Chapter 5
Latin Text
L. Catilīna, nōbilī genere nātus, fuit magnā vī et animī et corporis, sed ingeniō malō prāvōque. Huic ab adulēscentiā bella intestīna, caedēs, rapīnae, discordia cīvīlis grāta fuēre ibique iuventūtem suam exercuit. Corpus patiēns inediae, algōris, vigiliae suprā quam quoiquam crēdibile est.
Notes and Vocabulary
L. Catilina: Lucius Sergius Catiline; Sallust never uses Catiline’s nomen
fuit… prāvōque: Supply vir. magnā vī and ingeniō malō pravōque are ablatives of description, the former is further defined by et animi et corporis
ingeniō: ingenium, ingeniī, n. – nature, innate quality, character, talent
prāvō: pravus, prava, pravum – perverse, vicious, corrupt, bad
bella… cīvīlis: compound subject of fuēre
intestīna: intestinus, intestina, intestinum – internal, domestic, civil
caedēs: caedis, caedis, f. – murder, slaughter, massacre, assassination
rapīnae: rapina, rapinae, f. – robbery, plunder
discordia: discordia, discordiae, f. – disagreement, discord
civilis: civilis, civilis, civile –civil, public
grāta: grātus, grāta, grātum – acceptable, welcome, favorable
fuēre: alternative form of fuērunt
exercuit: exerceō, exercēre, exeercuī – to train, practice
Corpus patiēns inediae: As is his practice, Sallust omits a form of esse. inediae and the genitives which follow are objective genitives governed by patiēns.
patiēns: patiēns, patiēntis – patient, enduring
inediae: inedia, inediae, f. – fasting, starvation
algoris: algor, algoris, m. – cold, cold weather
viligiliae: vigilia, vigiliae, f. – wakefulness
credibilis: credibilis, credibile credible, believable
Latin Text
Animus audāx, subdolus, varius, cuius reī libet simulātor ac dissimulātor, aliēnī adpetēns, suī profūsus, ārdēns in cupiditātibus; satis ēloquentiae, sapientiae parvum. Vāstus animus immoderāta, incrēdibilia, nimis alta semper cupiēbat.
Notes and Vocabulary
Animus… varius: supply a form of esse.
audāx: audax, audacis –bold, daring
subdolus: subdolus, subdola, subdolum – sly, deceitful, treacherous
cuius reī lubet (dis)simulātor = quī (dis)disimulat
libet: libet, libere, libuit, libitus est – it pleases, is pleasing/agreeable
simulator: simulator, simulatoris, m. – one who copies or imitates
dissimulator: dissimulator, dissimulatoris, m. – one who breaks apart items
aliēnī … parvum: Again, forms of esse have been omitted, supply them as necessary. Both aliēnī and suī are substanives, supply “things” when translating
adpetēns: adpetens, adpetentis – eager, greedy, desirous, avaricious
profūsus: profusus, profusa, profusum – excessive; lavish; extravagant
ārdēns: ardens, ardentis – eager, ardent, passionate
ēloquentiāe: eloquentia, eloquentiae, f. – eloquence
vastus: “insatiable”; from its original meaning of “empty,” “desolate.”
immoderāta: immoderatus, immoderata, immoderatum – unlimited, immoderate, disorderly
incrēdibilia: incredibilis, incredibile – incredible; extraordinary
nimis alta semper: an idiomatic phrase, meaning “unattainable”
Latin Text
Hunc post dominātiōnem L. Sullae libīdō māxima invāserat reī pūblicae capiundae; neque id quibus modīs adsequerētur, dum sibi rēgnum parāret, quicquam pēnsī habēbat. Agitābātur magis magisque in diēs animus ferōx inopiā reī familiāris et cōnscientiā scelerum, quae utraque iīs artibus auxerat, quās suprā memorāvī. Incitābant praetereā corruptī cīvitātis mōrēs, quōs pessima ac dīversa inter sē mala, luxuria atque avāritia, vexābant.
