[24.]
[135] ‘Which fact had at first intimidated the associates of the conspiracy.’ The pluperfect here seems to be used for the perfect, but is necessary from the idea, which properly should have been expressed by some such sentence as this: ‘which fact, although it had at first intimidated the conspirators, yet did not stop the progress of the conspiracy.’
[136] Faesulae, now Fiesole, a town in the northern part of Etruria, not far from Florentia (Florence), which is now the largest town in that district, though it was not so in ancient times.
[137] Portare, ‘he caused money to be taken.’ See Zumpt, § 713.
[138] Sumptus tolerare, ‘to bear the expenses,’ implying the difficulty of defraying them.
[25.]
[139] Haud facile discerneres, ‘it was not easy to determine whether she was less concerned about her money or her reputation,’ since she was reckless in regard to both. Respecting the imperfect subjunctive, see Zumpt, § 528, note 2.
[140] Praeceps is used of steep and precipitous places, and of persons who fall or throw themselves headlong down from or into anything. Hence Sempronia praeceps abierat is, ‘she had thrown herself headlong into ruin,’ which might also be expressed by in praeceps iverat.
[26.]
[141] Namely, for the year beginning with the first of January, B. C. 62. The elections took place about the middle of the preceding year, consequently, in the present instance, about the middle of the year B. C. 63.
[142] Ad hoc is a common expression in Sallust for praeterea.
[143] Pactione provinciae, by coming to an understanding with him about the provinces which were assigned to the consuls after the expiration of their year of office at Rome. Cicero had obtained by lot the lucrative province of Macedonia and exchanged it for Gallia Cisalpina, which had fallen to the lot of Antonius; but afterwards he declined the latter also, in order to be able to remain at Rome, which at that time was considered to be a sign that a man did not care for money — continentia abstinentia.
[144] The Campus Martius, an extensive open plain between the city and the Tiber, was the place for the large assemblies of the people; that is, for the Comitia Centuriate, in which the consuls and praetors were elected.
[145] Aspera foedaque might also have been expressed by the adverbs aspere foedeque, ‘his attempts turned out unfavourably and disgracefully.’ Compare Zumpt, § 682.
[27.]
[146] Camers, ‘a native of Camerium,’ (the capital of the Umbrians), for the inhabitants of that place were called Camertes. Picenum or ager Picenus, was the Roman territory on the Adriatic between the mouths of the rivers Aesis and Aternus with the capitals of Ancona and Asculum.
[28.]
[147] Sicuti salutatum, ‘as if to offer him his morning salutation,’ for such a morning call before sunrise was a common politeness among the Romans.
[148] Or according to the common orthography, intelligit.