9$ On the UTILITI* of defining 



fays, " Nemo tarn audax qui pofceref, nemo tam impudens qui 

 ' pojlularet*" The pointed opposition made here by the ora- 

 tor between the two verbs, mews clearly the meaning affixed 

 by him to each. Impudence, he tells us in the lad claufe, or 

 a contempt for the opinion of the world, who would judge as 

 to the propriety of the demand, is all that would be needful 

 for enabling the petitioner to prefent it in the form denoted by 

 pojlulare. With regard to pofcere, however, the cafe is different. 

 A fentiment of courage is fuppofed needful, when a petition, 

 implying the violation of fome private right, was to be prefent- 

 ed. A matter of favour would, with an unbecoming boldnefs, 

 have been held forth as a matter of right, fo that the perfon 

 requefled might reject the petition, as being an infult to him- 

 felf. 



The definition given by Varro of pofcere feems perfectly 

 juft, except only in as far as a compound is prepofteroufly 

 taken to ftate the power of the verb itfelf. " Pofcere" fays 

 he, " eft quoties aliquid pro merito noftro depofcimusf." Had 

 the critic taken the trouble previoufly to define " depofcere," 

 we mould have been at no lofs to underftand his account of 

 the fimple verb. His definition appears to be, in other refpects, 

 complete, as he fuppofes the petitioner poffeffed of the power 

 of meafuring the extent of what he flyles " meritum." 



The different ufes of the verb pofcere may be all reconciled 

 with the definition now given, when it is applied to the inter- 

 courfe that takes place between man and man. In its applica- 

 tion, however, to thofe petitions that were prefented by the an- 

 cients to their gods, its power becomes more myfterious. The 

 idea of right is not eafily reconciled with that of fupplication ; 

 fo that, according to the definition given of the verb, thofe 

 who were faid pofcere deos n jenia?n, might well be accufed of 

 profanenefs. 



to 



*■ Cic. in Ver. 4. 44. f Serv. JEn. 9. 193. 



