Cat. 38.1Nam postquam Cn. Pompēiō et M. Crassō cōnsulibus tribūnicia potestās restitūta est, hominēs adulēscentēs summam potestātem nactī, quibus aetās animusque ferōx erat, coepēre senātum crīminandō plēbem exagitāre, dein largiundō atque pollicitandō magis incendere, ita ipsī clārī potentēsque fierī.For after the tribunes' power was restored in the consulship of Gnaeus Pompeius and Marcus Crassus, young men who obtained that very great power, men whose youth and spirit were fierce, began to stir up the people by accusing the senate, then to inflame them further with handouts and promises, and so to become famous and powerful themselves.Note. In 70 BC, in the consulship of Pompey and Crassus, the powers of the tribunes, which Sulla had cut back, were restored. criminando, largiundo, pollicitando: ablatives of the gerund, 'by accusing, by giving handouts, by making promises'; largiundo is an old form of largiendo. coepere ... exagitare, incendere, fieri: complementary infinitives. Cat. 38.2Contrā eōs summā ope nītēbātur plēraque nōbilitās senātūs speciē prō suā magnitūdine.Most of the nobility strove against them with all their might, under the pretence of supporting the senate, but in fact for their own greatness.Note. senatus specie pro sua magnitudine: 'under the pretext of the senate, (but really) for their own greatness'. pleraque nobilitas: plerique in the singular, 'most of the nobility'. Cat. 38.2Namque, utī paucīs vērum absolvam, post illa tempora quīcumque rem pūblicam agitāvēre, honestīs nōminibus, aliī sīcutī populī iūra dēfenderent, pars quō senātūs auctōritās maxuma foret, bonum pūblicum simulantēs prō suā quisque potentiā certābant.For, to tell the truth in a few words, after those times all who stirred up public affairs, using honourable names, some as if they were defending the rights of the people, others so that the authority of the senate might be as great as possible, all pretending to work for the public good, were each contending for their own power.Note. Sallust's famous verdict on late Republican politics: both 'populares' (defending the people's rights) and 'optimates' (the senate's authority) were fighting only for personal power. uti paucis verum absolvam: 'to tell the truth briefly'. alii ... pars: varied expression for 'some ... others', typical of Sallust's dislike of exact symmetry (inconcinnitas).
Cat. 38.4Neque illīs modestia neque modus contentiōnis erat: utrīque victōriam crūdēliter exercēbant.They had no restraint and no limit in their struggle: both sides used their victories cruelly.