SALLUSTII CATILINA

CHAPTER 3

Ita virtus eorum, qui fecere ea, habentur tanta, quantum praeclara

So the virtue of those who have done those, is accounted so great, as the brilliant

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ingenia potuere extollere ea, verbis. At ea copia nunquam

understandings have been able to extol them, via words. But that abundance

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fuit Romano populo: quia quisque prudentissimus erat maxume negotiosus:

never has been to the Roman people: because each most skillfull was most active:

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nemo exercebat ingenium sine corpore: quisque optumus malebat

no one did exercise understanding without the body: each best did rather wish

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facere quam dicere; sua benefacta laudari ab aliis, quam ipse narrare

than to say; his own good deeds to be praised by others, than he to relate

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aliorum. Igitur boni mores colebantur domi, que militiae

to tohers. Therefore good manners were celebrated at home and at war

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concordia erat maxuma, jus que bonum valebat apud eos non magis

unanimity was very great, selfishness very small, justice and good did prevail amoung them not more

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legibus quam natura. Exercebant jurgia, discordias, simultates

by laws than by nature. They did exercise contentions, discords, feuds

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cum hostibus; cives certabant civibus de virtute.

with the enemies; citizens did vie with citizens concerning virtue.

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Erant magnifici in suppliciis deorum, parci domi, fideles in amicos.

They were magnificant in their worships of the gods, frugal of home, faithful toward friends.

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Curabant que se que rempublicam his duabus artibus, audacia in bello,

They did manage with themselves and the republic by these two arts, by boldness in war,

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aequitate, ubi pax avenerat. Quarum rerum ego habeo haec maxuma documenta

by equitity when peace had happened. Of which things I have these very great proofs

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quod in bello vindicatum est saepius in eos, qui pugnaverant in

that in war it was vindicatied oftener on those, who had fought against

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hostem contra imperium, que qui revocati, excesserant tardius

the enemy contrary to command, and who having been recalled, had departed more slowly

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praelio, quam qui ausierant relinquere signa, aut pulsi cedere loco:

from battle, then who had dared to leave behind standards, or having been repulsed to retire from place:

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vero agitabant imperium in pace, magis beneficiis quam metu, injuria accepta

truly they did conduct the government in peace, rather by kindness than by fear, an injury received,

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malebant ignoscere quam persequi. Sed ubi respublica crevit

they wished to pardon than to avenge. But when the republic increased

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labore atque justitia, magni reges domiti bello; ferae nationes, et

by industry and justice, great kings were conquered in war; savage nations and

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ingentes populi subacti vi, Carthago awmula Romani imperii, interiit

great peoples subdued by force, Carthage, the rival of the Roman empire, perished

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ab stirpe, cuncta maria que terrae patebant, fortuna coepit

from stem, all seas and lands did lie open, fortune began to

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saevire ac miscere omnia. Otium, divitiae, optandae aliis, fuere

rage and confound all things. Rest, riches to be wished to others, were for

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oneri que misreiae iis, qui facile toleraverant dubias atque

aburden and wretchedness to those who easily had endured doubtful and

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asperas res. Igitur primo cupido pecuniae, dein imperii, crevit:

rough things. Therefore at first the desire of money, then of command increased.

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ea fuere quasi materies omnium malorum. Namque avaritia subvertit fidem

those were as if the source of all evils. For avarice overturned faith

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probitatem, que caeteras bonas artes; pro his edocuit superbiam

honesty and other good arts; instead of these it taught them pride

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crudelitatem, negligere deos, habere omnia venalia; ambitio subnegit

cruelty, to neglect the gods, to have all things venal; ambition compelled

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multos mortales fieri falsos; habere aliud clausum in pectore, aliud

many mortals to be made false; to have one (thing) shut up in the breast, another

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promptum in lingua aestumare amicitias que inimicitias non ex re,

ready on tounge; to estimate friendships and enmities not according to the thing,

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sed ex commodo; que habere bonum vultum magis quam ingenium.

but according to advantage; and to have a good countanence rather than disposition.

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Haec primo crescere paulatim, interdum vindicari. Post ubi contagio,

These at first increase by degrees sometimes to be punished. Afterwards, when the contagion,

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quasi pestilentia invasit, civitas immutata: imperium factum

as if a pestilence invaded, the state changed: the government made

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crudele que intolerandum, ex justissimo que optumo.

cruel and intolerable, from the most just and the best.

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Sed primo ambitio exercebat animos hominum magis quam avaritia:

But at first ambition did exercise the minds of men more than avarice:

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quod vitium tamen erat proprius virtutem. Nam bonus ignavus aeque

which vice however was nearer to virtue. For good and indolent equally

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exoptant sibi gloriam, horonrem, imperium, sed ille nititur vera via;

wish for themselves glory, honor, authority, but he endeavors in the true way.

