Quantum Ingenio Possum: On Sallust's Use of ... - Historia Antigua

302 WILLIAM W. BATSTONEsuperlative degree," and so must refer to Sallust's effort to discover the truth.This effort, Btichner argues, will have two dimensions: 1) to use all the meanspossible to reach the truth (external), and 2) to exert oneself to the extent thatone can (internal). It is this exertion in the discovery of truth which requires theinner resources of ingenium (= Vermi6gen), and this is the ingenium to whichSallust refers at Bellum Catilinae 53.6.In his 1976 commentary, Vretska followed BUichner's argument: "quantumingenio possum, 53, 6, is important; for in this variation it shows an essentialrecognition, namely this, that in all cases the truth can be reached only byapproximation in accordance with the measure of an individual's ingenium andconsequently there must be a struggle for it. The number of references [to truthand ingenium] and a comparison of their linguistic form show the strongpersonal engagement of the author in the investigation of the truth."6Elsewhere, when Vretska comments on quam verissume potero, 4.3, followingBUichner, he also comments on quantum ingenio possum. In fact, hisremarks on 4.3 (verissume) can hardly be distinguished from those on 53.6,quantum ingenio possum: "In the midst of these disorders a considerableingenium is required to come to a quam verissume judgment: We ought tounderstand Sallust's labor as one over the facts."If one takes quantum ingenio possum out of context and notes its similarityto quam verissume potero, the position of BUchner and Vretska has a certainplausibility. This plausibility derives from the fact that it does take talent(ingenium) to discover the truth. That fact, however, may not be applicable toall instances of Sallust's use of ingenium: it also takes talent, a rhetoricaltalent, to express one's judgment effectively.In order better to distinguish rhetorical ingenium from investigative ingenium,we may turn to the only passage in Sallust where ingenium clearlyrepresents investigative talent. In words reminiscent of Sallust's own claimsSSee also McGushin 124, who on 18.2 assents to "a recognition by S. of the corrupt state of hissources and the expression of a desire to do the best he can in the circumstances."6". . . wichtig ist 53,6 quantum ingenio possum; denn in diesen Varianten zeigt sich einewesentliche Erkenntnis, niimlich die, da3 die Wahrheit immer nur anndiherungsweise und nachMa3gabe des eigenen ingenium erreicht werden kann und um sie somit gerungen werden mu3.Die Zahl der Erwdihnungen und ein Vergleich ihrer sprachlichen Formung zeigen das starkepersinlich Engagement des Autors an der Wahrheitsfindung." C. Sallustius Crispus, DeCatilinae Coniuratione, komm. v. Karl Vretska (Heidelberg 1976) [hereafter VRETSKA] note ad4.3, vol. I, p. 117. See also his comment on 53.6, vol. II, p. 617: "quantum ingenio possum:feierlicher als 4,3; 8,2 [sic; should be 18,2], wo es vor allem auf die Erfassung der Wahrheitankam" and p. 618: "In diesen Wirren bedurfte es wirklich eines bedeutenden ingenium, zueinem Urteil quam verissume zu kommen."