoples of this land, a wild race of men, without laws, without central authority, unbridled and dispersed. After these men came together under one fortified location, men who differed in race, speaking different languages, living with different customs, it is incredible to recount how they easily they coalesced. So in a brief period of time a varied and roaming multitude became a State living in harmony.

Sed postquam res eorum civibus, moribus, agris aucta, satis prospera satisque pollens videbatur, sicuti pleraque mortalium habentur, invidia ex opulentia orta est. Igitur reges populique finitumi bello temptare, pauci ex amicis auxilio esse; nam ceteri metu perculsi a periculis aberant.

But after the city, strengthened by its citizens, customs and arable lands, appeared to be sufficiently prosperous and powerful, just as human affairs are constituted, jealousy arose from its abundance. Therefore the neighouring kings and peoples attacked the city in war, few of their friends were a help: for the rest dispirited because of fear stood back from the risks.

At Romani domi militiaeque intenti festinare, parare, alius alium hortari, hostibus obviam ire, libertatem, patriam, parentisque armis tegere. Post, ubi pericula virtute propulerant, sociis atque amicis auxilia portabant magisque dandis quam accipiundis beneficiis amicitias parabant.

But the Romans both at home and in military service eagerly hurried, they prepared (themselves) and urged each other and they met the enemy and protected freedom and their native land fully armed. Afterwards, when they had driven off the dangers by their valour, they provided help to their allies and friends, procuring alliances more by bestowing than by receiving favours. (cf: Thuc. 2:40 )

imperium legitumum, nomen imperi regium habebant. delecti, quibus corpus annis infirmum, ingenium sapientia validum erat, rei publicae consultabant: hi vel aetate vel curae similitudine patres appellabantur.

They held authority under law, the regal name for imperium. Those whose body was weak from age but whose talent was strong because of wisdom, were choosen to take care of the State: these men whether due to their age or to the paternal resemblance of their care were called Fathers.

Post, ubi regium imperium, quod initio conservandae libertatis atque augendae rei publicae fuerat, in superbiam dominationemque se convortit, inmutato more annua imperia binosque imperatores sibi fecere: eo modo minume posse putabant per licentiam insolescere animum humanum.

Afterwards, when monarchial authority, which from the beginning existed for preserving liberty and strengthening the State, transformed itself towards arrogant despotism, the Romans permanently established for themselves two imperators with annual powers: in this way they believed that human nature was less likely to overstep its boundaries under the influence of licentiousness.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: VII ]

Sed ea tempestate coepere se quisque magis extollere magisque ingenium in promptu habere. Nam regibus boni quam mali suspectiores sunt semperque iis aliena virtus formidulosa est. Sed civitas incredibile memoratu est, adepta libertate, quantum brevi creverit: tanta cupido gloriae incesserat.

And at this time each man began to further excel and to put his natural genius more on public display. For in the view of Kings good men are more suspicious than bad men and the virtue of someone else is always fearful in their eyes. But it is incredible to recount, having obtained liberty, how much the city-state grew in a short time as such desire for renown had increased.

Iam primum iuventus, simul ac belli patiens erat, in castris per laborem usum militiae discebat magisque in decoris armis et militaribus equis quam in scortis atque conviviis lubidinem habebant. Igitur talibus viris non labor insolitus, non locus ullus asper aut arduus erat, non armatus hostis formidulosus: virtus omnia domuerat.

At this time the youth, as soon as they were capable of war, first learned about military skill through practise in battle camps and they took more pleasure in suitable weapons and military calvary than in courtesans and banquets. Therefore, toil was not foreign to such men, not any location was tough nor difficult, the armed enemy was not fearful: valour won over all things.

Sed gloriae maxumum certamen inter ipsos erat: se quisque hostem ferire, murum ascendere, conspici, dum tale facinus faceret, properabat. Eas divitias, eam bonam famam magnamque nobilitatem putabant. Laudis avidi, pecuniae liberales erant, gloriam ingentem, divitias honestas volebant.

And there was a great contest for glory amongst these man: each one hurried himself to strike the enemy, to scale the wall, to stand out while he was performing this type of deed. They thought these things to be their rewards, a good name and great nobility. Desirous of praise, they were generous with their money, and they wished for unbounded glory but honoured wealth.

Memorare possem, quibus in locis maxumas hostium copias populus Romanus parva manu fuderit, quas urbis natura munitas pugnando ceperit, ni ea res longius nos ab incepto traheret.

I would be able to recount, in whatever locations (where) the Roman people in a small band routed the largest forces of of the enemy, which cities although fortified with natural defences they captured by fighting, if this subject were not drawing us to far from our subject.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: VIII ]

Sed profecto fortuna in omni re dominatur; ea res cunctas ex lubidine magis quam ex vero celebrat obscuratque.

But assuredly fortune holds ultimate sway; she reveals and obscures all things according to her caprice rather than from what is fair.

