abutere, future, as is shown by 'eludet,' 'iactabit.'
quam diu, etc. 'How long will your madness yet have full play?' Connect 'etiam' with 'quamdiu,' as in Sall. Cat. 61 'Catilina repertus est paullulum etiam spirans.' For 'eludet' used absolutely cf. Livy 2. 45 'adeo superbe insolenterque hostis eludebat.' But some editors read 'nos eludet' ('make sport of us').
nocturnum praesidium Palatii. The Palatium, or 'Mons Palatinus,' was one of the seven hills, occupying a central position S. E. of the Capitoline. It was now protected at night by a guard against any sudden attempt of the conspirators to seize it. Augustus and his successors had their residence there; hence, in later times, 'palatium' came to mean 'a palace.'
urbis vigiliae, 'the patrols of the city.'
bonorum, perhaps in a general sense 'respectable citizens,' but with special reference to the senatorial party at Rome, who called themselves boni cives or optimates; just as the aristocratic party at Athens called themselves καλοκἀγαθοί.
hic munitissimus, etc. They were assembled in the temple of Iuppiter Stator on the Palatine, which was protected by the Equites in arms. The ordinary place of meeting was the Curia Hostilia, on the north side of the Forum.
horum, the senators.
constrictam . . . coniurationem tuam, 'that your conspiracy is fast held and bound in the knowledge of all here present,' (i.e. it is powerless, because everybody knows of it).
Quid proxima . . . arbitraris? 'Quem' is the direct interrogative; 'quid egeris,' 'ubi fueris,' etc., indirect questions depending upon 'ignorare'; they are put first in the sentence for the sake of emphasis.
proxima nocte, 'last night,' on which the attempt on Cicero's life was made, superiore, 'the night before last,' when the meeting in the house of Laeca was held. See [Introduction, pp. 11], [12], and [note].