Page. 132-Invidiam nullam. "No claims to envy enjoying in the office. " i. e. nothing worth 13. Objicitur. "The holder of it is exposed."--Concionibus seditiosorum. Referring to the tribunes of the commons. 14. In hoc praeclaro consulatu. “In this distinguished post of consul." Praeclaro is said with a tinge of irony: in this distinguished post, as many call it, and take it to be. 133 1. Hunc vestris sententiis afflixeritis. "You shall dash this man in sorrow to the ground by your decision," i. e. shall condemn him. 2. Quo se miser vertet? The peroration here is extremely beau tiful. "Locus," says Manutius, "ad commovendam misericordiam aptissimus." 3. Laureatam in sua gratulatione, &c amid his own felicitations." 66 "Decked with laurel Cicero purposely 4. Lugentem. Plunged in mourning." uses this form of expression, instead of lugenti similem, for the sake of greater strength. 5. Misera. "Wretched parent." 6. Nova poena legis. The Tullian law (lex Tullia) had only recently been passed, which added ten years' exile to the penalties before inflicted by the laws upon the crime of ambitus. 7. At habet magnum dolorem, &c. a deep pang of sorrow &c. 8. Summo cum imperio. mand." "Ah! but it brings with it "When invested with supreme com 9. C. Murenam, fratrem suum. C. Licinius Murena. He was governor of Transalpine Gaul, and is the same individual of whom Sallust speaks, B. C. 42. Compare note 10, page 52. student will note the distinc"What anguish on the part of 10. Qui hujus dolor? Qui for quis. So also, qui illius moeror erit ?-The tion here between hujus and illius. the former ? What deep affliction on that of the latter?" The same remark applies here, that was made in a previous note respecting an apparent violation of the rule concerning hic and ille. Hujus refers to Murena, Cicero's client, and illius to his distant brother. 11. Quanta autem perturbatio, &c. "What a reverse of fortune, what a change of language," i. e. how changed the condition of the one, how altered the language of both. 12. Conservate populi Romani beneficium. "Preserve unto him the favour which the Roman people have conferred,” i. e. establish by your decision his claims to the consulship. Page. 13. Junonis Sospitae. There was at Lanuvium, whence the 133 family of Murena came, a temple sacred to Juno Sospita. The Romans had a joint right of sacrificing to this goddess, and an annual offering was made by the Roman consuls. According to Livy, (8, 14,) the people of Lanuvium were allowed by the Romans to continue the worship of this goddess, on condition that the latter people shared in it along with them. Compare, as regards this same deity, Liv. 40, 19. -Ov. Fast. 6, 60.-Sil. Ital. 13, 364, and Cic. N. D. 1, 29. The last-mentioned writer describes the effigy of the goddess, as arrayed in a goat-skin, bearing a small shield and a spear, and having on little slippers turned up at the toes. "Cum pelle caprina, cum hasta, cum scutulo, cum calceolis repandıs.” also Montfaucon, Antiq. Explic. lib. 2, c. 5. fig. 10. Consult 14. Facere. Supply rem divinam, or, what is much simpler, sacra from the previous sacris patriis. The analogy between this usage of facere, and that of the Greck féţew or ëpdriv is worth noting. 1. Domesticum et suum consulem. "A domestic consul, and 134 ɔne whom she regards as her own." The epithets domesticum and suum beautifully allude to the circumstance of Murena's family having come from Lanuvium. 2. Confirmatio mea. "My strong assurance in his behalf." 4. Otii. "Most zealous for the welfare of .he good." 6 Ut promittam et spondeam. "As to promise and pledge." |