stnontmous "Terms. roi 



In the oration of Cicero for Plancius, he calls upon La- 

 terensis to fpecify his charge, and to mention any one tribe 

 that his friend had corrupted in his competition for the iEdile- 

 fhip. " Etiam atque etiam infto atque urgeo, infeclor, pofco 

 " atque adeo flag ito crimen *." There is evidently a climax in, 

 the five verbs that compofe this fentence, and the gradation is 

 very happily fupported. By means of pofcere, the orator makes 

 a requifition in behalf of his client, of the juftice of which he 

 had a right to judge, and by the public manner in which this 

 requifition was made, he virtually threatens him with the pe- 

 nalties of law, if it was not complied with ; which laft concep- 

 tion is involved in the verb flagitare. 



Ausonius Popma defines this verb very properly, " Vehe- 

 " menter et plerumque cum ltrepitu et convicio pofcere f." 



The gentlefl power of flagitare , which is that in which the 

 petitioner propofes to effect his purpofe only by teazing, ap- 

 pears in fuch examples as the two following : " Implorare et 

 iV flagitare auxilium Confulis J. 1 ' 



nee potentem amicum, 



Largiora flagito, 



Satis contentus unicis Sabinis §. 



There are other inftances again, in which flagitare implies, 

 that the petitioner threatens the perfon requefted, and excites 

 fear, in order to effect his purpofe. ' 



Ejicite ex animo curam atque alienum xs, 

 Ne quis formidet flagitatorem fuum ||. 



Petreius 



* Cic. pro Plan. 48. § Hon. Car. 2. 18. 12. 



I De diff. Verb. lib. 2. (| Plaut. Prol. Caf. 23.. 



%, Cic. pro Rab. 9. 



