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duo consules: Mamercus Lepidus and Decimus Brutus, B.C. 77. Instead of either of these being sent to Spain as proconsul the next year, against Sertorius Pompey, though a simple eques, was designated for that service.

pro consule: when it was desired to retain the services of a magistrate after his term of office had expired, his imperium was extended (prorogatum) by the Senate, and was held by him pro consule or pro praetore, that is, as having the power of a consul or praetor while no longer actually a magistrate. It was not strictly legal to appoint a private citizen in such a capacity; but sometimes,— as in Pompey's case, —this was done.

quidem, by the way.

non nemo, a man or two.

Philippus, a prominent member of the aristocracy (consul, B.C. 91), distinguished for his wit; a man of liberal temper, but a vehement partisan.

pro consulibus, in place of both consuls.

mittere: for mitto of the dir. disc. Philippus seems to have put his bon mot into the regular form of a sententia, or formal expression of opinion in the Senate, using the simple present tense, with the qualifying mea sententia; § 467(276,b); B. 259,2; G.227,N.2; H. 530(467, iii, 6); H.-B. 484.

ut . . . fieret: subst. clause of result after the analogy of the subj. with verbs of happening; § 571,c (332,f); G. 553,4; H. 571, I (501, i).

ex senatus consulto: another irregularity, for the comitia were the law-making body and therefore of course had the sole power of exempting from the laws.

legibus solutus, exempted from the operation of the laws, i.e. those limiting the age of magistrates (leges annales).

magistratum: the legal age of a consul was not below forty-three, and that of a praetor not below forty. Pompey, however, was elected consul (B.C. 70) at the age of thirty-six, which was the regular age for the quaestorship.

iterum: Pompey celebrated his second triumph Dec.31, B.C. 71, and the next day entered upon the consulship.

in, in the case of.


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  • Commentary references from this page (2):
    • A. A. Howard, Benj. L. D'Ooge, G. L. Kittredge, J. B. Greenough, Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar, 467
    • A. A. Howard, Benj. L. D'Ooge, G. L. Kittredge, J. B. Greenough, Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar, 571
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