quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

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phil
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quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by phil »

In the story of Sulla, he has come back to Rome and started to slaughter his enemies.

Quattuor mīlia dēditōrum inermium cīvium in Circō interficī iussit. Quis autem illōs potest computāre, quōs in urbe passim, quisquis voluit occīdit, dōnec admonēret Fūfidius quīdam, vīvere aliquōs dēbēre, ut essent, quibus imperāret? Novō et inaudītō exemplō tabulam prōscrīptiōnis prōposuit, quā nōmina eōrum, quī occīdendī essent, continēbantur; [...] Nec sōlum in eōs saevīvit, quī armīs contrā sē dīmicāvissent, sed etiam quiēti animī cīvēs propter pecūniae magnitūdinem prōscrīptōrum numerō adiēcit.

He ordered 4,000 unarmed citizens, who had surrendered, to be killed in the Circus Maximus. But who is able to count those, whom he killed here and there in the city whoever wished, until a certain Fufidius suggested that he should leave some alive to rule? He published by a new and unheard of example a list of proscription, in which were contained the names of those who were to be killed.; [...] He ranted not only against those who had raised arms against him, but even dum-de-dum citizens, because of their large wealth, he added to the number of outlaws.

I cannot see what quisquis is doing there in the nominative. Is it not that Sulla killed whomever he wished? Why is it not 'quemquis voluit'?

I'm not sure why 'Novō et inaudītō exemplō' is all in the ablative. Is it, as I wrote, ablative of means?

Finally, utter confusion! 'but even to the calm of the soul/feelings/pride citizens...I don't have a clue what's happening here.

Can someone please help! Cheers, Phil.

adrianus
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Re: quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by adrianus »

You can read, I think // Possible est ita legi, ut credo:
quisquis volvit // whoever went about [anyone going about in the street]
Novō et inaudītō exemplō // in a new, unheard-of precedent
quiēti animī // calmly he added, as calmly as you like he added, without any fuss he added
I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

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thesaurus
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Re: quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by thesaurus »

adrianus wrote: quiēti animī // calmly he added, as calmly as you like he added, without any fuss he added
Is it not just "cives quieti animi," "those citizens [who were] of a quiet mind" [i.e., not rebellious]? As in, he didn't proscribe only those who had crossed him, but also regular citizens who were worth a lot of money (as their property was up for grabs after being proscribed)?
Horae quidem cedunt et dies et menses et anni, nec praeteritum tempus umquam revertitur nec quid sequatur sciri potest. Quod cuique temporis ad vivendum datur, eo debet esse contentus. --Cicero, De Senectute

adrianus
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Re: quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by adrianus »

I ignored the first part of the sentence and you're right, thesaure.
Primam sententiae partem ignoravi. Rectè dicis, thesaure.
I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

Alatius
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Re: quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by Alatius »

phil wrote:Quis autem illōs potest computāre, quōs in urbe passim, quisquis voluit occīdit...
"But who is able to count those, whom whoever wished killed here and there in the city..."
"But who is able to count those, who were killed by whomever who wished (to kill)..."

Kynetus Valesius
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Re: quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by Kynetus Valesius »

Thanks for these texts about Sulla. But where do they come from please?

adrianus
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Re: quisquis voluit and quiēti animī

Post by adrianus »

Kynetus Valesius wrote:Thanks for these texts about Sulla. But where do they come from please?
Charles François L'Homond, Selections from Viri Romae
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/33311/33311-0.txt
I'm writing in Latin hoping for correction, and not because I'm confident in how I express myself. Latinè scribo ut ab omnibus corrigar, non quod confidenter me exprimam.

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