frequens conspectus vester
,
the sight of you in full assembly.
hic locus
, the
Rostra. The scanty remains of the
rostra may be seen at the left of the Temple of Concord.
ad agendum
,
for public business, i.e. among the many duties of a magistrate there is none more dignified (
amplissimus) than this of addressing the whole people in a political assembly;
agere cum populo was the technical expression for transacting business in the
comitia or a
contio.
ornatissimus
,
honorable (of private glory as an orator).
Quirites
,
fellow-citizens: the name by which the Romans were addressed when acting in a civil capacity.
hoc aditu
,
this avenue (i.e. addressing the people on political questions).
optimo cuique
, i.e. to such as the presiding magistrate would permit, for only these had a right to speak in a
contio .
rationes
,
plan: the plural indicates the details of the plan, i.e. the particular considerations that determine a general course of conduct.
cum
(temporal),
while: §
546
(323, 2); B. 288, I, b; G. 585; H. 600, ii, I (521, 2); H.-B. 524.
auctoritatem
: the act of speaking in a
contio indicated that the speaker was a proper person to advise the people, and hence it would confer
auctoritas (
weight,
prestige).
attingere
,
aspire to.
perfectum ingenio
,
perfected by force of intellect, i.e. the fruit of fully developed mental power.
elaboratum
,
carefully wrought (such, therefore, as needed more practice than youth could give).
amicorum temporibus
,
exigencies of my friends. A Roman lawyer was not regarded as doing a service for hire, but was expected to defend his friends gratuitously. He was, indeed, prohibited from receiving pay; but, though no bargain was made, the obliged party was expected to give a liberal present, in some form or other, to his
patronus.
atque
(the strongest of the
and's),
and further.
illud
(nom.)
laetandum
: the construction
illud laetor changed to the passive; §
390
, c (238, b); cf. B. 176, 2; G. 333, I, N.1; H. 405 (371, iii); H.-B. 397, 2.
mihi
, following
insolita.
ratione
,
manner.
oratio
,
language.
orationis
(1.24),
argument (abstract from
oro, in its original sense of
to speak).
virtute
,
good qualities generally.