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quia bonae artes desunt huic, contendit dolis atque fallaciis.

because good arts are wanting to this, he strives by deceits and fallacies.

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Avaritia habet studium pecuniae, quam nemo sapiens concupivit. Ea, quasi

Avarice has a zeal of money, which no wise (man) has coveted. It as if

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imbuta malis venenis, effoeminat corpus que virilem animum: est semper

imbued with bad poisons, enervates the body and the manly mind: is always

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infinita, insatiabilis: neque minuitur copia neque inopia. Sed postquam

unbounded, insatiable: nither is lessened by plenty nor by want. But after

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Lucius Sulla, republica recepta armis, habuit malos eventus ex bonis

Lucius Sulla, the republic having been recovered by arms, had bad results from good

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initiis; omnes rapere trahere: alius cupere domum, alius agros.

beginnings; all began to plunder take away: another to desire a house, another land.

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Victores habere neque modum neque modestiam: facere foeda que crudelia

The conquerers have neither manner nor modesty: to do disgraceful and cruel

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facinora in civis. Huc accedebat quod Lucius Sulla, contra morem majorum,

crimes against citizens. Here did come Lucius Sulla, contrary to the custom of our ancestors,

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habuerat exercitum, quem ductaverat in Asia, luxuriose que

had the army which he had often led in Asia, intemperately and

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nimis liberaliter, quo faceret fidum sibi. Amoena, voluptaria loca

too liberally, in order that he might make it faithful to himself. Pleasant, voluptuous places

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facile molliverant feroces animos militum in otio. Ibi premum

easily had enervate the fierce minds of soldiers in peace. There first

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exercitus Romani populi insuevit amare, potare, mirari signa,

the army of the Roman people became accustomed to love, to drink, to admire signs,

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pictas tabulas, coelata vasa; rapere ea privatim et publice, spoiliare

painted tablets, carved vases, to plunder those both privately and publicly, to rob

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delubra, polluere omnia sacra que profana. Igitur hi milites, postquam

shrines, to polute all sacred and profane. Therefore these soldiers, after

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adepti sunt victoriam, fecere nihil reliqui victis. Quippe secundae

they obtained victory, made nothing of remaing to the vanquished. For prosperous

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res fatigant animos sapientum; ne illi temperarent victoriae,

things fatigue the minds of the wise; not they moderately enjoy victory,

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moribus corruptis. Postquam divitiae coepere esse honori, et gloria,

manners corrupted. Afterwards, riches began to be for honor and glory,

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imperium, potentia sequebatur eas: virtus coepit hebescere,

authority, power did follow them. virtue began to languish,

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paupertas haberi probro, innocentia duci pro malevolentia.

poverty to be had for a disgrace. Innocence to be deemed for ill-will.

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Igitur ex divitiis, luxuria, atque avaritia, cum superbia, invasere juventutem.

Therefore out of riches, luxury and avarice, with pride, invaded the youth.

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Rapere, consumere, pendere sua parvi, cupere aliena; habere pudorum

To Plunder, to consume, to esteem their own of little, to desire others; to have modesty,

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pudicitiam, divina atque humana promiscua, nihil pensi, neque

chastity, devine and human promiscuous, nothing of regard, nor

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moderati. Est premium operae quum cognoveris domos atque villas

moderation. It is a reward of labor when you will have known houses and villas

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exedificatas in modum urbium, visere templa deorum, quae nostri majores,

built up in the manner of cities, to visit the temples of the gods which our ancestors,

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religiosissmi mortales, fecere. Verum illi decorabant delubra

most devout mortals, made. But they did adorn the temples

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deorum peitate, suas domos gloria; neque eripiebant quidquam victis,

of the gods with piety, their own houses with glory; nor did they snatch any from the vanquished,

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Praeter licentium injuriae. At hi contra ignavissmi homines,

except the privilege of (doing) injury. But there, on the other hand, most indolent men,

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admere, per summum scelus, omnia ea sociis quae fortassimi viri

to take away through the utmost wickedness, all those from allies which the bravest men

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victores reliquerunt hostibus, proinde quasi facere injuriam id esset demum

conquerers left to enemies, as if to do injury, that might be at length

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uti imperio. Nam quid memorem ea, quae sunt credibilia

to use authority. For why may I relate those (things) which are credible

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nemini nisi his, qui videre;

to no one, unless to those who have seen (them);

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Montes esse subversos, maria constrata a compluribus privatis?

mountains to be overturned, seas covered over by many private(persons)?