cīvis, -is [3 m/f]: citizen
cīvis Rōmānus sum: I am a Roman citizen
It is interesting to compare these two, not from a Biblical
point of view, but from a legal one. Both of them invoke the rights afforded to
Roman citizens. Verres was condemned for corruption and abuse of his authority
in Sicily. Cicero, who was the prosecutor, launches numerous accusations
against him including this one. The reference to crucifixion of a Roman citizen
is utterly damning; note how Cicero repeats that.
[1] Cicero: in Verrem │ against Verres, the prosecution case
against Gaius Verres, governor of Sicily:
He was next sent as proconsul (governor) to Sicily
(73–71). Although corrupt governors were by no means rare, Verres was clearly
remarkable for the extent to which he extorted bribes, juggled with the
requisition of grain, looted works of art, and arbitrarily executed provincials
and Roman citizens. He returned to Rome in 70, and, in the same year, at the
Sicilians’ request, Cicero prosecuted him. (Britannica.com)
in mediō forō Messānae cīvis Rōmānus, iūdicēs, cum intereā
nūllus gemitus, nūlla vōx alia illīus miserī inter dolōrem crepitumque plāgārum
audiēbātur nisi haec, 'cīvis Rōmānus sum.’
In the middle of the forum of Messana* a Roman citizen, O
judges, was beaten with rods; while in the mean time no groan was heard, no
other voice was heard from that wretched man, amid all (his) pain, and between
the sound of the blows, except these words, “I am a citizen of Rome.”
… sed cum implōrāret saepius ūsūrpāretque nōmen cīvitātis, crux,— crux, inquam,— īnfēlīcī et aerumnōsō, quī numquam istam pestem vīderat, comparābātur.
… but as he begged more often and mentioned the name of his citizenship, a cross - a cross, I say - was being prepared for that unlucky and unfortunate man, who had never seen destruction such as that.
*Messana: now Messina, a city in the north-east of Sicily
[2] Paul the Apostle similarly invokes Roman law:
Vulgate: Acts 22 [the translation is not taken from any
specific English version; I’ve tried to keep it as close as possible to the
original to show how the Latin works]
v25: Et cum adstrīnxissent eum lōrīs, dīcit ¦ astantī sibi ¦
centuriōnī Paulus: “Sī hominem Rōmānum et indemnātum licet vōbīs flagellāre?” │
And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul says [said] to the centurion ¦
standing near him: ¦ “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman man, and uncondemned?”
v26: Quō audītō, centuriō accessit ad tribūnum, et nūntiāvit
eī, dīcēns: “Quid āctūrus es? Hīc enim homō cīvis Rōmānus est.” │ That having
been heard [= when he had heard that] the centurion approached the commander,
and announced (this) to him, saying: “What are you going to do? For this man is
a Roman citizen.”
v27: Accēdēns autem tribūnus dīxit illī: “Dīc mihi tū
Rōmānus es?” At ille dīxit “etiam”. │ But the commander, approaching, said to
him: “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said “Yes”.
v28: Et respondit tribūnus: “Ego multā summā cīvitātem hanc
cōnsecūtus sum.” Et Paulus ait: “Ego autem et nātus sum.” │ And the commander
answered: “With a great sum [of money] I obtained this citizenship”. And Paul
said “But I was born [a citizen].”
v29: Prōtinus ergō discessērunt ab illō ¦ quī eum tortūrī
erant; ¦ tribūnus quoque timuit ¦ postquam rescīvit ¦ quia cīvis Rōmānus esset ¦
et quia alligāsset eum. │ Immediately, therefore, they withdrew from him, ¦
(those) who were about to interrogate him [tortūrī < torqueō: twist]. ¦ The
commander was also afraid ¦ after he found out ¦ because he was a Roman citizen
¦ and because he had bound him.
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