[12]
tolle
, a sort of protasis: §
521
, b (310, b) ; B. 305, 2; G. 598; H. 560, 3 (487, 3); H.-B. 497, 2 ; the apod. is
jam
. . .
praecluseris
(ll.6-9, below).
quod velit
(subj. of integral part),
any he pleases.
quod . . . ignoret
,
because one may not know him.
liberas civitates
: the allied states in the provinces, which were not strictly under the jurisdiction of the praetors.
praecluseris
, fut. perf.
adservasses
,
you might have kept.
custodiis
: abl. of means.
cognosceret
,
should he know: equiv. to a protasis with
si
; §
521
, b (330, b) ; B. 305, 2; G. 598; H. 573, N. (507, iii, i); H.-B. 504, l.
si ignoraret
: Cicero here ironically lays down, under the form of a calm and reasonable alternative, the principle that Verres might crucify any Roman citizen whom he did not personally know and who could not furnish a rich man to identify him.
hoc juris
: §
346
, a, 3 (216, a, 3); B. 201,2; G. 369; H. 442,1 (397, 3); H.-B. 346.
at . . . tolleretur
: clause of purpose.