The Independent - London, February 25th, 1996
Republic
THOSE who campaign for Britain's becoming a republic would not be understood by a citizen of ancient Rome, though he would easily recognise the word. "Nonne," one can hear him say in his best Latin, "haven't you got one already?"
The Latin res, often translated "thing", had a lot of meanings. One of them was "situation"; another "affairs", another "the State", which is what res publica meant, the publica being added to distinguish this sort of res from other sorts. The Romans were pretty certain they lived in a republic, despite being ruled by a hereditary emperor - just as the Fren...
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