C. Sallustius Crispus, Bellum Catilinae 9.1–5

Sallust praises the virtues of early Rome — harmony, frugality, and justice held naturally rather than by compulsion — where citizens competed with one another in virtue and preferred forgiveness to vengeance.

 

Tier 1

Igitur boni mores colebantur domi et in bello; erat maxima concordia, et minima avaritia; ius et probitas valebant apud Romanos, non quia leges habebant, sed e natura.

Romani exercebant pugnas, discordias, inimicitias cum hostibus. Cives certabant cum civibus de virtute. Romani erant magnifici in suppliciis deorum, parci domi, et fideles in amicos.

Romani curabant et se et rem publicam duabus his artibus, audacia in bello et aequitate cum pax venerat.

Quarum rerum, ego habeo haec documenta maxima, quia saepius punitus est in bello is qui contra hostes pugnaverat sine imperio, et qui, revocatus a proelio, tardius revenerat, sed non tam saepe punitus est is qui ausus erat signa relinquere aut, pulsus e loco, cedere;

Sed in pace, quia Romani imperabant magis beneficiis quam metu et accepta iniuria, Romani malebant ignoscere quam punire.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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