Obras

by Sallust, Salustio

Gayo Salustio Crispo es uno de los escritores más conocidos de la antigua Roma y un historiador fundamental. Aunque en su juventud se dejó llevar por la ambición de poder e inició la carrera habitual de los políticos romanos, tras varios años, en los que tuvo más fracasos y reveses que éxitos, y seguramente tras la muerte de César, acabó abandonando toda actividad pública y decidió consagrar el resto de su vida a la historia, forjando un estilo único que lo convirtió en un maestro de la prosa latina ya en su época. La presente edición reúne en un solo volumen por primera vez en español la traducción de todas las obras de Salustio: la "Conjuración de Catilina", que narra el golpe de Estado que abortó Cicerón durante su consulado (63 a. C.); la "Guerra de Jugurtha", en la que detalla las operaciones bélicas de los romanos en el norte de África entre los años 111 y 105 a. C.; la obra más ambiciosa de Salustio, "Historias", que solo se nos ha trasmitido parcialmente y de la que publicamos todos los fragmentos conservados. Se incluyen, además, las cartas a César atribuidas a Salustio y una invectiva contra Cicerón que se complementa con otra de este contra él.

Genres: History, Ancient History

664 pages, Paperback

First published August 21, 2015

About the author

Gaius Sallustius Crispus (86 BC-34 BC), better known as 'Sallust' was a Roman politician and historian who supported Populares party of Julius Caesar.

His historical works included romanticized views of events, which served as polemics against his moral opponents, including Cicero. It was a style which set him apart from the dry historians who proceeded him.

Sallust joined Caesar in the African wars, and after their victory, was placed as governor of Roman Africa. He eventually retired to private life, when he composed his histories and funded an extensive personal garden.

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sallust himself pointed out that Romans as a culture were disinclined to produce brilliant historians, and unfortunately in his case it may be true. The writing is only at times riveting or poetic. On the other hand he is writing fairly close to contemporaneously to the events he studies in the case of the Cataline conspiracy and withing living memory with his work covering some of the African wars. If you consider this a frank and fairly detailed long-form journalism rather than a literary pleasure in itself, you will not be disappointed. It is worth a look.

[Lukerik · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read Woodman’s Penguin translation. Unless you need the Latin I’d recommend that one as it has better notes. However, what this edition has is the Pseudo-Sallustian works. I thought I’d give them a go in the spirit of ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish’. I didn’t expect much and there’s really not much to them. They’re all fake. Rhetorical exercises written much later. You’ll literally be reading someone’s homework. The Oration Against Cicero might be a political pamphlet from the time. Interesting if so, but its provenance can’t be proven. I have to admire what Loeb is doing here. No one else is going to translate this sort of thing and without them those of us who can’t read Latin would never be able to descide for ourselves what from the ancient world is or isn’t worth reading.

[Spyros Stavroulakis · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Τα κατορθώματα των Αθηναίων υπήρξαν όντως μεγάλα και ένδοξα αλλά πάντως λιγότερα σημαντικά από όσο η φήμη τα παρουσίασε. Επειδή όμως η πόλη εκείνη γέννησε συγγραφείς με μεγάλο πνεύμα, τα ανδραγαθήματα των Αθηναίων θεωρούνται ανυπέρβλητα σε όλη την οικουμένη.[...] Ο ρωμαϊκός λαός όμως προτιμούσε τις πράξεις παρά τα λόγια και να επαινούν οι άλλοι τα δικά του ανδραγαθήματα".

Άσε μας ρε Σαλλούστιε. Μέτριος ιστορικός με κενά και ασάφειες στις διηγήσεις του, όπως παρατηρούν κι οι σχολιαστές.

[Kevin Nobel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still looking for a better English rendition of that opening paragraph...

[Mario Sergio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adquiri este exemplar da obras de Salusto para verificar textos sobre a revolta de Espártaco. Salusto é apontado como uma das principais fontes primárias.

Curiosamente, somente encontrei três esparsas menções a Espártaco e uma sobre Crixo, seu segundo homem na revolta e uma menção sobre gladiadores. Duas destas menções sobre Espártaco são em textos escritos, exclusivamente, em Latim. O fato me surpreendeu e a princípio pensei que não se tratava da mesma obra de Salusto referenciada como fonte de Espártaco, mas é.

Não valeu muito para o meu propósito, mas quem quiser conhecer os escritos deste militar e político romano e mais tarde historiador sobre a república romana, esta é uma boa referência.