Atheniensium res gestae, sicuti ego aestumo, satis amplae magnificaeque fuere, verum aliquanto minores tamen, quam fama feruntur. Sed quia provenere ibi scriptorum magna ingenia, per terrarum orbem Atheniensium facta pro maxumis celebrantur. Ita eorum, qui fecere, virtus tanta habetur, quantum eam verbis potuere extollere praeclara ingenia.

The accomplishments of the Athenians, as I judge them, were extensive and magnificent but in truth they were nevertheless somewhat less than has been carried by tradition. But because a great talent for writing flourished there, the actions of the Athenians were celebrated to the highest degree through out the world. As a result, the valour of those who acted was held so great because their illustriously talented writers were able to elevate it.

At populo Romano numquam ea copia fuit, quia prudentissumus quisque maxume negotiosus erat: ingenium nemo sine corpore exercebat, optumus quisque facere quam dicere, sua ab aliis bene facta laudari quam ipse aliorum narrare malebat.

But for the Roman people there has never been this advantage, because all of our brightest men were actively busy: no one extended their natural talent without the physical, each best man prefered to act rather than to explain, prefered his own good actions to be praised by others rather than he himself narrate the deeds of someone else.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: IX ]

Igitur domi militiaeque boni mores colebantur; concordia maxuma, minuma avaritia erat; ius bonumque apud eos non legibus magis quam natura valebat. Iurgia, discordias, simultates cum hostibus exercebant, cives cum civibus de virtute certabant. In suppliciis deorum magnifici, domi parci, in amicos fideles erant.

Therefore, both at home and in military service good customs were cultivated. There was the greatest concord and the least amount of greed. Justice and uprightness grew naturally strong among these men rather than proscribed through laws. They engaged in quarrels, disagreements and arguments with enemies but citizens contested with citizens for valour. In supplications to the gods they were generous, at home they were moderate, to their amicitas/friends they were steadfast.

Duabus his artibus, audacia in bello, ubi pax evenerat, aequitate, seque remque publicam curabant. Quarum rerum ego maxuma documenta haec habeo, quod in bello saepius vindicatum est in eos, qui contra imperium in hostem pugnaverant quique tardius revocati proelio excesserant, quam qui signa relinquere aut pulsi loco cedere ausi erant; in pace vero, quod beneficiis magis quam metu imperium agitabant et accepta iniuria ignoscere quam persequi malebant.

By these two skills, audacity in times of war and fairness when peace had been established, they protected themselves and the Republic. Of these qualities I hold the following to be the greatest examples: in war punishment was inflicted more often upon those who attacked the enemy against orders and upon those who had retreated too slowly from battle after being recalled than those who had abandoned their standards and who had dared to cede their position when being attacked. And also in peace, because they established their authority more by conferring benefits than through fear and because they preferred to ignore injury received than seek revenge.

[ Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio: X ]

Sed ubi labore atque iustitia res publica crevit, reges magni bello domiti, nationes ferae et populi ingentes vi subacti, Carthago, aemula imperi Romani, ab stirpe interiit, cuncta maria terraeque patebant, saevire fortuna ac miscere omnia coepit. Qui labores, pericula, dubias atque asperas res facile toleraverant, iis otium divitiaeque optanda alias, oneri miseriaeque fuere.

But when the Republic had increased through its hard work and its sense of justice, and the great kings had been reduced in war, and the wild and unpopulated territories had been subdued by force, and Carthage, that rival to Roman power, had been uprooted and destroyed, and all of the lands and seas were opened to her, Fortune began to savage and confuse everything. For those who had easily tolerated toils, dangers, uncertain and difficult times, leisure and wealth, things hoped for at other times (alias), became a burden and a cause of misery.

Igitur primo pecuniae, deinde imperi cupido crevit: ea quasi materies omnium malorum fuere. Namque avaritia fidem, probitatem ceterasque artis bonas subvortit; pro his superbiam, crudelitatem, deos neglegere, omnia venalia habere edocuit. Ambitio multos mortalis falsos fieri subegit, aliud clausum in pectore, aliud in lingua promptum habere, amicitias inimicitiasque non ex re, sed ex commodo aestumare magisque voltum quam ingenium bonum habere. Haec primo paulatim crescere, interdum vindicari; post, ubi contagio quasi pestilentia invasit, civitas immutata, imperium ex iustissumo atque optumo crudele intolerandumque factum.

Therefore at first the desire for money and then the desire for power increased: these desires as it were became the source of all evils. For greed subverted trust, probity and all of the other finer qualities: in their stead it taught men arrogance and cruelty, to neglect the gods and to possess all things venal. Ambitio forced many men to become false, to have one thing hidden away in their heart but another on display in their speech, and to judge friendship and enemity not on its own merit but on his usefulness, and to reckon coutenance as worth more than noble character. These things grew little by little, and sometimes they were punished. Afterwards, when this contagion spread like a disease, the State changed, authority based on justice and on the highest principle became cruel and intolerable.