C. Sallustius Crispus, Bellum Catilinae 5.1–6

Sallust introduces Catiline as a man of noble birth and great physical and mental energy, but utterly depraved in character; from youth he delighted in civil strife and bloodshed, his body could endure extraordinary hardship, his mind was bold and cunning, and after the dictatorship of Sulla an overwhelming desire to seize control of the state took hold of him.

 

Tier 1

Lucius Catilina natus est nobili familia. Habuit magnam vim animi corporisque, sed ingenium malum pravumque.

Ab adulescentia, bella domestica, caedes, rapinae (robbery), discordia civili Catilinam delectant, et ibi iuventutem suam coluit.

Corpus Catilinae potest pati sine cibo, tempestatem frigidam, sine somno. Corpus Catilinae potest pati omnia haec supra quam credibile est.

Mens Catilinae est audax, subdola (deceitful), versatilis, et potest simulare et dissimulare aliquid quod Catilinae placet. Inflammatus cupiditatibus, Catilina aliena (possessions of someone else) petit, sed sua profundit. Catilina habet satis eloquentiae, sed parum sapientiae.

Vasta mens Catilinae ea, quae nimis inmoderata, incredibilia, alta sunt, semper cupiebat.

Post dominationem Lucii Sullae, libido maxima capiendae rei publicae Catilinam cepit,

et dum Catilina sibi regnum pararet non anxius fuit de ullo modo quem adsequeretur.

Written by Robert Amstutz