United States or Kuwait ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Paul, style them "Quirites," when they heard him give his florid descriptions of the greatness of the ancient republic, and launch his thunders of denunciation at the disgrace of priestly rule, set no bounds to their enthusiasm, but forthwith invested the orator with dictatorial powers. No sooner was this done, than the indefatigable demagogue began his political reforms.
Although the name "Hill of Quirinus" was afterwards ordinarily used to designate the height where the Hill-Romans had their abode, we need not at all on that account regard the name "Quirites" as having been originally reserved for the burgesses on the Quirinal.
Verily then, on the day I was created consul, it was a disastrous act of the state, much more so even than the day when Publius Valerius the consul fell, if you shall pass it. Now, first of all," said he, "Quirites, it is the intention of myself and of my colleague to march the legions against the Volscians and the Aequans.
It was customary for the fetialis to carry in his hand a spear pointed with steel, or burned at the end and dipped in blood, to the confines of the enemy's country, and in presence of at least three grown-up persons, to say, "Forasmuch as the states of the ancient Latins, and the ancient Latin people, have offended against the Roman people of the Quirites, forasmuch as the Roman people of the Quirites have ordered that there should be war with the ancient Latins, and the senate of the Roman people, the Quirites, have given their opinion, agreed, and voted that war should be waged with the ancient Latins, on this account I and the Roman people declare and wage war on the states of the ancient Latins, and on the ancient Latin people."
The distinction between Quirites and soldiers became more and more deeply rooted in the minds of the burgesses. Government of the Patriciate Time however was required for the development of these consequences of the new republicanism; vividly as posterity felt its effects, the revolution probably appeared to the contemporary world at first in a different light.
Surely he could not have written them and sent them home! Even the subservience of the age would not have endured words so boastful, nor would the glory of Cæsar have so tarnished itself. He hurried back to Italy, and quelled the mutiny of his men by a masterpiece of stage-acting. Simply by addressing them as "Quirites," instead of "Milites," he appalled them into obedience.
Here, as always, Cicero was himself the centre round which all else revolved or ought to revolve. Ib. To Atticus, ii. 22. "Jam familiariter cum illo etiam cavillor ac jocor." To Atticus, ii. 1. Oratio in L. Pisonem. He seems to have even thought of suicide. To Atticus, iii. 9. Abridged from the Oratio pro P. Sextio. Oratio post reditum ad Quirites.
Once the magistrate's lips moved, but no words came from them, and strange noises, as of the clenching of teeth and sharp, quick breathing, rose all about. Then a voice came from his mouth, the very calmness of which seemed terrible: "Quirites, we have been beaten in a great battle. Our army is destroyed, and Caius Flaminius, the consul, is killed."
"Hoc quodcunque vides hospes quam maxima Roma est, Ante Phrygem Enean collis et herba fuit." Roma domus fiet: Veios migrate, Quirites; Si non et Veios occupat ista domus. Mounts Citorio and Testacio. The Janicula, Mount Vaticano and Mount Mario. After the excursion to the Capitol and the Forum, Corinne and Nelville spent two days in visiting the Seven Hills.
One day the whole arena was strewn with gold dust, so that the dust clouds whirled aloft by the hoofs of the trampling horses glittered in the sunlight; and the quirites, whose garments were covered with it, went home actually gilded. The next day the circus, as if by magic, was transformed into a primeval forest.
Word Of The Day