Note 12 — URBIS RŌMAE VIRĪ INLŪSTRĒS Complete text as printed
Reading edition
26.12 Tarquinius Superbus had applied to Porsena, king of the Etruscan city of Clusium, for aid in the recovery of his throne. Porsena gathered a large army and marched against Rome. For this story, see Macaulay’s Lays of Ancient Rome, Horatius. Modern authorities on Roman history maintain that Porsena was so successful in his operations that he compelled the Romans to submit to a very humiliating treaty.
26.13 We would say, ‘truly Roman.’
26.14 veniam trānsfugiendī: ‘permission to go over (to the enemy).’
27.1 Acceptā (accipiō) . . . vēnisset = Cum potestātem accēpisset et . . . vēnisset.
27.2 Cf. p. 5, n. 19.
27.3 parī . . . ōrnātū: abl. abs. to denote an attendant circumstance: H 489, 1 (431, 1): M 640: A 255, d, 5: G 409, N.: B 227.
27.4 pertrahō.
27.5 accendō.
27.6 quod . . . peccāsset expresses Scaevola’s thought: see H 588, II (516, II): M 851: A 321: G 541: B 286, 1, and cf. p. 14, n. 1, and p. xxi, H 4.
27.7 eum refers to the king, suī to Scaevola. Scaevola’s speech was: Trecentī adversus tē meī similēs coniūrāvērunt.
27.8 terreō.
27.9 dēpōnō.
27.10 Sc. sunt.
27.11 dat. of advantage with cōnstitūta est.