[163] Interpellando, ‘by interrupting the speakers, and introducing other topics.’
[164] By this law of the tribune G. Sempronius Gracchus, in the year B. C. 122, it had been ordained that every year previous to the election of the consuls for the next year, the senate should determine those provinces which should be assigned to the consuls about to be elected, after the expiration of the year of their office. As two provinces were thus fixed upon, the consuls afterwards determined by lot which should have the one, and which the other. The object of this law was to prevent intrigues in the senate, which would be carried on by the ruling consuls if they had to choose their own provinces.
[165] Obvenit, ‘fell to the lot.’ Whenever Italy is called a province, it is implied that the consul undertaking its administration was to remain at Rome, and was to be ready for any other war which might break out. For in the first place, there were now no wars in Italy, and in the second place, Italy was not a province in the ordinary sense of the term. The consuls here mentioned entered upon their office on the 1st January, B. C. 111.
[28.]
[166] Venum eo, or contracted veneo, infinitive venire, ‘to go to be sold,’ or ‘to be sold;’ the passive of vendo (I sell) is not in use. Zumpt, § 187.
[167] Adventabant, with the accusative, see Zumpt, § 489.
[168] In diebus, &c.; for in, with words denoting time, see Zumpt, § 479. Deditum is a supine.
[169] Legare properly signifies ‘to despatch,’ and ‘to add to;’ whence the word legatus means both ‘an ambassador,’ and ‘a person added to an officer,’ who, when necessary, supplies his place. See [Catil. chap. 59]. It was the business of the senate to supply such legates to a magistrate (senatus legat aliquem alicui), but as this was commonly done on the proposal or recommendation of the magistrate himself, we also read legat sibi, ‘he chooses some one to be his legate.’
[170] Supra. See [chap. 15].
[171] Respecting the omission of in before Siciliam, see Zumpt, § 398, note 1.
[29.]
[172] Aeger avaritia, ‘sick with avarice;’ a very appropriate expression, describing moral defects as a disease.
[173] A principio; that is, in principio. See Zumpt, § 304. The faction of Scaurus is that of the nobility or aristocracy.
[174] Vaga, a considerable town in Numidia, to the south-east of Cirta.
[175] ‘A truce was observed on account of (or during) the delay of the surrender,’ which Jugurtha had promised, but which could not yet be carried into effect.
[176] Secreta refers to reliqua, so that the other negotiations were secret, whereas the proposal to surrender had been made in presence of the war council. It would have been more in accordance with ordinary usage to employ the adverb secreto belonging to the verb.
[177] The opinions of the persons invited to the war council were asked only en masse (per saturam). The Latin expression is taken from lanx satura, a dish offered as a sacrifice to the gods, and containing different kinds of fruit. Its figurative application to other mixtures is here indicated by quasi.
[178] Pro consilio; that is, in consilio. See Zumpt, § 311.
[179] To cause the magistrates for the year B.C. 110 to be elected. The president in the elective assembly rogat populum (requests the people) to appoint new officers; hence rogare, the usual term.
[30.]
[180] Parum constabat, ‘was not firmly determined upon;’ namely, iis, patribus — that is, they had not yet made up their minds.
[31.]
[181] Dehortantur a vobis — that is, ad causam vestram suscipiendam, ‘many things dissuade me to undertake your cause.’ According to the context, the expression might, or rather should be, multa me dehortantur, ni superaret; but the present represents the act of superare as an actual fact, and is at the same time more impressive.
[182] The number XV., which is found in all good manuscripts, points to the year B. C. 125, in which the aristocracy gained a decisive victory through the praetor L. Opimius, who destroyed the town of Fregellae, and thereby crushed the first attempt of the Italian allies (socii) to obtain the Roman franchise. It may be supposed that this attempt of the allies was even then supported by the Roman plebs, as was the case afterwards in the time of Marius.
[183] Ab ignavia is to be taken in the sense of ‘in consequence of,’ or ‘on account of your cowardice.’ See Zumpt, § 305.
