(b) 'ne quisquam crudelius factum esse dicat.'
He really fears (a); hence speaking ironically he reverses the case, and says, I shall have to fear, I suppose, not rather (a) than (b) (i.e. not so much (a) as (b)). Translate the whole—'I shall have to fear I suppose—not that all good citizens may call my action tardy—but that some one may say it was excessively cruel.'
[§6].
quisquam, besides its regular use in negative sentences and questions implying a negative, is used in affirmative sentences, in the sense of 'any one at all,' where it is implied that there can be none, or at most but one or two.
mihi crede, 'trust to me,' 'take my advice.'
[§7].
me . . . dicere. The pres. inf. is often used after memini when the speaker refers to his own experience. The past event is for the moment actually present to his mind. So in English 'do you remember my saying?' Cf. Virg. Ecl. 1. 17 'de caelo tactas memini praedicere quercus.'
a. d. xii Kal. Nov. Oct. 21. See [Intr. page 11].
futurus esset, subj. as part of what Cicero said in the senate.
a. d. vi Kal. Nov. Oct. 27. The reading is not certain, the MSS. varying between vi and ix.