Pro S. Roscio Amerino

NOTES.
ri «.C.
N.B.—Important ^ropfir names of which no mention is made in the Notes will be
found either in the Index or in the Introduction.
An obelus (t) prefixed to a word denotes that the text is doubtful.
The references are to chapters and lines, e.g. 13, 2 means Ch. 13, line 2.
I., §§ 1-4. Argument.—/ come forioard to undertake the cause of
Sex. Roscius, though so many eminent men are afraid to do so, because
I am so young and inexperienced that ivhat I say will not be made
public to the same extent as the words of more illustrious advocates
and also because I owe a debt of gratitude to those who have so
eamestly asked me to appearfor him.
i Ch. I.—1. iudices : the jury, composed of senators, in the qnaestio
^de sicariis et veneficis established by Sulla in 81 b.c. See Introduction,
§ 7. sit : subjunctive in indirect question. quod : adverbial
accusative. Quid sit quod is equivalent to quid sit ut ob id, with a
consecutive subjunctive (surrexerim) qtiid sit quod = " what is the
;
reason that."
3. ingenio : "ability as a speaker."
4. siin : subjunctive in concessive relative clause " : though I am
not," etc. sedeant : subjunctive by assimilation to sim. The defendant
was accompanied into court by his friends and relatives,
and also by influential nien who acted as his advisers (advocati) and
supported him by their presence.
5. iniuriam . . . defendi : lit. "that a wrong be repelled," i.e.
" that defence be niade against a wrong." novo scelere : " by unprecedented
wickedness."
6. conflatam : " kindled," hence "occasioned."
7. propter iniquitatem temporum : see Introd. , § 2.
8. adsint: consecutive subjunctive. propterea, quod : "forthis
reason that . . ." ; seqimntur is indicative because it states the
reason as afact.
9. quid ergo ? : this expression introduces a question which the
speaker an.swers himself, and one which he rejects as having no
foundaiiun in fact.
10. tanto : ablative of degree of dififerenoe, lit. "by so much."
;