Praecipue ita patrum numero imminuto, statuit nullos in patres legere, ut paucitate ipsa senatus contemptior esset.
Accordingly the number of senators having been diminished in this way, he decreed that no one would be made a senator, so that by this diminution the senate would be made contemptible.
I’m taking it that legere here (sent) means to be sent as a representative in the senate..
Hi pmda,
I think it is simply legere “to choose” here: statuit nullos in patres legere, “he decided to choose no one for the senate”.
“so that by this diminution the senate would be made contemptible.”:
“so that by [its] very (ipsa) scarcity the senate would be made more contemptible”
Also I think praecipue is not “accordingly” but rather something like “mainly”.
Many thanks.
You are welcome!