Conspiracy of Catiline and the Jurgurthine War by Sallust

Author:Sallust [Sallust]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Rome -- History -- Conspiracy of Catiline, 65-62 B.C., Jugurthine War, 111-105 B.C.
Published: 2012-05-12T04:00:00+00:00

NOTES FOR THE JUGURTHINE WAR

[1] I. Intellectual power—Virtute. See the remarks on virtus, at the commencement of the Conspiracy of Catiline. A little below, I have rendered via virtutis, "the path of true merit."

[2] Worthy of honor—Clarus. "A person may be called clarus either on account of his great actions and merits; or on account of some honor which he has obtained, as the consuls were called clarissimi viri; or on account of great expectations which are formed from him. But since the worth of him who is clarus is known by all, it appears that the mind is here called clarus because its nature is such that preeminence is generally attributed to it, and the attention of all directed toward it." Dietsch.

[3] Abandons itself—Pessum datus est. Is altogether sunk and overwhelmed.

[4] Impute their delinquency to circumstances, etc.—Suam quisque culpam ad negotia transferunt. Men excuse their indolence and inactivity, by saying that the weakness of their faculties, or the circumstances in which they are placed, render them unable to accomplish any thing of importance. But, says Seneca, Satis natura, homini dedit roboris, si illo utamur;—nolle in causâ, non posse praetenditur. "Nature has given men sufficient powers, if they will but use them; but they pretend that they can not when the truth is that they will not." "Negotia is a common word with Sallust, for which other writers would use res, facta." Gerlach. "Cajus rei nos ipsi sumus auctores, ejus culpam rebus externis attribuimus." Muller. "Auctores" is the same as the [Greek: aitioi].

[5] Useless—Aliena. Unsuitable, not to the purpose, not contributing to the improvement of life.

[6] Instead of being mortal—Pro mortalibus. There are two senses in which these words may be taken: as far as mortals can, and instead of being mortals. Kritz and Dietsch say that the latter is undoubtedly the true sense. Other commentators are either silent or say little to the purpose. As for the translators, they have studied only how to get over the passage delicately. The latter sense is perhaps favored by what is said in c. 2, that "the illustrious achievements of the mind are, like the mind itself, immortal."

[7] II. They all rise and fall, etc.—Omnia orta occidunt, et aucta senescunt. This is true of things in general, but is here spoken only of the qualities of the body, as De Brosses clearly perceived.

[8] Has power over all things—Habet cuncta. "All things are in its power." Dietsch. "Sub ditione tenet. So Jupiter, Ov. Met. i. 197: Quum mihi qui fulmen, qui vos habeoque regoque." Burnouf. So Aristippus said, Habeo Laidem, non habeor a Laide, [Greek: echo ouk echomai]. Cic. Epist. ad Fam. ix. 26.

[9] III. Civil and military offices—Magistratus et imperia. "Illo vocabule civilia, hoc militaria munera, significantur." Dietsch.

[10] To rule our country or subjects, etc.—Nam vi quidem regere patriam aut parentes, etc. Cortius, Gerlach, Kritz, Dietsch, and Muller are unanimous in understanding parentes as the participle of the verb pareo. That this is the sense, says Gerlach, is sufficiently proved by the

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