605. Bellum Catilinae.
Human power resides in the brain and the body. The brain is our connection to god and the body is our connection to animals. Mental excellence outlasts wealth and the body. (His discussion reminds me of Cicero’s discussion in De Officiis where he praises planning and practical thinking over prowess in battle.)
Sallust points out that desire for empire convinces people to apply their mind to war. This produces instability and he seems to suggest draws us closer to that of the brute. The desire for empire produces sloth, lawlessness and insolence. This brings the best man into constant struggle with the inferior.
Sallust defends writing history. He rates it next to those who pursue a life of action. This is striking, coming from a Roman. Writing history is difficult: style and word choice must match the deeds discussed one offers a criticism, some will say it is due to jealousy. But there is a flip side. If one describes something readers could not do, they tend to dismiss it as fantasy.
Sallust describes how he came to write history. He was in politics but found only corruption, bribery and such. Thus he turned to history. (It is important to keep in mind that he may have written during the 2nd Triumvirate. Not a particularly proud time in Roman history).
Catiline’s description reminds me of that in Cicero’s Pro Caelio. He is presented by Cicero as a series of contrasts which reveal a very complex person. Sallust sees the same type. Sulla, who was the first to march on Rome and initiate a Civil War, gave Catiline a desire for supremacy. Corruption in government gave him opportunity.This corruption was brought on by luxuria and avaritia. Morality, love of country, sacrifice deteriorated or passed away.
Sallust often uses the technique of going back in time to highlight his points. He does so now by reflecting on the past. Early Romans worked hard. This produced success and prosperity. This produced envy which would have shattered all but continued wars kept envy under control and produced a degree of harmony. But once all foes were vanquished the ambition to excel for the good of the country was replaced by personal advancement. Loyalty, duty discipline etc faded. When Sulla went to Asia Minor his soldiers were besotted with the lure of luxury, women, drink and sculpture. They learned to pillage shrines. At this point riches held one in great honor. (This is very interesting but I suggest balancing this assessment with that of Cicero in his Pro Caelio. In this speech Cicero discusses the balance needed in understanding society when wealth and sophistication increase.)
The following passage may refer to the Triumvirs of 42 BC:
At hi contra ignavissumi homines per summum scelus omnia ea sociis adimere, quae fortissimi viri victores reliquerant; proinde quasi iniuriam facere id demum esset imperio uti
“But on the other hand these very lazy men with total disregard have snatched everything from our allies, things which very brave men had left as victors; but these guys act as if the only way to use power is for committing an injury.”
If so Sallust was a brave man. But to turn matters about, this may also explain how he felt about the past. His present may have colored his view of the past. Of course, his view of his present may have sharpened his assessment of the past. A difficult call.
The above passage he parallels with estate construction which greedily gobbles part of the sea. It is his way it seems of showing that social activity reflects decay in political activity. He has an interesting way of using social behavior as commentary on political manner.
When he describes Catiline, he seems to use him as a prototype for what had happened to the nobility. Catiline killed his own stepson in order to marry Aurelia Orestilla. This act propelled him to develop the conspiracy. It is as though Catiline models the disease which beset the nobility. Catiline decides that the time is perfect. No armies in Italy, peace reigned, politics was peaceful and he had a good chance at the consulship.
During the consulship of Lucius Tullius and Manius Lepidus a conspiracy was formed by Gnaeus Piso. He hooked up with Catiline and Autronius. December 5 they planned to kill the new consuls: Lucius Cotta and Lucius Torquatus. The plot was made known and postponed until February 5. Poor planning foiled this too.
The 2nd conspiracy was under way when one of the conspirators bragged to his girlfriend, Fulvia. She informed certain people and this according to Sallust lead Nobles to elect a novus homo. Catiline’s plan was very complex. If as presented in Sallust it is true, then its chance of success was thin from the beginning. Fulvia kept Cicero informed but rumors and information was rampant throughout the city. The plot against Cicero has ring of truth as three men were selected to carry it out. Three would be difficult to detect. This too Cicero anticipated. The conspiracy was well on its way when Cicero was informed that Manlius was forming and training an army in Etruria. The Senate asked the consuls to protect the state. One means of protection for the state, Cicero had already done. It was thought that Cicero’s college, Gaius Antonius was attracted to Catiline. Cicero apparently bought him off by giving him Macedonia as a province.
Why wasn’t someone made Dictator? It seems that the Senate was searching for something more legal by giving the Consul emergency powers. Plus Quintus Marcius Rex and Quintus Metellus Creticus were both near Apulia waiting for a triumph. Quintus Pompeius Rufus was sent to Capua to raise an army and Quintus Metellus Celer was sent to Picenum. When the city was placed on alert, courage collapsed.
Cicero gave his first Catilinarian in the Temple of Concord. Catiline leaves and joins Manlius. Some were declared traitors by the Senate. Others were offered amnesty if they laid down their weapons by a certain date. Sallust asserts that not a single conspirator abandoned Catiline. Plebs joined Catiline in large numbers.
Catiline had Publius Umbrinus approach the Allobroges, a Gallic tribe. The Allobroges turn evidence over to Quintus Fabius Sanga, their patron, who informed Cicero. The Allobroges were asked to get written evidence. Conspirators were active in Gallia and elsewhere. Metellus arrested some, as did Murena, elected consul for the following year.
Cicero sends Lucius Valerius Flaccus and Gaius Pomptinus to await Allobroges at the Mulvian Bridge. All surrender. All confess. Senators involved were handed over to different Senators for safe keeping.
One of the conspirators turned state’s evidence and in the process accused Crassus of being part of the conspiracy. Why? Did someone think that Crassus considerable political clout would protect some conspirators? Or was it hoped that this would destroy Crassus? It did not matter. The Senate refused to listen.
In the debate in the Senate, some moved to execute the conspirators. Caesar suggested life imprisonment. He said that execution controverted the law. Cato the Younger in his speech appeals to a sense of greed: protect what you have. He feels he has to talk this way because apparently words no longer mean what they once did. So he must appeal to selfish interests. He insists that the enemies’ level of courage will be determined by how resolute we act. Power he says did not make Rome great but efficiency, just rule abroad, etc. The Republic is undefended while you people grapple for your own advantage. A few good citizens had always made the country great.
In the final chapter Sallust praises Cato and Caesar. These two were opposite in character but each represented those qualities which made Rome successful: firm, gentle, courageous, sensible, toiling and austere. In a way, as Syme says in his book Sallust, Sallust used these two as a hammer on the Triumvirs of his time. Both men operated in legitimate manner as opposed to the Triumvirs who did not.
Catiline addresses his soldiers before the final battle. His words reflect those standards of many in the Senate: self-seeking, personally sensitive, negligent of their responsibility to govern. Marcus Petreius and Quintus Metellus Celer hemmed him in. He is defeated but the battle was protracted and bitter. It appears that only by a little did the Republic have more of the old courage and commitment than the conspirators had in brashness and audacity.
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