[184] ‘When your political enemies (in consequence of the crime which they have committed) are deserving of punishment, and in your hands.’
[185] Animus subigit. ‘My feelings compel me to stand out against the faction (of the optimates), in spite of your lukewarmness.’
[186] Ob rem, ‘effectually,’ ‘with success.’
[187] ‘They must ruin themselves.’
[188] ‘I will grant that everything has been done with justice, which cannot be punished without again shedding the blood of citizens;’ that is, the cruelties then committed by the optimates in crushing Tib. and G. Gracchus may be considered as legitimate, since the perpetrators cannot be punished without fresh executions. Ulciscor, usually a deponent, is here used in a passive sense, just as the participle ultus is sometimes used in the sense of vindicatus. For the same reason, the passive form nequitur has been chosen; respecting which, see Zumpt, § 216.
[189] Parum habuere, ‘they considered it too little’ (this is the meaning of parum): it was not enough for them that they had committed such disgraceful acts.
[190] Incedere per ora hominum, ‘to walk in the eyes’ or ‘in the sight of men.’
[191] ‘The cruelties committed against the defenders of the plebs, serve them as a bulwark;’ that is, make them only the more audacious.
[192] About quam maxime — tam maxime, expressing a proportionate increase, see Zumpt, § 725.
[193] A complicated expression — ‘they have transferred their fear, which they ought to have on account of their crime, to your cowardice;’ that is, to you who are cowards, or whom they consider as cowards.
[194] In unum coëgit; that is, conjunxit, copulavit. The infinitives here are the subjects of the sentence: the same fear and the same greediness have united all your opponents into one league. Compare [Cat. 20]: idem velle atque idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est.
[195] Benejicia vestra; that is, honores, magistratus, imperia.
[196] The speaker refers to the two most important secessions of the Roman plebs — the one in which they obtained their tribunes in B.C. 510, and the other, which was undertaken in B.C. 449. to restore the consulate and the tribuneship after the overthrow of the tyrannical rule of the decemvirs. Both led to the establishment of a legitimate state of things (jus), and the latter, in particular, to the establishment of the decisive authority of the people against the magistrates and the patricians. This sovereignty of the Roman people was termed majestas. These secessions, according to the statements of the ancients, were made to the Mons Sacer, and not to the Aventine; but Sallust here follows other ancient authorities; and it is probable enough that the plebs may have occupied both hills.
[197] Respecting the form of this sentence, see Zumpt, § 781. The answer to this question is contained in the clause atque eo vehementius, to which we must supply nitendum vobis est. Atque introduces the answer with emphasis.
[198] Vindicare is construed with in and the accusative, as well as vindicare scelus in aliquo and vindicare aliquam rem. Vindicare in aliquem, ‘to use force against a person for the purpose of taking revenge.’ Vindicare sibi rem, ‘to claim a thing for one’s self,’ or ‘to appropriate a thing.’
[199] Quaestio, ‘a judicial inquiry into a crime,’ ‘a criminal trial.’
[200] Nisi forte supposes, with a strong irony, a case which cannot be conceived. See Zumpt, § 526.
[201] Quantum importunitatis habent, ‘according to the high degree of impudence and arrogance which they possess.’ Sallust might have said, quae eorum importunitas est, or pro eorum importunitate. See Zumpt, § 705.
[202] Rex, according to Roman notions, always contains the idea of an absolute ruler, and is therefore frequently used in the sense of ‘a tyrant.’ The idea of a constitutional or limited monarchy was not known in antiquity, except perhaps at Sparta.
[203] Perditum eatis; that is, perdatis. See Zumpt, § 669.
[204] Practically, it is quite correct, that in the administration of a state it is more necessary to punish criminals than to reward good services; for it is impossible that all good citizens should be rewarded with external distinctions; but if a criminal remains unpunished, he does harm by his example, and undermines the organism of the state.