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magnificentia voluptati est, non est mirandum eam L. Murenae apud populum profuisse. sed si nosmet ipsi, qui et ab delec- 39 tatione communi negotiis impedimur et in ipsa occupatione delectationes alias multas habere possumus, ludis tamen oblectamur et ducimur, quid tu admirere de multitudine indocta? L. Otho, [vir fortis,] meus necessarius, equestri ordini restituit 40 non solum dignitatem, sed etiam voluptatem. itaque lex haec, quae ad ludos pertinet, est omnium gratissima, quod honestissimo ordini cum splendore fructus quoque iucunditatis est restitutus. quare delectant homines, mihi crede, ludi, etiam illos, qui dissimulant, non solum eos, qui fatentur. quod ego in mea petitione sensi; nam nos quoque habuimus scaenam competitricem. quodsi ego, qui trinos ludos aedilis feceram, tamen Antonii ludis commovebar, tibi, qui casu nullos feceras, nihil huius istam ipsam, quam irrides, argenteam scaenam

39. admirere de...] sc. wonder, not at the common herd, but at some fact in connexion with them; here, at their fondness for the shows. Madv. Fin. 1. § 4, who cf. ad Att. X. 17. 4, de diplomate admiraris.

indocta] Z. on vulgus § 38 well remarks that this is not at all the same as multitudo indoctorum.

40. L. Otho] The equites seem to have had some precedence of the plebs in the theatre (though they did not sit all together), as they had had in the circus from very early times. G. Gracchus had probably given them this distinction (Mommsen, bk. IV., ch. 3), Sulla deprived them of it. When then Roscius Otho, tribune B.C. 67, carried his law which gave them 14 rows of seats in the theatre all together immediately behind the orchestra (where the Senators sat), he did what may fairly be spoken of as restituit, so also Velleius, II. 32. 3, cf. Hor. E. 4. 15, Epp. 1. 1. 62, Prof. Mayor on Cic. Phil. II. § 44, Juv. III. 153.

ad ludos] In ad Att. II. 19. 3 we have mention of a lex Roscia frumentaria.

gratissima] it was a most unpopular measure. Cicero himself had in

64 B.C. sought to lessen the general dislike to it in the speech de L. Othone, now lost, cf. ad Att. II. I. 3.

trinos] not tres, as ludi denotes a compound object, which can be repeated and counted, so bina castra, quinae litterae. Madv. § 76 c, cf. bina spolia, Liv. I. 10.

aedilis] In B.C. 69. The three ludi were Cereales, Florales, Romani, as he tells us II in Verr. v. § 36; he had not however indulged in any great extravagance, de Off. II. § 59, and he claims that he did not owe his later distinctions to these shows.

Antonii] as praetor in B.C. 66. Their splendour made Cicero feel very anxious, as Antonius was in league with Catiline at the elections for 63.

casu] As praetor he did not get the urbana iurisdictio, and he had never been aedile.

argenteam] Probably some part of the stage was really covered with silver: the testimony of Plin. H. N. XXXIII. 3. 53 depends on the punctuation of the passage, and cannot be urged strongly. Even if (as I think) it does say literally what Cicero says here, we may doubt whether the present high-flown pas

41 adversatam putas? sed haec sane sint paria omnia: sit par forensis opera militari, militaris suffragatio urbanae, sit idem magnificentissimos et nullos umquam fecisse ludos: quid? in ipsa praetura nihilne existimas inter tuam et huius sortem interfuisse ?

XX. huius sors ea fuit, quam omnes tui necessarii tibi optabamus, iuris dicundi: in qua gloriam conciliat magnitudo negotii, gratiam aequitatis largitio: qua in sorte sapiens praetor, qualis hic fuit, offensionem vitat aequabilitate decernendi, benevolentiam adiungit lenitate audiendi: egregia et ad consulatum apta provincia, in qua laus aequitatis, integritatis, 42 facilitatis ad extremum ludorum voluptate concluditur. quid tua sors? tristis, atrox: quaestio peculatus, ex altera parte lacrimarum et squaloris, ex altera plena tabularum atque indicum. cogendi iudices inviti, retinendi contra voluntatem; scriba damnatus, ordo totus alienatus; Sullana gratificatio reprehensa, multi viri fortes et prope pars civitatis

sage be not the only authority for Pliny's statement.

41. sed haec......interfuisse?] Recapitulates from § 19. Z.

XX.

iuris dicundi] Since Sulla there had been eight praetors, two for the Civil Courts, the urbanus and the so-called peregrinus; the other six were for the Criminal Courts. Murena was lucky in drawing the lot for the praetura urbana.

aequitatis] 'justice according to the spirit of the law,' opposed to the letter, as in § 27.

adiungit] sc. sibi, 'wins,' cf. § 42, pro Rosc. Am. § 116, pro Cluent. § 3.

ad extremum] 'to crown all, it is finished off with '...not of time, for the ludi Apollinares fall on a. d. III. Non. Iul. (5th July). But I can find no parallel.

