The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

204 IX.iv.9–iv.28 Isidore of Seville
permitting (sinere), because they grant the means for
doing something. 9. A‘senate resolution’ (senatusconsultum)
issocalled from consulting(consulere) and
deliberating, because it is rendered in such a way that it
consults interests, and cannot cause harm. 10. Indeed,
senators are called fathers (pater), as Sallust says (War
with Catiline 6), from their similar responsibilities, for
just as fathers tend to their children, so the senators
would tend to the republic. 11. ‘Enrolledfathers’ (patres
conscripti) were so called because when Romulus chose
the ten curial districts of the senators he set down
their names on golden tablets in the presence of the
populace, and hence they were called enrolled fathers.
12. Thefirst ranks of senators are called the illustres (lit.
“illustrious”), the second, the spectabiles (“notable”),
and the third, the clarissimi (“distinguished”). There
is no fourth type lower than these. Although a person
might be of senatorial birth, he was called a Roman
equestrian (eques) untilthe lawful age, and then he
would receive the honor of the senatorial office.
13. There were ‘censors’ among the ancient Romans.
The term censor applies to a judicial office, because
censere means “judge.” Likewise, censors are the arbiters
of inherited estates, so called from the ‘counting of
money’ (census aeris). 14.Judges (iudex,gen.iudicis)are
so called as if it were ‘those speaking the law’ (ius dicens)
to the people, or because they ‘lawfully decide’ (iure disceptare).
To examine lawfully is to judge (iudicare)justly,
and a person isnotajudgeifjusticeisnotinhim.15.
Presidents (praeses)aregovernorsofprovinces, so called
because they preside (praeesse). 16.Theoffice ofpraetor
(praetor)isnamedasifitwere‘teacher’(praeceptor)and
‘chief person’ (princeps) ofthecity. Likewise quaestors
(quaestor), as if the word were quaesitor (“investigator”),
because they preside over examinations (quaestio)attrials,
for the deliberations and judicial process are in their
hands.
17. Theproceres are the leading men of a city, as if the
word were procedes (i.e. “those going before”), because
they ‘take precedence’ (praecedere) before all others in
esteem. Hence also the tips of the beams that protrude
beyond the walls are called proceres,because they ‘come
out’ (procedere) first.Therefore, a transfer of sense was
made in applying the term to the leading men, because
they jut out beyond the multitude of others. 18.Tribunes
(tribunus) aresocalled because they grant (tribuere)
either legal process or aid to the common people. That
office was established in the sixth year after the kings
(i.e. of Rome) were driven out, for when the common
people were oppressed by the senate and consuls they
created for themselves tribunes to act as their own judges
and defenders, to safeguard their liberty and defend
them against the injustice of the nobility. Hence they
(i.e. municipal magistrates) are also called defensores,
because they defend (defendere) the common people
entrusted to them against the arrogance of the wicked.
But now, onthecontrary,wehavenotdefendersbut
destroyers.
19. Those who convey the public funds (nummus) to
the treasuries (aerarium)aretherefore called numerarii.
20. Functionaries (functus) are so called because they
perform (fungi, ppl. functus) anofficeandsome official
charge. Hence we call those dead people who have
completed their life’s function ‘the defunct’ (defunctus)–
for now they do nothing. 21. Fellow-citizens (municeps,
particularly a “municipal officer”) are those born in the
same municipality, so called from their service in their
offices, because they take on (accipere) public offices – for
munia are public offices. Hence people who assume no
official duty are called ‘immune’ (immunis). 22.Municipal
officers (municipalis)arecitizens native to a place and
holding office there. 23. Decuriones are so called because
they are of the curial order, and hold office in the curia. 14
Hence a person who has not paid the sum or participated
in the curia is not a decurio. 24. Curiales are the same as
decurions, and they are called curiales because they ‘have
charge of’ (procurare)and carry out civic duties. 25. Principales,
magistrates, and duumvirs are orders of curial
offices. Principales are so called because they are first
(primus), above the magistrates. 26.Magistrates (magistratus),
because they are greater (maior, comparative of
magnus) than the other offices. Duumvirs. . .
27. Anotary (tabellio) issocalled because he is the
carrier of writing tablets (tabella). The same person is
called a copyist (exceptor), and a ‘public scribe’ (scriba
publicus), because he writes down (scribere) only those
things that are published (publicare) intherecords of
transactions. 28.Burghers (burgarius)aresocalled from
‘fortified villages’ (burgus), because in common speech
people call the many dwelling-places established along
14 Curia here refers to the senate of a municipality, and ‘paying
the sum’ refers to a payment decuriones would deposit on assuming
office.