5. tabellas, tablets of wood: wax was spread on the inside, and on this the writing was scratched with a stilus. When used for letters, the tablets were tied about with a linen thread, linum, and sealed. See Fig. 35 (from a Pompeian wall-painting) and Fig. 44. ipsias mana: the ambassadors had made sure to get all the conspirators committed in writing except Cassius, who alone had the sagacity to keep out of it. senatai: the Gallic tribes were governed by an aristocracy, having a council or senate as its mouthpiece. etc.: in direct disc., faciam quae vestris legatis confirmavi. at... illi, etc.: in the direct form, - vos facite quae sibi vestri legati receperunt Note the change of pronouns as well as of moods and tenses. sibi recepissent, had taken upon themselves. qui . . . respondisset: qui concessive. tamen, i.e. in spite of the strong evidence against him. est vero, etc., i.e. you may well recognize it: it is, etc. avi tui: Cornelius Lentulus, cos. B.C. 162. He was princeps senatus, that is, designated by the censors as first man of the Senate: an honorary office, held ordinarily by patricians. debuit, ought to have recalled: § 486, a (288, a); B. 270, 2; G. 254, R.1; H. 618, 2 (537, I) H.-B. 582, 31 a, and footnote. (The joining of such opposites as mata and revocare is called oxymoron, or paradox.)
eadem ratione, to the same purport si vellet: § 592, 2 (341, c); Cf. B. 323; G. 663, 2, b; H.-B. 536, a (direct, si vis). feci potestatem, I gave him leave. nihilne: equiv. to nonne aliquid. esset, is: imperf. by seq. of tenses; § 485, d (287, d); H. 549 (495, v); H.-B. 482, I.
qais sim, etc.: this letter is given with slight variations by Sallust, Cat. 44. qaem in locam, etc., how far you have gone (alluding to the fact that he was thoroughly compromised). infimoram, i.e. slaves; see note, p. 130, l. 3, above.
illa, the following: § 297, b (102, b); B. 246, 2; G. 307, 3; H. 507(450, 3). furtim, stealthily ("like thieves"); so English stealth from steal.