42. tristis, atrox] 'one of gloom and severity.

peculatus] One of the quaestiones perpetuae, dealing with misappropriation or theft of the public property. pecus originally moveable property. Freund well cf. Gell. XI. 18. 18, Auct. ad Herenn. I. § 22.

squaloris] The reus would appear in a squalida vestis. See App. A.

tabularum] account-books put in as evidence. cf. pro Fonteio § 12, unae tabulae proferantur.

indicum] so § 49, much the same as the later delatores, 'informers.'

scriba] The secretaries to the magistrates were called scribae; the scribae quaestorii and aedilicii were held in highest repute. They were citizens and had votes in elections. Freund. Their influence was great (de Leg. III. § 48 probably refers to them in particular), and also their duties, cf. II in Verr. III. § 183, where they are as here strangely spoken of as ordo (so ordo aratorum. II in Verr. II. § 17). Cicero seems to be thinking of a case in which a scriba had by his power over the State ledgers been guilty of peculatus either as principal or accessory. For form of sentence cf. Madv. § 442 a, obs. 2.

gratificatio] The free allotments of land by Sulla to his soldiers. cf. de leg. Agr. III. § 6, coniungitur impudens gratificatio cum acerba iniu

offensa; lites severe aestimatae; cui placet obliviscitur, cui dolet meminit. postremo tu in provinciam ire noluisti. non possum id in te reprehendere, quod in me ipso et praetore et consule probavi, sed tamen L. Murenae provincia multas bonas gratias cum optima existimatione attulit. habuit proficiscens dilectum in Umbria: dedit ei facultatem res publica liberalitatis, qua usus multas sibi tribus, quae municipiis Umbriae conficiuntur, adiunxit: ipse autem in Gallia, ut nostri homines desperatas iam pecunias exigerent, aequitate diligentiaque perfecit. tu interea Romae scilicet amicis praesto fuisti. fateor, sed tamen illud cogita, non nullorum amicorum studia minui solere in eos, a quibus provincias contemni intellegunt.

XXI. et quoniam ostendi, iudices, parem dignitatem ad con- 43 sulatus petitionem, disparem fortunam provincialium negotiorum in Murena atque in Sulpicio fuisse, dicam iam apertius, in quo meus necessarius fuerit inferior Servius, et ea dicam vobis audientibus, amisso iam tempore, quae ipsi soli re integra

ria. reprehensa, called in question by some decision.

viri fortes] sc. Sullani milites. pars] 'a considerable part,' as often, cf. Liv. 1. 10, Caeninenses Crustuminique et Antemnates erant ad quos eius iniuriae pars pertinebat.

lites, etc.] If you have assessed the amount of the restitution to be made, taking a hard view of the case. [In the times of the empire the amount was fixed at four times the value of what was taken; in quadruplum, Jul. Paull. v. 27.] This seems to have been confined to State cases, and was quite a separate matter from the verdict (iudicium). See in particular pro Cluent. §§ 115-116, and Ramsay's note. In Gellius IV. 4. 2, we have a case of breach of promise of marriage, where litem pecunia aestimabat used to assess the damages at such-and-such a sum.

=

cui placet] he who approves of it. Nobody gets anything by it.' Z. meminit] and so the presiding magistrate gradually becomes unpopular.

bonas gratias] A regular combina

tion, cf. aliquam bonam gratiam, pro imp. Gn. Pomp. § 71. For the plural gratias apud multos, cf. § 24.

liberalitatis] generous help in equipment-money, &c. Z., and I do not see how the word will bear any other interpretation.

conficiuntur] are made up out of borough-towns in Umbria. These municipia are the old Latin colonies, planted as garrisons when Rome was gradually conquering all Italy. By the Julian law of B. C. 90 they received the Roman franchise.

Gallia] Transalpina, in 64 B. C. ipse, he made a chance,' opposed to dedit res publica.

nostri homines] Roman capitalists, publicani, &c.

non nullorum] sc. place-hunters. xxi. 43. provincialium] 'official.' So provincia, an official charge,' § 41 etc.

amisso] though the time for applying them is now past and gone.' cf. de prov. Cons. § 17, tempore amisso annus est integer vobis expectandus.

re integra] 'while it was yet time.' cf on est integrum § 8.

