A detailed character study of il ritratto di Catilina Sallustio, depicting the complex personality and motivations of Lucius Catilina, a notorious figure in Roman history. The text presents a masterful psychological portrait that reveals both physical attributes and moral flaws of this ambitious nobleman.
- The passage comes from Sallust's De Coniuratione Catilinae, offering a comprehensive analysis of Catiline's character
- Demonstrates Sallust's mastery of Latin prose through careful use of literary devices including chiasmus and parallelism
- Explores themes of moral corruption, political ambition, and societal decay in late Republican Rome
- Details Catiline's progression from noble birth to political conspiracy
- Emphasizes the contrast between Catiline's natural gifts and his moral failings