In Fasti book 1, line 22 Ovid praises Germanicus’ oratory when defending citizens on trial.
civica pro trepidis cum tulit arma reis
Frazer translates this as: When it [your oratory] took civic arms in defence of trembling citizens at the bar"
While the Wisemans have: when it has taken up arms in defence of trembling citizens on trial.
I’m a little perplexed by this. pro - on behalf of takes the ablative and so, presumably would any adjectives agreeing with the object. In this case we have pro trepidis reis, OLD has a meaning for Res (2b) as a disparaging term for citizens or the common people.
Civica, on the other hand, is an adjective meaning, as per the OLD, Legal (3), and, in fact, the OLD provides the example of this exact line from Ovid. But it clearly agrees with arma. So I would suggest an alternative translation.
When it took up legal arms on behalf of trembling wretches.
with ‘wretches’ as a translation of the ablative reis.
My main motive here is to be sure I understand the Latin. I’d be grateful for any opinion.