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imperia sæva: there were many examples of cruelty and perfidy on the part of the Roman rulers in Spain. On one occasion, at least, the Spaniards had in requital murdered a governor who was far less obnoxious then this Piso.

in medio relinquemus, I will leave undetermined. - satis dictum: and not much at that.

§ 20. in rem fore, would be to the purpose. - univorsos, all together. - orationem: the speech, of course, is fictitious, as usual in ancient historians.

1. spectata, proved. - per ignaviam, through cowardice (opposed to virtus); vana ingenia, false hearts (opposed to fidem).

12. captarem, grasp at. - tempestatibus, occasions. - eo, from this. - vobis ... esse, i. e. the peril and the hope are yours as much as mine. — ea demum, this alone.

2. divorsi, separately. — nosmet vindicamus in libertatem, assert our own freedom: an idiomatic expression, derived from the legal mode of freeing slaves by bargain and sale.

postquam, ever since. — in paucorum ... dicionem, to the jurisdiction and sway of a few strong men. The republic had of late years come completely under the control of a few wealthy families (nobiles), so that men of low birth were almost excluded from a political career. Catiline, Lentulus, Cethegus, and Cassius, however, had no reason to complain of this, since they were all members of the oligarchy, and all of these but Cassius were patricians.

tetrarchæ, originally governors of the fourth part of a country, as of Thessaly and Galatia. The title came to be applied in general to petty princes, of not sufficient importance to be called kings.

vectigales, tributary: the provincial governorships were all in the hands of nobles, and they made use of them to squeeze out money from the provincials. There is also no doubt a reference to the bribes received by the governors.

esse, histor. infin. - ceteri omnes, all the rest of us. - gratia, personal favor; auctoritas, official (or political) influence.— res publica, the principles of the republic.

judicia, lawsuits. — inhonestam, dishonored. - alienæ ludibrio, the sport of other men's insolence.

...

3. verum enimvero, but in truth. - cetera res expediet, the event shall provide the rest. - cui, etc., who has the spirit of a man. superare, remain. - extrudendo mari, see note, § 12. continuare, build in a row.

larem: originally a deified ancestor, lar familiaris, the first ancestor, the founder of the house and its tutelar spirit. So cities had their lares, in their mythical founders: and the lares compitales

(of the compita, cross-roads) were the guardian spirits of the districts. To have no lar familiaris is therefore to have no home.

summa lubidine, with all their wantonness ("lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life"). - vincere, outstrip.

4. quin, interrog. in form, but really an emphatic appeal. - en illa, so then there is. - præterea, and besides. - posuit, has set up (as a prize: the regular word). - belli spolia, i. e. those that should be obtained by war.

...

13. neque. aberit, i. e. I will be with you, body and soul. -consul: Catiline intended to be again this year a candidate for the consulship. - agam, I will discuss.

§ 21. res, property. - quieta movere, disturb the peace. magna merces, a great prize. - condicio, terms. - opis, re

sources.

tabulas novas, new settlements, that is, a general abolition of debts: the technical term for an arbitrary law, reducing or destroying debts by ordering a new account (tabula).

proscriptionem, strictly, advertising this property for sale; but since Sulla's time placarding their names for slaughter.

magistratus; i. e. the consulship, prætorship, curule ædileship, and quæstorship: these were called the patrician magistracies, and were almost exclusively held by members of the aristocracy. The tribunate is probably not included, as that was open to men of low rank at any rate.

sacerdotia: the chief priesthoods were the offices of pontifex and augur; but besides these, the epulones, seven in number, had the direction of the sacred feasts, and the quindecimviri sacris faciundis were in charge of the Sibylline books, and had a dignity and influence which would be eagerly sought by greedy and ambitious men. The other priesthoods, which could be held only by patricians those of rex sacrificulus, flamen, etc., cannot be meant here. - fert, brings with it.

Pisonem: it would appear from this passage that he held command in Spain for some time before his assassination (see § 19).

Nucerinum, of Nuceria, in Campania, the regular way to express residence in Latin. Cicero (pro Sulla, § 58) defends him of the charge of complicity in the conspiracy, calling him amicus vetus atque hospes. "He was one of the Condottieri of those days, such a man as we read of in the Italian history of the fourteenth and fifteenth century" (Long). He fought on Cæsar's side in the civil war.

C. Antonium, the colleague of Cicero: son of the great orator, and uncle of the triumvir. He was a worthless character.

esse, infin. depending on the verb of saying implied in polliceri.

petere, was a candidate for (the regular term). - circumventum, hard pressed.

increpabat, assailed. - nominans laudare, extolled by name. suæ, referring to alium. - compluris, acc. — еа fuerat, that [victory] had been [a source of] plunder (dat.).

...

postquam, as soon as. - petitionem, candidacy. - curæ, dat. § 22. popularis (acc.), accomplices.

exsecrationem, an oath (containing a curse). dictitare (historical infinitive), they say. - quo... magis, § 64, 1, a. - alius alii (dat.), to one another.

invidiam, unpopularity, arising from his severity, especially in putting to death the leading conspirators without trial (see § 55). 14. pœnas dederant, i. e. had been put to death. Punishment is regarded as of the nature of a fine or forfeit: hence dare, to suffer, and sumere, to inflict.

nobis (emphatic), § 51, 4, b. - pro magnitudine, etc., is not sufficiently authenticated, considering its importance.

