Sallust's Bellum Catilinae: An Auditable Translation with Text and Commentary

The particulars of the Catilinarian Conspiracy against the Roman Republic in 63 B.C.—the character of Catiline, the reliability of the sources, and the judgments of later historians, including Sallust himself—ought not to be the student’s first concern. The most important task is to read Bellum Catilinae in Latin. This cannot be overemphasized. Sallust himself writes at a remove from the events he describes; the reader who encounters his work in Latin stands one step further removed, yet still in direct contact with the language in which the history is framed. Those who rely solely on translation are further removed still. At each stage, the risk of distortion increases, and unsound interpretations multiply when the Latin is ignored. Other sources—most notably In Catilinam I-IV by Cicero, along with later accounts by Cassius Dio, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Plutarch—are indispensable for a fuller understanding of the conspiracy. But the study must begin here. The events of 63 B.C., occurring little more than a generation before the rise of Augustus, may be read as an early indication of the Republic’s eventual collapse. The conspiracy itself was not a simple popular uprising, but a failed struggle within Rome’s ruling orders—an episode that reveals tensions internal to the Roman elite at a decisive moment in the Republic’s history. This work is foundational in two respects. It is central to the study of Roman history, whose political forms have exercised a lasting influence on later republics, including that of the United States. It is also foundational as Latin: Sallust’s prose has long been regarded as among the most distinctive and instructive in the language. This volume is designed to make that beginning possible. It presents a new, fully auditable English translation of Sallust’s Bellum Catilinae, with the Latin text printed in parallel, accompanied by more than 700 annotations explaining grammatical constructions and points of interpretation. Edward H. Campbell is the founder of Vexillarius Press and an independent scholar of Latin and Greek. His work focuses on producing text-centered editions of classical authors with parallel translation and detailed commentary.
ASIN: B0GZ7DX16R
VSKU: BVV.B0GZ7DX16R.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Campbell, Edward Hugh
Binding: Hardcover
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Condition Notes: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.