XI. Apud—pertractentur. Are handled, i.e. discussed, among, i.e. by the chiefs, sc. before being referred to the people.
Nisi refers not to coeunt, but to certis diebus.
Fortuitum, casual, unforeseen; subitum, requiring immediate action.
Inchoatur—impletur. Ariovistus would not fight before the new moon, Caes. B.G. 1, 50.
Numerum—noctium. Of which custom, we have a relic and a proof in our seven-night and fort-night. So also the Gauls. Caes. B.G. 6, 18.
Constituunt==decree, determine; condicunt==proclaim, appoint. The con in both implies concerted or public action. They are forensic terms.
Nox—videtur. So with the Athenians, Macrob. Saturn. 1, 3.; and the Hebrews, Gen. 1, 5.
Ex libertate, sc. ortum, arising from. Gün.
Nec ut jussi. Not precisely at the appointed time, but a day or two later, if they choose.
Ut turbae placuit. Ut==simul ac, as soon as, when. It is the time of commencing their session, that depends on the will of the multitude; not their sitting armed, for that they always did, cf. frameas concutiunt at the close of the section; also § 13: nihil neque publicae neque privatae rei nisi armati agunt. To express this latter idea, the order of the words would have been reversed thus: armati considunt.