SALLUSTII CATILINA

CHAPTER 2

Lucius Catalina, natus nobili genere, fuit magna vi et anima et coporis, sed

Lucius Cataline, born of a noble race, was of great strength of mind and body, but

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malo que pravo ingenio. Intestina bella, caedes, rapinae, civilis discordia fuere grata huic

a bad and depraved disposition. Intestine wars, slaughters, rapines, civil discord were agreeable with this

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ab adolescentia; que ibi exercuit suam juventutem. Corpus patiens inediae, algoris, vigiliae,

from youth; and there he exercised his youth. His body was patient of hunger, of cold, of watchfulness

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supra quam est credible cuiquam: animus audax, subdolus, varius, simulator ac

beyond than is credible to anyone: mind adventurous, crafty, changeable, a counterfeiter and

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cujuslibit rei, appetens alieni, profusus sui; arends in cupiditatibus;

of anything, desirous of another's property, lavish of his own; ardent indesires;

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satis eloquentiae, parum sapientiae; vastus animus semper cupiebat immoderata,

sufficient of eloquence, little of wisdom; vast mind always did desire extravagant,

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incredibilia, nimis alta. Post dominationem Lucii Sullae, maximuma lubido

incredible to high things. After the domination of Lucius Sulla, a very great lust

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republicae capiunde invaserat hunc, neque habebat quidduam pensi quibus modis

of the republic to be taken had siezed him, nor had he any of thought by what means

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assequeretur id, dum pararet regnum sibi.

he might attain that, while he should procure the kingdom for himself.

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Ferox animus agitabatur magis que magis in deis, inopia familiaris rei,

Fierce mind was agitated more and more daily, from want of familiar thing (private property),

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et conscientia scelerum; utraque quae auxerat his artibus, quas memoravi supra.

and a consciousness of crimes; both which he had increased by those arts, which I have recorded above.

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Praeterae corrupti mores civitatis incitabant, quos, luxuria atque avaritia, pessuma mala,

moreover the corrupt manners of the state did incite (him), which luxury and avarice, the worst of evils,

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ac divera inter se, vexabant. Res ipsa videtur hortari, quonium

and different between themselves, did harass. The thing itself seems to exhort me, since the

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tempus admonuit de morbus civitatis, repetere supra ac disserere paucis instituta

time has reminded of the manners of the state, to retrace above and discuss in a few the institutions

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majorum domi et militiae quomodo habuerint rempublicam,

of our ancestors at home and abroad in what manner they may have had the republic,

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que quantam relinquerint, et disserere ut paulatim immutata,

and how great they may have left it, and to discuss how by degree having been changed,

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facta sit pessuma ac flagitiosissuma ex pulcherruma.

it may have been made the worst and most disgraceful from the fairest.

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Trojani, sicut ego accepi, initio, condidere atque habuere urbem Roman;

The Trojans, as I have received(heard), in the beginning, first build and inhabitied the city of Rome.

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qui, Aenea duce, profugi vagabantur incertus sedibus; que cum his Aborigines,

who, Aeneas leader, exiles did wander in uncertain seats; and with these the Aborinines,

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agreste genus hominum, sine legibus, liberum atque solutum. Postquam hi convenere ibi

a rustic race of men, without laws, free and loosed. Afterwards, they assembled there

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in una moenia dispari genere, dissimili lingua, viventes alius alio more,

into one walls of different race, of dissimilar language, living each in a different custom,

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est increadible memoratu, quam faciile coaluerint. Sed postquam

it is increadible to be recorded, how easily they may have coalesced. But after

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res eorum aucta civibus, moribus, agris, videbatur satis prospera,

that the thing of them having been increased by citizens, morals, lands, did appear sufficiently prosperous,

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que satis pollens, invidia orta est ex opulentia, sicuti pleraque

and sufficiently powerful, envy arose out of oppulence, as most

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mortalium habentur. Igitur reges que finitimi populi tentare bello.

of mortal are had. Therefore kings and neighboring peoples tried to in war.

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Paucu ex amicis esse auxilio. Nam caeteri, perclusi metu, aberant a periculis.

Few of their friends to be for aid. For the rest, stricken from fear, kept aloof from dangers.

