[446] A senatus consultum vetoed by a tribune was written out, with the names of its proposers and backers, and a statement at the end as to the tribunes vetoing it. It was thus on record as an auctoritas senatus, "resolution of the senate," not a senatus consultum. A perfect specimen is given in Letter CCXXIII. This auctoritas was to the effect that no one was to undertake the restoration. See Letter [CXIII].
[447] This is a specimen of the short letter of introduction to a provincial governor which were given almost as a matter of course by men of position at Rome. We shall have many of them in the course of the correspondence: and Cicero elsewhere warns the recipient of such letters not to pay attention to them unless he expressly indicates his wish by some less formal sentence (see Letter [CXIV]). T. Ampius was the predecessor of Lentulus in Cilicia.
[448] I.e., no meeting of the senate for ordinary business. During the month of February the senate usually devoted all its time to hearing and answering deputations from the provinces or foreign states. The lex Pupia forbade the meeting of the senate on dies comitiales, and after the 14th the days in January were all comitiales: but another law (lex Vatinia) ordered it to meet every day in February for the business of the legations. If this business was concluded or deferred it remained a moot point whether a magistrate was not still bound or, at least, allowed to summon it for other business (ad Q. Fr. ii. 13).
[449] That of the tribune C. Cato for the recall of Lentulus.
[450] A money-lender, and friend of Lentulus Spinther.
[451] Pompey.
[452] Agent or steward of Atticus.
[453] The architect. See Letter [XXVIII], p. [68].
[454] Clodius, who was ædile this year.
[455] For commissioning Pompey with two lictors to restore Ptolemy.