SOURCES. Concerning the first half of this important period of the republic, down to the time of Cicero, we are sadly in want of precise information. Not one of the contemporary writers has been preserved to us, nor indeed any one of the later historians who have compiled a history of the whole period. APPIAN, _de Bellis Civilibus_; PLUTARCH, in his _Lives of the Gracchi_; and the spirited _Compendium_ of VEL. PATERCULUS, are, for this portion, our principal authorities; and even the imperfect summaries of the lost books of Livy, so masterly supplied by Freinshemius here become of importance. For the times which follow, the _Jugurtha_ and _Cataline_ of Sallust, are two excellent historical cabinet pieces, and become the more valuable for the insight they at the same time give us of the internal condition of Rome. His great work, however, _The Histories_, is, with the exception of a few precious fragments, unfortunately lost. For the times of CAESAR and CICERO, we have the _Commentaries_ of the first, and the _Orations_ and _Letters_ of the latter; both fertile sources of information. What is left us of DIO CASSIUS'S _History_, begins with the year 69 before Christ. Of PLUTARCH'S _Lives_, besides those of the Gracchi, the following are connected with this period: C. MARIUS, SYLLA, LUCULLUS, CRASSUS, SERTORIUS, CATO OF UTICA, CICERO, BRUTUS, and ANTONIUS. Upon the sources for these lives, see my treatises cited above, p. 321. Among the moderns, the greater part of this period is particularly treated of by:-- DE BROSSES, _Histoire de la Republique Romaine dans le cours du VIIe Siecle par Salluste_, a Dijou, 1777, 3 vols. 4to. In German by J. C. SCHLEUTER, 1790, etc. with remarks, 4 vols. The editor of this capital work had an idea of translating Sallust, and supplying what is lost. It contains, besides a translation of Jugurtha and Cataline, the period between both, of which Sallust treats in his _Histories_: that is, from Sylla's abdication, B. C. 79-67; and is equally important for its own merits and for the period to which it belongs. VERTOT, _Histoire des revolutions arrivees dans le gouvernement de la Republique Romaine_. Paris, 1796, 6 vols. 12mo. Although this justly esteemed work includes the foregoing period, it is particularly valuable for the present. MABLY, _Observations sur les Romains_. Geneve, 1751, 2 vols. 8vo. A survey of the internal history; ingenious, but as superficial as the _Observations sur les Grecs_ by the same author.