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At Romani, intenti domi que militiae, festinare, parare,

But the Romans, intent at home and of war, hasten to prepare the

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alius hortari alium ire obviam hostibus; tegere libertatem, patriam,

other to exhort another to go towards the enemies; to protect liberty, country

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que parentes armis. Post ubi propulerant pericula virtute

and parents with arms. Afterwards, when they had repulsed dangers by virtue

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portabant auxilia sociis atque amicis; que parabant amicitias magis

they did carry aids to allies and friends; and did prepare friendships rather by

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beneficiis dandis quam accipiundis. Habebant legitimum

favors to be given than to be received. They did have a legitimate

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imperium, regium nomen imperii: delecti quibus corpus erat

government, a royal name of government: chosen to (men) whom the body was

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infirmum annis, ingenium validum sapientia, aetate vel similitudine

weak by years, understanding strong with wisdom, did consult for the republic. These, either from age or from similitude

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curae, appellabantur Patres. Post ubi regium imperium quod

of care, were called Fathers. Afterwards, when the royal government, which

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initio fuerat libertatis conservandae, atque reipublicae augendae,

in the begining had been of liberty to be preserved, and of the republic to be increased,

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convertit in superbium que dominationem, more immutato, fecere

turned into pride an tyranny, practice having changed, they made

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sibi annua imperia, binos imperatores: eo modo putabant humanum animum

for themselves, annual governments, two rulers: by that means they did think the human mind

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posse minime insolescere per licentiam. Sedea tempestate coepere quisque

able at least to grow insolent through excess of power. But at that time they began each

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extollere se magis que magis, que habere ingenium in promptu:

to extoll(exert) himself more and more, and to have understanding in rediness:

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nam boni sunt suspectiores regibus quam mali; que aliena virtus est semper

for good are more suspected to kings than bad, and strange virtue is always

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formidolosa his. Sed est increadible memoratu, quantum civitas creverit

formidable to these. But it's increadible to be recorded how much the state may have increased

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brevi, libertate adepta: tanta cupido gloriae incesserat.

in a short time, liberty having been attained: so great a desire of glory had come in.

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Jamprimum juventus, simulac erat patiens belli, discebat in castris

Now first the youth, as soon as it was able to endure war, did learn in the camps

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militiam usu per laborem; que habebat lubidinem, magis in decoris armis,

war from habit through exercise; and did have pleasure rather in beautiful arms

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et militaribus equis, quam in scortis atque conviviis.

and military horses, than in harlots and banquets.

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Igitur labos erat non insolitus talibus viris, nonnullus locus asper

Therefore labour was not unusual to such men, not any place rough

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aut arduus; armatus hostis non formidolosus: virtus domuerat omnia.

or difficult; an armed enemy not formidible: virtue had subdued all things.

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Sed maximum certamen gloriae erat inter ipsos: quisque properabat ferire

But a very great contest of glory was among them: each did hasten to strike

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hostem, ascendere murum, conspici dum faceret tale facinus: putabant eas divitias

the enemy, to scale the wall, to be seen while he might do such a thing: they did think these riches.

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Possem memorare in quibus locis Romanus populus fuderit maxumas copias

I could relate in what places Roman people may have routed very great forces

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hostium parva manu; quas urbes munitas natura ceperit pugnando, ni ea

enemies with a small band; what cities fortified by nature they may have taken in fighting, unless that

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res traheret nos longius ab incepto. Sed profecto fortuna dominatur in omnia re

thing would draw us farther from undertaking. But indeed fortune controls in everything;

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ea celebrat que obscurat cunctas res magis ex lubidine quam ex vero.

she celebrates and eclipses all things rather from caprice than from truth.

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Res gestae Atheniensium, sicut ego existumo, fuere satis

The things carried on of the Athenians, as I think, have been

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amplae que magnificae; verum tamen aliquanto minores quam

ample and magnificent; but however by somewhat less than

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feruntur fama: sed quia magna ingenia scriptorum provenere

they are borne by fame: but because great understandings of writers sprang up

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ibi, facta Atheniensium celebrantur por terrarum orbem pro maxumis.

there, the deeds of the Athenians are celebrated through the whole world for the greatest.