Notes and Vocabulary
dominātiōnem: dominatio, dominationis, f. – power, domination, despotism
L. Sulla: After his victory in the Civil war in 82 B.C., Lucius Cornelius Sulla had himself appointed dictator. He remained in power until he chose to retire in 79 B.C.
libīdō māxima invāserat: “a very great desire had come over him” libīdō is often used for an unlawful desire, and is stronger than cupidō.
capiundae: An archaic spelling of capiendae, the gerundive agrees with reī pūblicae and is an objective genitive accompanying the noun libīdō.
adsequerētur: adsequor, adsequi, adsecutus sum – gain, achieve
quicquam pēnsī habēbat: quicquam pēnsī = “a matter of importance” in this context, habēbat is best rendered as “considered.” nihil pēnsī habēbat is an idiom meaning “to have no scruples” or “to regard as unimportant.” In these sentence, neque provides the same function as nihil.
Agitābātur: agito, agitare, agitavi, agitates – stir, drive, consider, pursue
in dies: “daily”
inopiā: inopia, inopiae, f – lack, deficiency
reī familiāris: Personal or private property, contrasts with the concept of rēs pūblica.
cōnscientiā: conscientia, conscientiae, f – conscience, sense of guilt, remorse
inopiā reī familiāris et cōnscientiā scelerum: Compare to the phrase in Augustine’s Confessions 2.5.11: propter inopiam rei familiaris et conscientiam scelerum “on account of lack of family fortune and guilt for crimes.”
corrupt: corruptus, corrupta –um – rotten, decayed, infected, corrupt, depraved, venal
dīversa inter sē: “mutually opposed”
Full Text
The grammar questions which follow will ask questions about words denoted in bold italic.
L. Catilīna, nōbilī genere nātus, fuit magnā vī et animī et corporis, sed ingeniō malō prāvōque. Huic ab adulēscentiā bella intestīna, caedēs, rapīnae, discordia cīvīlis grāta fuēre ibique iuventūtem suam exercuit. Corpus patiēns inediae, algōris, vigiliae suprā quam quoiquam crēdibile est. Animus audāx, subdolus, varius, cuius reī libet simulātor ac dissimulātor, aliēnī adpetēns, suī profūsus, ārdēns in cupiditātibus; satis ēloquentiae, sapientiae parvum. Vāstus animus immoderāta, incrēdibilia, nimis alta semper cupiēbat. Hunc post dominātiōnem L. Sullae libīdō māxima invāserat reī pūblicae capiundae; neque id quibus modīs adsequerētur, dum sibi rēgnum parāret, quicquam pēnsī habēbat. Agitābātur magis magisque in diēs animus ferōx inopiā reī familiāris et cōnscientiā scelerum, quae utraque iīs artibus auxerat, quās suprā memorāvī. Incitābant praetereā corruptī cīvitātis mōrēs, quōs pessima ac dīversa inter sē mala, luxuria atque avāritia, vexābant.
Questions for Review
Comprehension Questions
- What events in Catiline’s childhood does Sallust claim influenced Catiline?
- How does Sallust describe the body of Catiline?
- How does Sallust describe Catiline’s mind?
- What were the driving influences in Catiline’s quest for power?
Grammar Questions
- What is the case and use of genere?
- What is the tense, voice, and form of natus?
- What is the tense, voice, and mood of fuēre?
- What is the case and use of vigiliae?
- What is the case and use of varius?
- What is the case and use of aliēnī?
- What is the case and use of ēloquentiae?
- What is the case and use of incrēdibilia?
- What is the case and use of alta?
- What is the direct object of invāserat?
- What is the tense, voice, and mood of parāret.
- What is the tense, voice, and mood of agitābātur?
- What is the case and use of inopiā?
- What is the case and use of artibus?
- What is the tense, voice, and mood of auxerat?
- What is the subject of incitābant?