SALLUSTII CATILINA

CHAPTER 1

DECET omnes homines, qui student sese praestare caeteris animalibus, niti summa ope

It becomes all men who study themselves to excel other animals, to endeavor with utmost might

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ne transeant vitam silentio reluti pecora, quae natura finxit prona atque obedientia ventri.

that they may not pass all of their life in silence even as cattle, which nature has formed prone and obedient to the belly.

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Sed omnis nostra vis est sita animo et corpore. Utimur imperio animi, magis

But all our force is situate in mind and body. We use the command of mind more than

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servitio corporis. Alterum est commune nobis cum Dis, alterum cum belluis.

the service of the body. The other is common to us with the gods, the other the beasts.<

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Quo videtur mihi rectius quaerere gloriam opibus ingenii quam

By which is seems to me more right to seek glory by the powers of understanding than

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virium, et quoniam vita ipsa, qua fruimur est brevis efficere

of forces, and since the life self, which we enjoy is short to effect

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memoriam nostri quam maxime longam. Nam gloria divitiarum et formae

the memory of us as most long. For the glory of riches and of shape

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est fluxa atque fragilis; virtus habetui clara que aeterna. Sed magnum certamen fuit

is fleeting and frail; virtue is bright and eternal. But a great contest

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diu inter mortalis, ne militaris res procederet magis

has been a long time between mortals, whether military thing would advance more

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vi corporis, an virtute animi. Nam et priusquam incipias

more by force of body or by virtue of mind. For and before that you may begin

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est opus consulto,         et ubi consulueris facto mature.

is need with deliberation, and when you may have deliberated of deed seasonably.

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Ita utrumque indigens per se, alterum eget auxilio alterius. Igitur initio

So either defective by self the other wants the aid of the other. Therefore in the beginning

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reges (nam id fuit primum nomen Imperii in terris) diversi pars exercebant

kings (for that has been the first name of government in the lands) different part did exercise

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ingenium, alii corpus: etiam tum vita hominum agitabatur sine cupiditate, sua

understanding, others the body: also then the life of men was spent without covetousness, their own

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satis placebant cuique. Vero postea quam Cyrus in Asia, Lacedaemonii et Athenienses

their own sufficiently pleasing to everyone. But after that Cyrus in Asia, the Lacedemonians and Athenians

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in Graecia, coepere subigere urbes atque nationes; habere lubidinem dominandi causam belli,

in Greece, began to subdue cities and nations; to have the lust of ruling a cause of war,

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putare maxumam gloriam in maxumo imperio; tum demum compertum est periculis

to think the greatest glory in the greatest command; then at length it was found by dangers

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atque negotiis, ingenium plurimum posse in bello. Quod si virtus animi regum atque

and affairs the understanding to be most powerful in war. But if the virtue of the mind of kings and

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imperatorum valeret, ita in pace ut in bello, humanae res

of commanders might prevail so in peace as in war, human things

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haberent sese aequabilius atque constantius; neque cerneres aliud

would have themselves more even and more steady; neither would you perceive another

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ferri alio, neque omnia, mutari ac misceri. Nam imperium retinetur

to be borne elsewhere, neither all to be changed and to be mingled. For government is retained

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facile iis artibus, quibus initio partum est. Verum ubi pro labore, desidia

easily by those arts by which in the beginning it was acquired. But when instead of labor, idleness;

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pro continentia et aequitate, lubido atque superbia invasere, fortuna immutatur simul

instead of continence and equity, lust and pride came in, fortune was changed with

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cum moribus. Ita imperium transfertur semper a minus bono ad quemque optumum.

manners. So authority is always transferred from the less good to each best.

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Quae homines arant, navigant, aedificant, omnia parent virtuti. Sed multi mortales,

Whatever men ploug, navigate, build, all obey to virtue. But many mortals

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dediti ventri, atque somno, indocti que inculti, transiere vitam sicuti

addicted to the belly and to sleep, untaught and unpolished, passed life as if

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peregrinantes: quibus profecto contra naturam corpus fuit voluptati,

traveling: to whom indeed against nature body has been for pleasure,

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anima oneri. Ego aestumo vitam que mortem eorum juxta, quoniam siletur de utraque.

the soul for a burden. I estimate the life and death of them equally, since it is silent concerning each.

