The Letters of Cicero, Volume 1. Marcus Cicero
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу The Letters of Cicero, Volume 1 - Marcus Cicero страница 31
123
To be absent from the census without excuse rendered a man liable to penalties. Cicero will therefore put up notices in Atticus's various places of business or residence of his intention to appear in due course. To appear just at the end of the period was, it seems, in the case of a man of business, advisable, that he might be rated at the actual amount of his property, no more or less.
124
A special title given to the Ædui on their application for alliance. Cæsar,
125
The migration of the Helvetii did not actually begin till b.c. 58. Cæsar tells us in the first book of his
126
Consul b.c. 69, superseded in Crete by Pompey b.c. 65. Triumphed b.c. 62.
127
Prætor b.c. 63, defended by Cicero in an extant oration.
128
Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus, consul in b.c. 72. Cicero puns on the name Lentulus from
129
b.c. 133, the year before the agrarian law of Tiberius Gracchus. The law of Gracchus had not touched the public land in Campania (the old territory of Capua). The object of this clause (which appears repeatedly in those of b.c. 120 and 111, see Bruns,
130
That is, he proposed to hypothecate the
131
The consulship. The bribery at Afranius's election is asserted in Letter XXI.
132
The day of the execution of the Catilinarian conspirators.
133
Epicharmus, twice quoted by Polybius, xviii. 40; xxxi. 21. νᾶφε καὶ μέμνας' ἀπιστεῖν, ἄρθρα ταῦτα τῶν φρενῶν.
134
135
P. Servilius Vatia Isauricus, son of the conqueror of the Isaurians. As he had not yet been a prætor, he would be called on after the
136
The decree apparently prevented the recovery of debts from a
137
A son must be hard up for something to say for himself if he is always harping on his father's reputation; and so must I, if I have nothing but my consulship. That seems the only point in the quotation. I do not feel that there is any reference to praise of his father in Cicero's own poem. There are two versions of the proverb:
and
138
139
Reading
140
Σπάρτην ἔλαχες κείνην κοσμεῖ. "Sparta is your lot, do it credit," a line of Euripides which had become proverbial.
141
οἱ μὲν παρ' οὐδέν εἰσι, τοῖς δ' οὐδεν μέλει. Rhinton, a dramatist,
142
143
See p. 57.
144
The
145
Nep.
146
Atticus seems to have seen a copy belonging to some one else at Corfu. Cicero explains that he had kept back Atticus's copy for revision.
147
Cicero evidently intends Atticus to act as a publisher. His
148
The passage in brackets is believed by some, not on very good grounds, to be spurious. Otho is L. Roscius Otho, the author of the law as to the seats in the theatre of the equites. The "proscribed" are those proscribed by Sulla, their sons being forbidden to hold office, a disability which Cicero maintained for fear of civil disturbances. See
149
Pulchellus,
150
Where he had been as quæstor. Hera is said to be another name for Hybla. Some read
151
Clodius is shewing off his modesty. It was usual for persons returning from a province to send messengers in front, and to travel deliberately, that their friends might pay them the compliment of going out to meet them. Entering the city after nightfall was another method of avoiding a public reception. See Suet.
152
See p. 37, note 3.
153
Clodia, wife of the consul Metellus. See p. 22, note.
154
We don't know who this is; probably a
155
156
Though Cæsar has been mentioned before in regard to his candidature for the consulship, and in connexion with the Clodius case, this is the first reference to him as a statesman. He is on the eve of his return from Spain, and already is giving indication of his coalition with Pompey. His military success in Spain first clearly demonstrated his importance.
157
During the meeting of the senate at the time of the Catilinarian conspiracy (2
158
The consul Cæcilius Metellus was imprisoned by the tribune Flavius for resisting his land law (Dio, xxxvii. 50).
159
M. Favonius, an extreme Optimate.
160
P. Scipio Nasica Metellus Pius, the future father-in-law of Pompey, who got the prætorship, was indicted for