[sect. 2]
existimatio: in this one paragraph there are five substantives in -tio. Cf. Intr. 75.
ut nunc est: a colloquial expression. Cf. Fam. 8.4.2 and Hor. Sat. 1.9.5.
nulla magnopere exspectatio, there is nothing in particular expected. Magnopere with an adj. (here nulla) is rare in classical usage. Cf. magnopere nemo, Ep. XI. 4.
de comitiis Transpadanorum: it was said that Caesar had ordered the Transpadanes to elect quattuorviri (Att. 5.2.3). By such action their towns would become municipia. The rumor anticipated Caesar's action by a year and a half. Cf. Marq. Rm. Staatsverwaltung, 1.62,n.3
Cumarum tenus: Caelius found the rumor comnion until he passed Cumae on his return, but on reaching Rome the report was heard nowhere.
caluerunt : on the metaphor, cf. Intr. 99.
de successione [gap in text] Galliarum: M. Marcellus, the consul, proposed to bring in a bill appointing a successor to Caesar.
sane quam : this expression occurs five times in the 17 letters of Caelius, and but four times in the other 853 letters of Cicero's correspondence. Brix, in his note upon nimis quam cupio (Plaut. Capt. 102), says : 'nimis quam cupio, the fusion of two expressions, nimis cupio and quam cupio.' In a similar way sane quam, valde quam and perquam are to be explained.
eos sermones expressit, he has revived that gossip; reference is made to the dilatory course of Marcellus. If we read eos sermones repressit, he has put an end to the stories, as some prefer, the reference is to the proposal to displace Caesar; but Cf. nuntii varios sermones excitarunt, Fam. 8.10.2.
