AMBĬTUS, which literally signifies “a going about,” cannot, perhaps, be more nearly expressed than by our word _canvassing_. After the plebs had formed a distinct class at Rome, and when the whole body of the citizens had become very greatly increased, we frequently read, in the Roman writers, of the great efforts which it was necessary for candidates to make in order to secure the votes of the citizens. At Rome, as in every community into which the element of popular election enters, solicitation of votes, and open or secret influence and bribery, were among the means by which a candidate secured his election to the offices of state. The following are the principal terms occurring in the Roman writers in relation to the canvassing for the public offices:--A candidate was called _petitor_; and his opponent with reference to him _competitor_. A candidate (_candidatus_) was so called from his appearing in the public places, such as the fora and Campus Martius, before his fellow-citizens, in a whitened toga. On such occasions the candidate was attended by his friends (_deductores_), or followed by the poorer citizens (_sectatores_), who could in no other manner show their good will or give their assistance. The word _assiduitas_ expressed both the continual presence of the candidate at Rome and his continual solicitations. The candidate, in going his rounds or taking his walk, was accompanied by a _nomenclator_, who gave him the names of such persons as he might meet; the candidate was thus enabled to address them by their name, an indirect compliment, which could not fail to be generally gratifying to the electors. The candidate accompanied his address with a shake of the hand (_prensatio_). The term _benignitas_ comprehended generally any kind of treating, as shows, feasts, &c. The _ambitus_, which was the object of several penal enactments, taken as a generic term, comprehended the two species--_ambitus_ and _largitiones_ (bribery). _Liberalitas_ and _benignitas_ are opposed by Cicero, as things allowable, to _ambitus_ and _largitio_, as things illegal. Money was paid for votes; and, in order to insure secrecy and secure the elector, persons called _interpretes_ were employed to make the bargain, _sequestres_ to hold the money till it was to be paid, and _divisores_ to distribute it. The offence of ambitus was a matter which belonged to the judicia publica, and the enactments against it were numerous. One of the earliest, though not the earliest of all, the Lex Cornelia Baebia (B.C. 181) was specially directed against _largitiones_. Those convicted under it were incapacitated from being candidates for ten years. The Lex Cornelia Fulvia (B.C. 159) punished the offence with exile. The Lex Acilia Calpurnia (B.C. 67) imposed a fine on the offending party, with exclusion from the senate and all public offices. The Lex Tullia (B.C. 63), passed in the consulship of Cicero, in addition to the penalty of the Acilian law, inflicted