[193] A complicated expression--'they have transferred their fear, which they ought to have on account of their crime, to your cowardice;' that is, to you who are cowards, or whom they consider as cowards. [194] _In unum coegit_; that is, _conjunxit, copulavit_. The infinitives here are the subjects of the sentence: the same fear and the same greediness have united all your opponents into one league. Compare _Cat._ 20: _idem velle atque idem nolle, ea demum firma amicitia est_. [195] _Benejicia vestra_; that is, _honores, magistratus, imperia_. [196] The speaker refers to the two most important secessions of the Roman plebs--the one in which they obtained their tribunes in B.C. 510, and the other, which was undertaken in B.C. 449. to restore the consulate and the tribuneship after the overthrow of the tyrannical rule of the decemvirs. Both led to the establishment of a legitimate state of things (_jus_), and the latter, in particular, to the establishment of the decisive authority of the people against the magistrates and the patricians. This sovereignty of the Roman people was termed _majestas_. These secessions, according to the statements of the ancients, were made to the Mons Sacer, and not to the Aventine; but Sallust here follows other ancient authorities; and it is probable enough that the plebs may have occupied both hills. [197] Respecting the form of this sentence, see Zumpt, S 781. The answer to this question is contained in the clause _atque eo vehementius_, to which we must supply _nitendum vobis est_. _Atque_ introduces the answer with emphasis. [198] _Vindicare_ is construed with _in_ and the accusative, as well as _vindicare scelus in aliquo_ and _vindicare aliquam rem_. _Vindicare in aliquem_, 'to use force against a person for the purpose of taking revenge.' _Vindicare sibi rem_, 'to claim a thing for one's self,' or 'to appropriate a thing.' [199] _Quaestio_, 'a judicial inquiry into a crime,' 'a criminal trial.' [200] _Nisi forte_ supposes, with a strong irony, a case which cannot be conceived. See Zumpt, S 526. [201] _Quantum importunitatis habent_, 'according to the high degree of impudence and arrogance which they possess.' Sallust might have said, _quae eorum importunitas est_, or _pro eorum importunitate_. See Zumpt, S 705. [202] _Rex_, according to Roman notions, always contains the idea of an absolute ruler, and is therefore frequently used in the sense of 'a tyrant.' The idea of a constitutional or limited monarchy was not known in antiquity, except perhaps at Sparta. [203] _Perditum eatis_; that is, _perdatis_. See Zumpt, S 669. [204] Practically, it is quite correct, that in the administration of a state it is more necessary to punish criminals than to reward good services; for it is impossible that all good citizens should be