SOURCE: McGushin, P. Introduction to C. Sallustius Crispus, Bellum Catilinae: A Commentary, pp. 1-24. Leiden, Amsterdam: E. J. Brill, 1977.

In the following excerpt, McGushin offers an overview of Sallust's life and writings before commenting on the source, form, structure, and style of the Bellum Catilinae and analyzing the author's reputation based on his performance as a writer and a public figure.

1. Life of Sallust

In spite of the fact that Sallust's life and writings aroused a wide variety of comment in the ancient world, surprisingly little reliable information exists for much of his career. It is now generally accepted that C. Sallustius Crispus was born at Amiternum in the Sabine land, about fifty miles north-east of Rome, in 86 B.C. and died in 35 B.C., four years before the Battle of Actium.

Our chief source for Sallust's dates is the Chronicle of Jerome. If one follows the best...