Hactenus. Thus far, and no farther, i.e. if he pays his rent or tax, no more is required of him.
Cetera. The rest of the duties (usually performed by a Roman servant), viz. those of the house, the wife and children (sc. of the master) perform. Gr. strangely refers uxor et liberi to the wife and children of the servant. Passow also refers domus to the house of the servant, thus making it identical with the penates above, with which it seems rather to be contrasted. With the use of cetera here, compare His. 4, 56: ceterum vulgus==the rest, viz. the common soldiers, and see the principle well illustrated in Döderlein's Essay, His. p. 17.
Opere. Hard labor, which would serve as a punishment. The Romans punished their indolent and refractory domestics, by sending them to labor in the country, as well as by heavy chains (vinculis) and cruel flagellations (verberare). They had also the power of life and death (occidere). Beck. Gall. Exc. 2. Sc. 2; Smith's Dic. Ant. as above.
Non disciplina—ira. Hendiadys==non disciplinae severitate, sed irae impetu. Cf. His. 1, 51: severitate disciplinae.
Nisi—impune, i.e. without the pecuniary penalty or satisfaction, which was demanded when one put to death an enemy (inimicum). Cf. 21.
Liberti—libertini. These words denote the same persons, but with this difference in the idea: libertus==the freedman of some particular master, libertinus==one in the condition of a freedman without reference to any master. At the time of the Decemvirate, and for some time after, liberti==emancipated slaves, libertini==the descendants of such, cf. Suet. Claud. 24.
Quae regnantur. Governed by kings. Ex poetarum more dictum, cf. Virg. Aen. 6, 794: regnata per arva. So 43: Gothones regnantur, and 44: Suiones. Gün.
Ingenuos==free born; nobiles==high born.
Ascendunt, i.e. ascendere possunt.
Ceteros. By synesis (see Gr.) for ceteras, sc. gentes.