Pro S. Roscio Amerino

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" "
80 CICERO : PRO ROSCIO. [cH. VIIl.
10. imprudente : = insciente.
12. quae praeterita simt : seenoteon 5, 29. frecreet : there is a
word niissing in all MSS. between suiU and et. Most editors fiU up
the blank by sanet, " is healing" (the wounds of the State), or
recreet, " is repairing" (the injuries done in the past).
13. pacis constituendae : the reference is to the reform of the
constitution by Sulla as Dictator (81-79 B.C.) ; see Introd., § 2.
16. distentus : "distracted."
17. animadvertat : subjunctive in reported condition, depending
on mirum. occupationem " : a time when he is busy."
18. tempus : " an opportunity."
20. felix : "fortunate"; Sulla assumed the name "Felix"after
the death of theyoungerMarius(82 b.c).
of description.
tanta felicitate : ablative
21. familia : " household of slaves.
22. libertum : a freedman was called libertus with regard to his
master, and lihertinus witli regard to his status.
26. iusta solvisset : "had paid the last rites." The eorpse lay
for seven days in state on a lectus funebris ; the burial (ftmus,
exsequiae) took place on the eighth day ; on the ninth day the
ceremonies ended with a sacriiice to the dead and a funeral feast
(novendicdia). nudum : a hyperbolical expression for omnihus bonis
spoliatum. domo . . . focis patriis . . . dis penatibus : ablatives of
separation with eicit (a verb compounded witli ex). No preposition
is used with dis, because, by metonymj'', the person is used for the
place.
28. in sua re : ac. /amiliari, " in the case of his own property."
fuisset : potential, '
' would have been.
29. ut fit : "as generally happens."
31. constituta auctione : Chrysogonus got Magnus to sell by
private auction the goods which he did not wish to keep.
IX., §§24-26. A.RGUMENT. These proceedings caused great grief
at Ameria, and an emhassy of ten leading citizens ivas sent to Svlla to
complain about them. But Chrysogonus took care that the envoys
never saw Sulla, andput them offwith delusive promises.
"not even," with the emphasised
Ch. IX.—5. ne . . . quidem : =
word between weand^inc/em. iter ad sepulcrum : the Romans built
tombs on their own estates for themselves and their familj'. When
an estate was sold a special clause was inserted in tlie deed of transfer
(lex praedii vendendi) providing that the vendor should have free
access to liis family tomb (sepulcrum patrium). Such an encroachment
as this on the right of propertj^ was called servitus. The
young Roscius was, as the son of one of the proscribed, debarred
from this privilege.
6. reliquisset : subjunctive of reported description after ante
octdos versahantur.
7. possessio : "oecupation."