Sallust, Catilinae Coniuratio, ed. Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A., 6

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Of the city of Rome , as I understand,¹ the founders and earliest inhabitants were the Trojans, who, under the conduct of Æneas, were wandering about as exiles from their country, without any settled abode; and with these were joined the Aborigines,² a savage race of men, without laws or government, free, and owning no control. How easily these two tribes, though of different origin, dissimilar language, and opposite habits of life, formed a union when they met within the same walls, is almost incredible.³ But when their state, from an accession of population and territory, and an improved condition of morals, showed itself tolerably flourishing and powerful, envy, as is generally the case in human affairs, was the consequence of its prosperity. The neighboring kings and people, accordingly, began to assail them in war, while a few only of their friends came to their support; for the rest, struck with alarm, shrunk from sharing their dangers. But the Romans, active at home and in the field, prepared with alacrity for their defense.⁴ They encouraged one another, and hurried to meet the enemy. They protected, with their arms, their liberty, their country, and their homes. And when they had at length repelled danger by valor, they lent assistance to their allies and supporters, and procured friendships rather by bestowing⁵ favors than by receiving them.

They had a government regulated by laws. The denomination of their government was monarchy. Chosen men, whose bodies might be enfeebled by years, but whose minds were vigorous in understanding, formed the council of the state; and these, whether from their age, or from the similarity of their duty, were called FATHERS.⁶ But afterward, when the monarchical power, which had been originally established for the protection of liberty, and for the promotion of the public interest, had degenerated into tyranny and oppression, they changed their plan, and appointed two magistrates,⁷ with power only annual; for they conceived that, by this method, the human mind would be least likely to grow overbearing for want of control.

Catilinae Coniuratio. Sallust. ed. Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A.. New York and London. 1899.

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Current edition Perseus

Conspiracy of Catiline (English) (Sallust. Sallust, Florus, and Velleius Paterculus. Watson, J. S. (John Selby), translator. London: Harper & Brothers, 1899.)

Editions (2)

Catilinae Coniuratio Perseus (Sallust. C. Sallusti Crispi Catilina, Iugurtha, orationes et epistulae excerptae de historiis. Ahlberg, Axel Wilhelm, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1919.) — 6 focus

1 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. 2 hi postquam in una moenia convenere, dispari genere, dissimili lingua, alius alio more viventes, incredibile memoratu est quam facile coaluerint: ita brevi multitudo dispersa atque vaga concordia civitas facta erat. 3 sed postquam res eorum civibus moribus agris aucta satis prospera satisque pollens videbatur, sicuti pleraque mortalium habentur, invidia ex opulentia orta est. 4 igitur reges populique finitumi bello temptare, pauci ex amicis auxilio esse: nam ceteri metu perculsi a periculis aberant. 5 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. 6 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. 7 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.

Catilinae Coniuratio Perseus (Sallust. Catilinae Coniuratio. (No bibliographic information found).) — 6 focus

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 dispersa atque vaga concordia civitas facta erat. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Notes on the current edition

Conspiracy of Catiline

1. VI. As I understand]

Sicut ego accepi.

"By these words he plainly shows that nothing certain was known about the origin of Rome . The reader may consult Livy, lib. i.; Justin , lib. xliii.; and Dionys. Halicar., lib. i. ; all of whom attribute its rise to the Trojans." Bernouf.

2. Aborigines] Aborigines. The original inhabitants of Italy ; the same as indigenæ, or the Greek Ἀυτόχθονες.

3. Almost incredible]

Incredibile memoratu.

"Non credi potest, si memoratur; superat omnem fidem." Pappaur. Yet that which actually happened, can not be absolutely incredible; and I have, therefore, inserted almost.

4. Prepared with alacrity for their defense]

Festinare, parare.

"Made haste, prepared." " Intenti ut festinanter pararent ea, quæ defensioni aut bello usui essent." Pappaur.

5. Procured friendships rather by bestowing, etc.]

Magisque dandis, quam accipundis beneficiis amicitias parabant.

Thucyd. ii., 40: οὐ πάσχοντεσ εῦ

6. FATHERS]

PATRES.

"( Romulus ) appointed that the direction of the state should be in the hands of the old men, who, from their authority, were called Fathers from their age, Senatus." Florus, i. 1. Senatus from. senex. " Patres ab honore—appellati." Livy.

7. Two magistrates

Binos imperatores.

The two consuls. They were more properly called

imperatores

at first, when the law, which settled their power, said "Regio imperio duo sunto" (Cic. de Legg . iii. 4), than afterward, when the people and tribunes had made encroachments on their authority.

Sallust Catilinae Coniuratio 6

ed. Rev. John Selby Watson, M.A.

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