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Verum enimvero is demum videtur mihi vivere et frui anima, qui, intentus aliquo negotio, quaerit

But truly he appears at length to me to live and to enjoy life, who, intent on some business, seeks

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famam praeclari facinoris aut bonae artis. Sed in magna copia rerum,

the fame of illustrious enterprise of of good art. But in the great abundance of things

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natura ostendit aliud iter alii. Est pulchrum benefacere reipublicae, etiam benedicere

nature points out another journey to another. It is fair to do well to the republic, also to speak well

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est haud absurdum. It is lawful to be made illustrious vel pace vel bello:

it is not absurd. It is lawful to be made illustrious either by peace or by war:

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et multi laudantur, qui fecere, et qui scripsere facta aliorum. Ac tametsi par

and many are praised who have done, and who have written deeds of others. And although equal

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gloria haudquaquam sequatur scriptorem et actorem rerum, tamen videtur quidem mihi

glory by no means may follow the writer and actor of things, yet it seems

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in primis arduum scribere res gestas: primum, quod facta sunt exaequanda

particularily difficult to write things carried on: first because deeds are to be equaled

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dictis; dein quia plerique putant delicta, quae reprehenderis,

by sayings; afterwards because most think the fault, which you may have reproved

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dicta malevolentia et invidia; ubi memores de magna virtute bonorum; quae quisque

said from ill-will and envy; when you record of great virtue of good; whatever each

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putet facilia factu sibi, accipit aequo animo; supra

may think easy to be done by himself, he receives with even mind; beyond

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ducit pro falsis, veluti ficta. Sed ego adolescentulus, initio latus

he leads for false, as feigned. But I, a very young man, in the beginning was borne

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sum studio ad Rempublicam; que ibi multa fuere advorsa mihi.

by inclination to the republic; and there many had been adverse to me.

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Nam audacia, largitio, avaritia, vigebant pro pudore, pro abstinentia,

For boldness, bribery, covetousness, did flourish instead of modesty, instead of abstinence

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pro virtute; quae tametsi animus insolens malarum artium, aspernabatur;

instead of virtue, which although my mind unacustomed of bad arts, did despise;

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tamen imbecilla aetas, corrupta, ambitione, tenebatur inter tanta vitia.

yet weak age, corrupted by ambition, was held amoung so great vices.

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Ac cum dissentirem ab reliquis malis moribus, nihilominus eadem cupido honoris,

And when I would dissent from the rests bad manners, nevertheless the same desire of honor,

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quae vexabat caeteros, fama et invidia (vexabant) me. Igitur ubi animus

fame and envy did harass me. Therefore when mind

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requievit ex multis miseriis atque periculis, et decrevi reliquam aetatem habendam

rested from many miseries and dangers, and I resolved my remaining age to be had

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procul a Republica, non fuit consilium conterere bonum otium socordia

at a distance from the republic, it has not been design to consume good leasure in sloth

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atque desidia; neque vero agere aetatem, intentum servilibus officiis, colendo

and idleness; nor truly to act age intent on servile offices, in cultivating

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agrum aut venando: sed regressus eodem, a quo incepto

field or in hunting: but having returned to the same (pursuit), from which undertaking

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que studio, mala ambitio detinuerat me, statui perscribere res gestas Romani

and study, bad ambition had detained me, I resolved to write through things carried on of the Roman

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populi carptim, uti quaeque videbantur digna memoria: magis eo,

people with selection as each did seem worthy of memory: more on ths account,

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quod animus erat liber mihi a spe, metu, partibus Reipublicae. Igitur

because mind was free to me from hope, fear, factions of the republic. Therefore

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absolvam paucis de conjuratione Catilinae quam

I will acquit a few words concerning the conspiracy of Cataline as

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verissume potero. Nam existumo id facinus in primis memorabile

truly as I shall be able. For I think that interprise particularily memorable

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novitate sceleris atque periculi: de moribus cujus

from the novelty of its wickedness and danger: concerning the morals

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hominis pauca sunt explananda, prius quam faciam initium narrandi.

of which man a few(things) are to be explained, before I may make a beginning of relating.