Page The connection between the clauses is as follows: quod-fuissent, et-74 cepisset, antequam appareret, etc. 26. Qui—auctores fuissent, "who said that the senate had proceeded with too much indulgence in giving their sanction to the laws proposed by them," (i. e. the consuls.) 27. Neque erat dubium, etc. This clause, like the preceding one, is said in accordance with the opinion of the senators referred to, multi. They had no doubt that nothing but the necessities of the time had compelled the senate to pass the laws proposed by the consuls. Alschefski thinks that the idea is impiied, that so soon as the times should change, the senate would regain what it had lost, and reassort the rights of the patricians. Page BOOK IV. THE chapters selected from this book refer to two important plebeian laws: first, the law of Canuleius, to repeal the law of the twelve tables, which forbade connubia between the patricians and the plebeians; second, the law proposed by the other nine tribunes, "that the consulship should be thrown open, without distinction, to the members of both orders." To the Canuleian law, the patricians, after making a vigorous opposition, were at length compelled to give their consent, and the law was passed. The passage of the second law they evaded by resorting to the device of appointing military tribunes, with consular power, who might be either plebeians or patricians. Compare Arn. Hist Rome, vol. 1, ch. xvi.; Schmitz's Hist. Rome, (Andover ed.,) p. 93. 75 CH. I.-3. Connubio. Connubium is a term comprehending all the conditions of a legal Roman marriage. See Dict. Antiqq. (Mar riage.) Before the passage of the Canuleian law, marriages were frequently contracted between the patricians and the plebeians; but as there could be no regular marriage (justum matrimonium) without connubium, such connections were liable to many legal restrictions; the children were not subject to the father's power, and could not inherit his property if he died intestate. 4. Rogationem promulgavit. See notes, B 1, c. 46; B. 3, c. 54, and Dict. Antiqq. p. 580. 6. Jura gentium, i. e. of the Roman Gentes, or Houses; for an account of which see Dict. Antiqq. p. 470. 76 9. In majus—acceptis, “being exaggerated;" i. e. ita acceptis, ut majora viderentur, quam essent. So, in majus ferre, B. 21, c. 32, incerta in majus—ferri solent. 18. Ad concionem advocavit; sc. plebem. CH. II.-29. Ut-quemadmodum, etc. This is the reading of all the MSS. With the latter part of the sentence must be supplied from what goes before, gloriari possent. So also 34, 31, Ibi permisso, ut, seu dicere prius seu audire mallet, ita cœpit tyrannus, i. e. ut, seu, etc., aut diceret prius aut audiret.-Büttner. 34. Perturbationem-afferre. The patricians claimed the sole and exclusive right of taking the auspices; see below, in c. 6, p. 80, quod nemo plebeius auspicia haberet. Page 39. Sanguinis-sacrorum sit. For the genitive, see n. on diti-76 onis, B 1, c. 25. 10. Subituros fuisse. See n. on et se, etc., B. 1, c. 46, and Z.77 593, Note. 16. Illine ut, etc., sc. fieri posse, or concedi posse. Such an ellipsis frequently occurs, in questions expressing indignation; and sometimes even without any interrogative particle. See Z. § 609. 18-20. Cum-sed audeat, etc. Tantum non, almost, in which it frequently occurs, not only in Livy, but in other writers. Alschefski, by an ingenious conjecture reads thus: Cum hostes arcessierint, exercitus-hostes non tantum non patientur, sed audeat, etc. But the sense is clear in the common reading, (which is also the reading of Alschefski's MSS.,) and the grounds for the conjecture seem to me insufficient to warrant its adoption. Cя. III.—34. Viveretis. For the subj. sce A. &nd S. § 264, 9; Z. § 568. 44. Quid tandem est. Tandem, in questions, means pray, 1 ask, in the world, expressing impatience. See Z. § 287. 7. Perinde hoc valet-dicat. Perinde tamquam, just as if,78 exactly as if. Plebeiusne consul fiat, Alschefski reads, plebeius ne, etc., translating ne, that not. But the interrogative form of the clause seems best to agree with what follows: "And does this question, whether a plebeian can be made consul, mean just the same as if some one said that a slave or the son of a slave was to be consul?" 9. Libertinum. Libertinus meant originally the son of a freedman, in distinction from libertus, a freedman, one once a slave but now free; but in the lapse of time, as the distinction between the freeborn and the children of freedmen gradually faded away, there was less occasion for the latter being called libertini, so that finally this word libertinus was also given to persons themselves made free. Thus both libertus and libertinus came to be applied to a freedman, with this distinction, that libertus had reference to the manumission and the relation to the former master, e. g. in such an expression as libertus Augusti, libertinus to the rank of the freedman, and his place in the State. Becker's Röm. Antiqq.; Bibliotheca Sacra, vol. 2, p. 580, (1845.) 18. En unquam creditis fando auditum esse, sc. a nobis, "Do you then believe that we have ever heard?" On fando audire, see Z. § 220. 22. Tarquinium non modo-sed ne-quidem. See note on this construction, B. 1, c. 40. 38. Fortis ac strenuus. See below, B. 21, c. 4, n. on fortiter, etc. "What 79 = CH. IV.-1. Quid postea? quid inde consequitur? then?" Page 79 11. Decemviros legibus scribendis. See Z. § 665 § 275, R. 2, (2.) A. and S 16. Paucis his annis, "a few years ago." See Arn. Pr Intr P. I. 311. 17. Pessimo exemplo publico. Alschefski gives this reading on the authority of three of the best MSS., in preference to the reading proposed by Gronovius, pessimo publico. Pessimo publico certainly occurs in Livy, (see B. 2, c. 1, and the note;) but it seems here to be the meaning of Livy, that the law of the decemvirs furnished a precedent of the greatest injury to the public interests, inasmuch as there were not wanting persons, who were in favor of some such restrictions upon the plebeians at the present time. 21. Ne affinitatibus-caveant, etc. Caveant, not cavent, is the Reading of the best MSS.; and, as Alschefski has clearly shown, is required by the connection. The sentence is connected in thought with the sentence below, verum enimvero, etc. "Let them see to it, (or, they may see to it,) that we are not united to them by marriage and relationship, that our blood is not mingled with theirs. How? If that is a stain upon that nobility of yours, could you not preserve its purity by private regulations? &c.; but, verily, that this should be prohibited by law that, indeed, is insulting to the commons.”—Propinquitas is relationship, in general; affinitas, relation by marriage. Cognatio means relation by blood.-D. 40. Cur non sancitis, etc. This indignant expostulation of the plebeians may be compared with the plea of Shylock for the Jews in Shakspeare's Merchant of Venice, Act 3, Sc. 1: "Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle uɛ, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die ?" 80 CH. V.-10. In suffragium. On the meaning of suffragium, see Dict. Antiqq. 12. Si non quantum, etc. "As if you had not twice tried," &c. Bis, in reference to the two instances of the secession of the commons. 15. An ideo, etc. "Or, was it on that account, that you did not proceed to extremities, because the stronger party was also the more moderate ?" 22. Necessitudinibus. Necessitudo, in distinction from the words noticed above, c. 4, has a wider signification, and means a connection, either official, as that of patronus, collega, or private, as that of amicus.-D. 23. Strenuis et fortibus. See n. on these words, B. 21, c. 4. CH. VI. 34. Ut-sic. See n. on these words, B. 1, c. 25 42. Ut de connubio ferretur, concessere, 66 gave their consent to the passage of the law concerning the connubium." 23. Cessisse possessione. On this construction, see Z. 413. But certainly with cedere in the sense of give up, usually is found, not the accusative, but the abl. of the thing given up. Paga 80 |