Catilinarian Oration 1

[HUmberto]

There is a sentence whose syntax I do not understand, because many books translate "nihil hic munitissimus locus habendi senatus" as "nor this place where the Senate has meetings". I already know that locus habendi is in genitive singular, but what does Cicero want to express by using that gerundive instead of a relative adverb?

This is the whole text: The First Catilinarian Oration

quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet? quem ad finem sese effrenata iactabit audacia? nihilne te nocturnum praesidium Palati, nihil urbisvigiliae, nihil timor populi, nihil concursus bonorum omnium, nihil hic munitissimus habendi senatuslocus, nihil horum ora voltusque moverunt?

 

[Pacifica]

Locus habendi senatus = a place of/for holding the senate

Hic munitissimus ubi/quo senatus habetur (or haberetur to express purpose, which seems somewhat implied in the original) locus isn't an impossible phrasing, but Cicero's way is more concise.

 

[HUmberto]

Locus habendi senatus = a place of/for holding the senate

Hic munitissimus ubi/quo senatus habetur (or haberetur to express purpose, which seems somewhat implied in the original) locus isn't an impossible phrasing, but Cicero's way is more concise.

All right, I had not thought of that. Thank you very much, I understand, at the moment, much better what Cicero wanted to say!