"Lucius Catilina was of noble birth. He had a powerful intellect and great physical strenght, but a vicious and depraved nature. From his youth he had delighted in civil war, bloodshed, robbery, and political strife, and it was in such occupations that he spent his early manhood. He cold endure hunger, cold, and want of sleep to an incredible extent. His mind was daring, crafty, and versatile, capable of any pretence and dissimulation. A man of flaming passions, he was as covetous of other men´s possessions as he was prodigal of his own; an eloquent speaker, but lacking in wisdom. His monstrous ambition hankered continually after things extravagant, impossible, beyond his reach"

Sallust, Bellum Catilinum V


"For as I am sure you will recall, Catilina had many excellent qualities, not indeed maturely developed, but at least sketched out roughly in outline. It is true that he got a large number of deplorable individuals to flock around him. But he also put upp a show of affection towards men guided by the loftiest principles. There was a good deal about him that exercised a corrupting effect on other people; and yet he undeniably possesed a gift for stimulating his associates into vigorous activity. Catilina was at the one and same time a furnace of inordinate sensual passions, and a serious student of military affairs. I do not believe that the world has ever seen such a portent of divergent, contrary, contradictory tastes and appetites."

Cicero, Pro Caelio V