Book 17
2
For herein especially, says he, Id. 9. lies the injustice of the gods, that the worst men are the least subject to injury, and that they do not allow the best men to remain long (diurnare) with us. His use of diurnare for diu vivere is unusual, but it is justified by the figure by which we use perennare (to last for years). He says: Id. 6. He conversed (consermonabatur) with them. Semocinari seems somewhat rustic, but is more correct; sermocinari is more common, but is not such pure Latin.
2
That he would not do even that, says he, Id. 17. which he then advised. He has used ne id quoque for ne id quidem; the former is not common now in conversation, but is very frequent in the books of the earlier writers.
2
Such is the sanctity (sanctitudo) of the fane, says he, Id. 2. that no one ever ventured to violate it. Sanctitas and sanctimonia are equally good Latin, but the word sanctitudo somehow has greater dignity, just as Marcus Cato, in his speech Against Lucius Veturius, thought it more forcible to use duritudo than duritia, saying, xviii. 8, Jordan. Who knew his impudence and hardihood (duritudinem).
