Classical Antiquity StudiesOrganic Chemistry Synthesis MethodsHistorical, Literary, and Cultural Studies

Erik Pulz

2026.6.10Philologus

DOI: 10.1515/phil-2025-0002

Abstract

Iug . 42,3, sed bono uinci satius est quam malo more iniuriam uincere , is perhaps the most widely discussed sentence in Sallust’s work, both in terms of grammar and content. This article re-evaluates the possibility of interpreting bono ἀπὸ κοινοῦ with more rather than as a substantival adjective. The first section (i) analyzes the structural and stylistic features of Iug . 42,3. The second section (ii) offers a detailed interpretation of the sentence’s grammar and precise meaning, followed by an exploration of how this interpretation fits both the immediate and broader context of the passage (iii).

Citation format

PULZ, Erik. Noble defeats and autocausative uinci in sall. iug. 42,3. Philologus, 2026, 170(1): 62–76.