Sallust, Florus, and Velleius Paterculus

Preface

In this volume are presented English Translations of tht three Roman Historians, Sallust, Elorus, and Yelleius Paterculus.

"Sallust," an eminent scholar once remarked to me, u it is more easy to dilute than to transmute" It is hoped that in the following pages the reader will find Sallust 5 s Latin transmuted into English without any unnecessary dilution,

Some minor liberties have been taken with his expressions, in order to avoid stiffness, and to represent the author fair] in an English dress ; but none inconsistent with a faithfr 1 adherence to his sense.

On all difficult or disputed passages the commentators have been carefully consulted. References have been given in the notes, wherever they appeared necessary, as well .to the older critics, of whom Cortius is the chief, as to the more recent, among whom the principal are Gerlach, Kritz, and Diet sch r

All the Eragments of Sallust that can be of any interest to the EDglish reader, have been translated: and that nothing might be wanting to render the work complete, versions of the spurious Epistles to Ca3sar, which present a good imitation of Sallust' s style, and of the Declamations which pass under the names of Sallust and Cicero, have been added.

The text at first intended to be followed was that of Cortius ; but the readings given by later critics appeared often so much better, that they were adopted in- preference ; indeed, the present version approaches nearer to the text of Kritz than to that of any other editor.

Contents

.ORTTS, whose work lias come down to us entire, is ren- ;d with similar care and fidelity. The text chiefly fol- ;ed is that of Duker.

"What remains of Velleitjs Paterculus, with whom time A as dealt hardly, had been so well translated, in many places, by Baker, that much of his phraseology has been adopted in the present version. The text followed is that of Krause, whose corrections and comments, had they appeared earlier, might have saved Baker from the commission of some extraordinarv blunders. J. S. W.

CONTEXTS.