§ 23. haud obscuro loco: the Curii were an eminent plebeian gens. - flagitiis copertus (= coöpertus), buried in infamy.

censores: magistrates elected two at a time, theoretically once in five years, but in fact at quite irregular intervals. They held office for eighteen months, during which time they regulated the customs-duties and other finances of the State, and made out the list of the Senators, which regulations were to continue in operation until the next censors. The censors here referred to were probably Cn. Lentulus and L. Gellius (B.C. 70), those by whom P. Lentulus had been expelled from the Senate (see note, § 17). - probri gratia, on the ground of scandal.

vanitas, folly (empty-headedness). - prorsus, and absolutely. neque quicquam pensi habebat, "made no bones." Fulvia: the Fulvii were an eminent plebeian gens.

cui ... esset, and being less favored by her. - inopia, through poverty. - maria montisque, as we say "oceans of money" and "mountains of gold." obnoxia, submissive. - foret, for eris of

dir. disc.

sublato auctore, saying nothing of her authority. - æstuabat, chafed. - pollui = pollutum iri. - stupri, etc., an old intrigue.

homo novus; as distinguished from nobilis, one none of whose ancestors had held high magistracies. He who in any family first attained office was called princeps nobilitatis, and his descendants

were nobiles.

invidia, jealousy. - post, in the background.

§ 24. comitiis habitis, when the elections were held. The chief magistrates were elected in the comitia centuriata (centuriate

comitia), in which the people voted by centuries, each century having one vote. The number of centuries is not certainly known, but was probably 373; and they were organized partly by wealth, partly by birth or residence, and partly by age. At this election the principal competitors of Cicero and Antonius were the conspirators Catiline and Cassius.

locis opportunis, § 55, 3, f. - fide, on credit. - sumptam mutuam, procured as a loan.

Fæsulas, an old town in the extreme north of Etruria. Its ruins are still seen at Fiesole, on a very high and steep hill near Florence. This Manlius acted as Catiline's lieutenant until the arrival of his chief. He was an old soldier of Sulla, "as brave and as free from scruples of conscience as was ever any soldier of fortune." stupro, by prostitution. - toleraverant, i. e. had been able to bear. - tantum fecerat, had put a limit only to their gains, but not to their [passion for] luxury. - servitia, troops of slaves. 15. § 25. Sempronia, wife of Decimus Junius Brutus, and mother of D. Brutus Albinus, who was one of the conspirators against Cæsar.

genere, family: The Sempronii were a plebeian gens of great distinction; the Gracchi, among others, belonged to it. It may be noticed that this whole description of Sempronia seems out of place here, - foisted in, one might suspect, to gratify Sallust's grudge against the assassin of Cæsar.

psallere, etc., dependent on docta. - probæ, an honest woman. Perhaps the Roman dances were worse than ours; at any rate they were looked on with extreme disfavor by respectable people.

minus parceret, was less careful of. - haud discerneres, you could not have told (§ 60, 2, R.).

creditum abjuraverat, had denied a trust on oath. - haud absurdum, by no means contemptible. - molli, procaci, i. e. the affected "soft" or "fast" talk of gallants.

§ 26. in proxumum annum, for the new year, i. e. B.с. 62. designatus, elected: the consul elect enjoyed much of the dignity and influence of an actual magistrate. - ex voluntate, at his will. -illi, Cicero.

pactione provinciæ: the procedure in the assignment of provinces (established by a law of Caius Gracchus) was that the Senate first selected two for the consuls to govern after their term of office as proconsuls (pro consulibus): the consuls then drew lots for these, and the prætors for those remaining. On this occasion, Cicero drew Macedonia, one of the wealthiest and most desirable of the provinces, and Antonius Cisalpine Gaul. By making an exchange, Cicero gained over his colleague to coöperate against Catiline: he himself then declined to take his province, preferring to remain in Rome.

perpulerat, had prevailed on (with difficulty); ne sentiret, not to side with (a common word, for political views; so sententia, vote).

dies comitiorum: this was Oct. 28; the consuls elect were D. Junius Silanus and L. Licinius Murena. - fœda, ill-starred (of evil omen), like obscænum.

§ 27. Camertem, the adjective (irregular) of Camerinum, a town of Umbria: it was close to the Picene territory, which lay on the Adriatic.

16. præterea ... credebat, and such persons, besides, to one place and another, as he thought would be of service to him.

tendere, fig. from spreading nets. cum telo esse, went armed (a technical phrase). - item, i. e. to do the same.

intempesta nocte, at the dead of night: it was Nov. 6 (this year about the middle of January). This occurrence is given here out of its place; it should not come in until after the events narrated in the first half of chap. 51.

oppressisset: in dir. disc. oppressero (§ 59, 4, c).

§ 28. Senator: Cicero (Cat. I. § 9) calls Vargunteius an eques, perhaps because he had been elevated by Sulla among his creatures, compare note to § 17. - sicuti, just as if.

salutatum: it was the custom for Roman noblemen to hold receptions early in the morning, for the purpose of attending to various business and receiving the greetings of their clients.

dolore injuriæ, resentment at wrong. The people of Etruria had been largely dispossessed of their lands by Sulla, to enable him to provide for his veterans.

novarum rerum, change, i. e. revolution, compare novandi, § 50. § 29. ancipiti, double-headed (amb-caput). - longius=diutius. - neque satis compertum habebat, and had not fully ascertained (§ 72, 3, 6).

rem

17. refert, the technical expression for bringing business before the Senate.

in atroci negotio, i. e. when some act of extreme severity is to be done.

decrevit, ordered: the formula that follows is that regularly used • for intrusting the consuls with dictatorial power. It was equivalent to declaring martial law. (See note, § 5. The words of the decree are directly copied, with change of tense: hence the conj. ut is not used.)

ea potentia, etc., thus a power, &&c. ; maxuma being strictly a kind of predicate.

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