Sallust
Sallust
Gaius Sallustius Crispus, usually anglicised as Sallust, was a Roman historian, politician, and novus homo from a provincial plebeian family. Sallust was born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines and was a popularis, an opponent of the old Roman aristocracy, throughout his career, and later a partisan of Julius Caesar. Sallust is the earliest known Roman historian with surviving works to his name, of which Catiline's War, The Jugurthine War, and the Historiesare still extant. Sallust was primarily...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionHistorian
money honor
There were few who preferred honor to money.
beauty shining age
The fame which is based on wealth or beauty is a frail and fleeting thing; but virtue shines for ages with undiminished lustre.
practice virtue natural
In my own case, who have spent my whole life in the practice of virtue, right conduct from habitual has become natural.
kings believe punishment
It is not unlikely, too, that the rejection of God is a kind of punishment: we may well believe that those who knew the Gods and neglected them in one life may in another life be deprived of the knowledge of them altogether. Also those who have worshipped their own kings as gods have deserved as their punishment to lose all knowledge of God.
feelings tears sincerity
Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate.
passion light shadow
Fame is the shadow of passion standing in the light
excellence fleeting riches
The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.
hatred angry
He that will be angry for anything will be angry for nothing.
ambition men tongue
Ambition drove many men to become false; to have one thought locked in the breast, another ready on the tongue.
advice action advise
Advise well before you begin, and when you have maturely considered, then act with promptitude.
extravagance greedy extravagant
Greedy for the property of others, extravagant with his own
fleeting wealth virtue
The glory of wealth and of beauty is fleeting and frail; virtue is illustrious and everlasting.
brave victory boast
In victory even the cowardly like to boast, while in adverse times even the brave are discredited.
friendship true-friend desire
To desire the same things and to reject the same things, constitutes true friendship. [Lat., Idem velle et idem nolle ea demum firma amicitia est.]