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
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.
life enjoy
The very life which we enjoy is short. [Lat., Vita ipsa qua fruimur brevis est.]
done deliberate
Deliberate before you begin; but, having carefully done so, execute with vigour.
art prayer mistake
The soul sins therefore because, while aiming at good, it makes mistakes about the good, because it is not primary essence. And we see many things done by the Gods to prevent it from making mistakes and to heal it when it has made them. Arts and sciences, curses and prayers, sacrifices and initiations, laws and constitutions, judgments and punishments, all came into existence for the sake of preventing souls from sinning; and when they are gone forth from the body, Gods and spirits of purification cleanse them of their sins.
stronger world doe
Again, if the world is destroyed, it must needs either be destroyed according to nature or against nature. Against nature is impossible, for that which is against nature is not stronger than nature. If according to nature, there must be another nature which changes the nature of the world: which does not appear.
elements destroyed ifs
Everything destroyed is either resolved into the elements from which it came, or else vanishes into not-being. If things are resolved into the elements from which they came, then there will be others: else how did they come into being at all?
sacrifice offering hair
Since we have received everything from the Gods, and it is right to pay the giver some tithe of his gifts, we pay such a tithe of possessions in votive offering, of bodies in gifts of (hair and) adornment, and of life in sacrifices.
friendship true-friend like-and-dislike
To like and dislike the same things that is indeed true friendship.
gratitude ambition ties
Ambition breaks the ties of blood, and forgets the obligations of gratitude.
unity unions states
By union the smallest states thrive. By discord the greatest are destroyed.
littles
Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible
kings honesty soldier
Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty.
running bravery risk
In battle it is the cowards who run the most risk; bravery is a rampart of defense.
likes-and-dislikes identity likes
The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes.