M. Tullius Cicero, Pro S. Roscio Amerino, ed. Albert Curtis Clark, 136

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[136] 47 sciunt ei qui me norunt me pro mea¹ tenui infirmaque parte, postea quam id quod maxime volui fieri non potuit, ut componeretur, id maxime defendisse ut ei vincerent qui vicerunt. quis enim erat qui non videret humilitatem cum dignitate de² amplitudine contendere? quo in certamine perditi civis erat non se ad eos iungere quibus incolumibus et domi dignitas et foris auctoritas retineretur. quae perfecta esse et suum cuique honorem et gradum redditum gaudeo, iudices, vehementerque laetor eaque omnia deorum voluntate, studio populi Romani, consilio et imperio et felicitate L. L ucii Sullae gesta esse intellego.

Pro S. Roscio Amerino. M. Tullius Cicero. ed. Albert Curtis Clark. Oxford. 1908.

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Funding provided by National Endowment For The Humanities (NEH).

Current edition Perseus

Pro Sex. Roscio Amerino (Latin) (Cicero. M. Tulli Ciceronis Orationes, Volume 1. Clark, Albert Curtis, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1908.)

Translations (1)

For Sextus Roscius of Ameria Perseus (Cicero. The Orations of Marcus Tullius Cicero, Volume 1. Yonge, Charles Duke, translator. London: Bell, 1903.) — 136 focus

[136] They who know me, know that I, to the extent of my small and insignificant power, (when that which I was most eager for could not be brought about, I mean an accommodation between the parties) laboured to ensure the victory of that party which got it. For who was there who did not see that meanness was disputing with dignity for the highest honours? a contest in which it was the part of an abandoned citizen not to unite himself to those, by whose safety dignity at home and authority abroad would be preserved. And that all this was done, and that his proper honour and rank was restored to every one, I rejoice, O judges, and am exceedingly delighted; and I know that it was all done by the kindness of the gods, by the zeal of the Roman people, by the wisdom and government, and good fortune ¹ of Lucius Sulla.

Notes on the current edition

Pro S. Roscio Amerino

1. mea Madvig: illa codd.

2. dignitate de del. Madvig

Commentary

Notes on Pro S. Roscio Amerino (Select Orations of Cicero (Allen and Greenough's Edition). Greenough, James Bradstreet; Kittredge, George Lyman, editors. Boston, London: Ginn & Company, 1897.) focus

mea , emphatic. Cicero wishes to avoid prejudice to his client by himself assuming sole responsibility for these words. At the same time this section serves as a skillful means of transition.

morum , the ways of men .

vos , i.e. Chrysogonus and his abettors in the accusation;

vos is expressed, not as being specially emphatic, but from the Latin fondness for contrasting persons with each other.

more , in the regular way .

jure gentium : the "law common to all nations," as opposed to jus civile, or law of the state ; thus it is used as nearly equivalent to natural right.

a vobis , i.e. once clear of guilt, and acquitted of this shocking crime, he will leave you unmolested.

rogat : a feigned appeal to his persecutors, intended to move the compassion of the jury for Roscius and their indignation against Chrysogonus.

in suam rem : in a former passage (omitted in this edition) allusion is made to a charge that Roscius had fraudulently kept back part of his father's property.

concessit , etc., has given up (the immovable property), counted and weighed (the rest).

anulum , probably the gold ring indicating his rank as eques.

se ipsum , etc., and has reserved nothing else besides his naked self

M. Tullius Cicero Pro S. Roscio Amerino 136

ed. Albert Curtis Clark

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