Complete Works of Sallust

has said: and in the Jugurtha: "Often before by a few stout men against a multitude well has been fought." original: "Sæpe ante a paucis strenuis adversus multitudinem bene pugnatum." Manutius.

Pugnando ceperit he took by fighting] Thus in the Jugurtha: "He took several cities by fighting": and on the base of the column of Duilius, which was dug up from the ruins in the Roman Forum, it is: "he took by fighting" original: "pugnando cepet", in the ancient method of writing, instead of cepit he took. And Plautus in Miles Gloriosus The Braggart Soldier: "It is a certain thing to capture a man by force and fighting": and Hirtius in the African War, "he took the fortress by force of fighting, having been situated on a mountain, a place fortified by nature," where one should read, "by force, and by fighting," and a little before, "to whom the place," is in my book; and the word "longer" original: "longius", which immediately follows, is not read in the same. Ciacconius: likewise Ursinus.

CAP. 8. Fortuna in omni re dominatur: ea res cunctas ex lubidine Fortune dominates in every matter: she celebrates all things according to desire] Commelinus does not recognize "she" original: "ea res": and indeed, since "in every matter" has preceded, the repetition of the same word is ungrateful: perhaps it was, "dominates, and all things according to desire." Gruterus.

Ea res cunctas ex libidine magis quam ex vero celebrat She celebrates all things according to desire rather than according to truth] To this sentiment in the oration on organizing the republic: "because she agitates most things according to her own desire." But Tacitus also said "according to truth" original: "ex vero" in Annals Book IV: "And that he did not determine according to Philip's power, but according to truth": Sallust himself in Jugurtha more aptly: "and all," he says, "honors he seeks from us not according to merit, but as if owed." Ciacconius: likewise Ursinus.

Ex lubidine magis quam ex vero celebrat celebrates according to desire rather than according to truth] The adverb "more" original: "magis" is not seen in the Palatine fourth manuscript; nor should there be a doubt for me that it was absent from the autograph of the historian himself. For the ancients generally understood that word: nor is anything more frequent in Tacitus. Gruterus.

Atheniensium res gestæ (sicuti ego existimo) satis amplæ magnificæque fuere: verum aliquanto minores tamen, quam fama feruntur The deeds of the Athenians (as I judge) were sufficiently ample and magnificent: but nevertheless somewhat smaller than they are borne by fame] Thus in the old ones. For in the recent ones "nevertheless" original: "tamen" is wrongly omitted, which, if not necessarily the sense itself, the rhythm certainly demands. Consult your ears, and you will do as I do. That division of the conjunction "nevertheless" original: "verumtamen" provided the handle for the error, with other words interposed; which Cicero also loves to do. The Merseburg codex has, "nevertheless somewhat smaller": but the rest more correctly. Rivius.

Sicuti ego existimo As I judge] The pronoun "I" original: "ego" is not in the Palatine sixth, seventh, and tenth; all other manuscripts of more precious note prefer, "I judge" original: "æstumo"; so much so that it must be revoked, unless we hold their authority in low esteem. Gruterus.

Ita eorum qui ea fecere, virtus tanta habetur, quantum verbis eam potuere extollere præclara ingenia Thus the virtue of those who did them is held as great, as illustrious geniuses were able to extol it with words] I, who am not Sallust, would have simply written, "Thus their virtue is held as great, as [they] were able to extol it with words. But to the people, etc." having exterminated the rest. The same.

Negotiosus Busy/Active] That is, he was preparing himself for business. For the Romans gave themselves mostly to military business, because they knew military matters to excel all other things: which Cicero also shows in the speech for L. Murena, when he says thus: "Indeed (for I must say what I feel) the virtue of military matters excels all others, this produced a name for the Roman people, this produced eternal glory for this city, this compelled the world to obey this empire, all urban matters, all these illustrious studies, and this forensic praise and industry are under the protection and guard of martial virtue." Zunch.

Optimus quisque facere, quam dicere, et sua ab aliis benefacta laudari, quam ipse aliorum narrare, malebat Every best man preferred to do rather than to speak, and that his own good deeds be praised by others than he himself to narrate those of others] That conjunction "and" original: "et" is not in the manuscript codices, and it will be able to be absent from these with greater grace. Rivius.

CAP. 9. Jus bonumque apud eos Law and good among them] Tacitus on the Customs of the Germans: "and good customs prevail more there than good laws elsewhere." Ciacconius.

Jus bonumque apud eos non legibus magis, quam natura valebat Law and good among them prevailed not more by laws than by nature] See St. Augustine, City of God II. 18. Manutius.