saepe dixi. petere consulatum nescire te, Servi, persaepe tibi dixi, et in his rebus ipsis, quas te magno et forti animo et agere et dicere videbam, tibi solitus sum dicere, magis te fortem accusatorem mihi videri quam sapientem candidatum. primum accusandi terrores et minae, quibus tu cotidie uti solebas, sunt fortis viri, sed et populi opinionem a spe adipiscendi avertunt et amicorum studia debilitant. nescio quo pacto semper hoc fit-neque in uno aut altero animadversum est, sed iam in pluribus-,simul atque candidatus accusationem 44 meditari visus est, ut honorem desperasse videatur. 'quid ergo? acceptam iniuriam persequi non placet?' immo vehementer placet, sed aliud tempus est petendi, aliud persequendi. petitorem ego, praesertim consulatus, magna spe, magno animo, magnis copiis et in forum et in campum deduci volo: non placet mihi inquisitio candidati, praenuntia repulsae, non testium potius quam suffragatorum comparatio, non minae magis quam blanditiae, non declamatio potius quam persalutatio, praesertim cum iam hoc novo more omnes fere domos

consulatum] not interpolated. Cicero is quoting his own words in private to Sulpicius during his last candidature. There is of course no implied opposition, such as 'though you do know how to stand for the praetorship and quaestorship.' cf. Quint. XI. i. 69.

his rebus ipsis] sc. his denunciations in the Senate, and his preparations for prosecuting a successful rival. fortis] 'resolute.' Perhaps better fortissimi with MS. Lag. 9.

a spe adipiscendi] i.e. they make people think that he has given up all hope of success.

fit...ut] is the connexion.

desperasse] to have given up for lost. For the acc. after despero, cf. de Rep. VI. § 25, in Catil. II. § 19, ad Fam. XII. 14. 3. It is also constructed (a) with acc. and inf., (b) with de and abl., (c) absolutely like to be in despair,' (d) with the dat., saluti, etc.

44. magnis copiis] A company of friends of the clients usually escorted

It

a candidate to the forum, where he
canvassed (prensabat), and on the
day of election to the Campus Mar-
tius, where the voting went on.
was an object to secure as many
Senators and equites as possible. The
larger a man's company, the more
likely he was thought to succeed.
cf. auct. petit. cons. §§ 16-18.

deduci] The regular word for escorting a candidate. cf. § 69 foll.

inquisitio] the hunting up of evidence against a candidate. Here it is of an unofficial proceeding, for the purpose of having the materials ready to hand. Usually of the official search for evidence after the charge has been formally laid and received by the praetor. cf. II in Verr. II. § II.

suffragatorum] cf. on § 16. declamatio] 'ranting' against what displeases you.

persalutatio] 'general greeting' to all you meet. cf. persalutare in pro Flacco § 42.

praesertim cum] Madv. on de Fin.

omnium concursent et ex vultu candidatorum coniecturam faciant, quantum quisque animi et facultatis habere videatur. 'videsne tu illum tristem, demissum? iacet, diffidit, abiecit 45 hastas.' serpit hic rumor: 'scis tu illum accusationem cogitare, inquirere in competitores, testes quaerere? alium faciam, quoniam sibi hic ipse desperat.' eius modi de candidato rumore amici intimi debilitantur, studia deponunt, aut desertam rem abiciunt, aut suam operam et gratiam iudicio et accusationi reservant. XXII. accedit eodem, ut etiam ipse candidatus totum animum atque omnem curam, operam diligentiamque suam in petitione non possit ponere; adiungitur enim accusationis cogitatio, non parva res, sed nimirum omnium maxima. magnum est enim te comparare ea, quibus possis hominem e civitate, praesertim non inopem neque infirmum, exturbare, qui et per se et per suos et vero etiam per alienos defendatur. omnes enim ad pericula propulsanda concurrimus, et qui non aperte inimici sumus, etiam alienissimis in capitis periculis amicissimorum officia et studia praestamus. quare ego expertus et petendi et defendendi et accusandi mo- 46 lestiam sic intellexi: in petendo studium esse acerrimum, in defendendo officium, in accusando laborem. itaque sic statuo: fieri nullo modo posse, ut idem accusationem et petitionem

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II. § 25, explains these particles as= 'idque cum tamen,' quamvis,' 'and that though.' If so here, it must go very closely with declamatio, which must='stopping at home to practise a speech against Murena,' as Z. explains it. cf. Prof. Mayor on Phil. II. § 42. But it seems to me that Cicero was Madvigi securus, and meant, 'I do not prefer the voice of sulky indignation to that of general greeting, particularly as people notice it and feel inclined to vote against such a candidate.' cf. §§ 24, 53.

iam] since it has got to this nowa-days, that....

omnium] sc. candidatorum. coniecturam faciant] so § 9. 'infer.' animi et facultatis] confidence and

support.

45. hastas] weapon of offence. 'He has given up the contest.' iacet. cf. § 30.

faciam] 'I shall vote for another candidate.' cf. pro Planc. § 9, facit eos, a quibus est maxime ambitus.

xxii. accedit ut] Madv. § 373, obs. 3.

e civitate exturbare] The lex Tullia inflicted a penalty of ten years exile.

non inopem, etc.] Or he would

never have come forward as a candidate. te and hominem are quite general.

alienissimis] cf. § 8, de Orat. II. § 200.

46. esse in] belongs to, is required by.

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