Bellum Catilinae 1

Cat. 1.1Omnīs hominēs, quī sēsē student praestāre cēterīs animālibus, summā ope nītī decet, nē vītam silentiō trānseant velutī pecora, quae nātūra prōna atque ventrī oboedientia fīnxit.

All men who are eager to excel the other animals ought to strive with all their strength not to pass through life in silence like cattle, which nature has made bent toward the ground and obedient to the belly.

Note. Sallust opens not with Catiline but with a moral preface, as Greek historians did. omnīs = omnēs: Sallust often writes the accusative plural of third-declension words in -īs (urbīs, artīs, mortālīs). decet + accusative and infinitive: 'it is fitting that all men strive'. nē … trānseant: purpose clause. prōna: 'face-down', i.e. looking at the ground.

Cat. 1.2Sed nostra omnis vīs in animō et corpore sita est: animī imperiō, corporis servitiō magis ūtimur;

But all our power lies in mind and body: we use the mind more to rule, the body to serve;

Note. sita est: 'lies, is placed'. The two halves are balanced without a verb in the second: animī imperiō, corporis servitiō magis ūtimur, 'we use the mind's rule, the body's service': ūtor takes the ablative.

Cat. 1.2alterum nōbīs cum dīs, alterum cum bēluīs commūne est.

the one we share with the gods, the other with the beasts.

Note. alterum … alterum: 'the one … the other'. Supply est with the first half: a short, clipped sentence typical of Sallust.

Cat. 1.3Quō mihi rēctius vidētur ingenī quam vīrium opibus glōriam quaerere, et quoniam vīta ipsa quā fruimur brevis est, memoriam nostrī quam maxumē longam efficere.

For this reason it seems to me more right to seek glory by the resources of the intellect than by those of strength, and, since the life we enjoy is itself short, to make the memory of ourselves as long as possible.

Note. quō: 'wherefore, for which reason'. ingenī: genitive of ingenium in -ī (not -iī), the regular classical form. quam maxumē: 'as … as possible'. maxumē is the old spelling of maximē; Sallust likes -umus for -imus (optumus, pessumus, plūrumum).

Cat. 1.4Nam dīvitiārum et fōrmae glōria fluxa atque fragilis est, virtūs clāra aeternaque habētur.

For the glory of riches and beauty is fleeting and fragile; virtue is held bright and everlasting.

Cat. 1.5Sed diū magnum inter mortālīs certāmen fuit, vīne corporis an virtūte animī rēs mīlitāris magis prōcēderet.

But for a long time there was a great dispute among mortals whether military affairs succeeded better by strength of body or by excellence of mind.

Note. vīne … an virtūte: an indirect double question, 'whether by strength … or by excellence'. vī + the question particle -ne.

Cat. 1.6Nam et prius quam incipiās cōnsultō et ubi cōnsulueris mātūrē factō opus est.

For both before you begin there is need of deliberation, and once you have deliberated, of prompt action.

Note. opus est + ablative of a perfect participle: cōnsultō 'deliberation', factō 'action', literally 'there is need of (it) having been deliberated'. prius quam … ubi: 'before … when'. The second-person verbs are general: 'you' = anyone.

Cat. 1.7Ita utrumque per sē indigēns alterum alterīus auxiliō eget.

So each, being insufficient by itself, needs the help of the other.