the quaestorship—and of course all the higher magistracies, if held before the quaestorship-secured admission to the senate without further ceremony.

The senate had no regular meeting place. It usually met in the Curia Hostilia until that was burnt in 52 B.C.; but it might meet in any templum, i.e. in any place consecrated by the augurs. Thus the first oration against Catiline was delivered in the Temple of Jupiter Stator; the fourth, in the Temple of Concord. Nor did it have any fixed time for its meetings, but assembled at the call of a qualified magistrate, e.g. a consul, a praetor, or a tribune. The meetings were usually held early in the day, as sunset put an end to all transactions.

The magistrate who called a meeting presided over it. After taking the auspices, he formally presented the matter for which the meeting had been called, and then asked the members, in the order of their rank, for an expression of opinion. Magistrates-elect, if any were present, took precedence of all others in the same rank, followed by the ex-consuls, ex-praetors, etc., seniority of membership ordinarily determining the order in each of these classes. Each senator, when thus called upon, made a motion or assented to one already made. Though the presiding magistrate might take the floor at any time, other members were not allowed to speak unless called upon. Members were sometimes called out of their turn as a mark of respect, or entirely passed over out of spite. The presiding officer then selected one or more of the motions for a vote, and directed the senators who favored the motion to go to one side of the house, and those who opposed it to the other. When the senators had seated themselves as they wished to vote, the result was announced (haec pars mihi maior videtur), a count being made, if necessary, to determine the result. When a division was called for, every member was obliged to vote except the presiding magistrate, who was not allowed to vote. The measure,

if carried, and not vetoed by a qualified official, became at once a consultum patrum, or senatus consultum, apparently with the force of law. In the case of a veto or the refusal of the presiding officer to accept the result, the action was termed senatus auctoritas, i.e. the senate's deliberate opinion, and as such had much weight in determining legislation in the Comitia.

The senate's action was final most frequently in settling diplomatic relations with foreign powers and with the provinces, and in determining the method of raising and disbursing the state revenues. The CICERO - 3