Expert: Maria - 5/8/2007

Question
Yesterday I encountered "pro quolibet petere" in Ammianus' history, and I can't decide about the signification of "pro."  Ought I to read this as "in order to attack anybody whatsoever" or as "to attack 'in the name of'/ 'on behalf of' anybody at all"? Thank you so much for answering if you have time.
Sincerely
Bastian Rudin

Answer
Hello,

in Ammianus’ History [Res Gestae a Fine Corneli Taciti , i.e. A History from the End of Cornelius Tacitus], book XX, chapter V, paragraph 7, where we read “Id sub reverenda consilii vestri facie statuo, ut neque civilis quisquam iudex nec militiae rector, alio quodam praeter merita suffragante, ad potiorem veniat gradum, non sine detrimento pudoris eo, qui pro quolibet petere temptaverit discessuro”, the preposition PRO in “pro quolibet... discessuro” means “in behalf of”, “in defence of”.

In fact the phrase “non sine detrimento pudoris eo, qui pro quolibet petere temptaverit discessuro” can be translated literally :
“With great dishonour to the one who will try to implore in behalf of / in defence of whoever will have retreated”.

In this context in fact PETERE does not mean ‘to attack’, but ‘to implore’ and PRO plus the ablative means “in behalf of”, “in defence of”.

Anyway, see below for analysis.

Best,
Maria

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-NON SINE DETRIMENTO PUDORIS = With great dishonour

-EO (ablative masculine of the pronoun IS, though I think it would be EI in the dative) = to the one

-QUI= who

-PRO (preposition which takes the ablative) =  in behalf of / in defence of

-QUOLIBET(ablative of QUILIBET)  = whoever

-PETERE= to implore / to beg

-TEMPTAVERIT(Future perfect tense of TEMPTO)  = will try

-DISCESSURO (future participle  of DISCEDO, in the ablative,  agreed with QUOLIBET) =  will have retreated