sēditiō

Turbæ and tumultus denote the civil broils of public life; turbæ (τύρβη) interruptions of public order; tumultus (from tumere) of the public peace; whereas seditio and secessio are political commotions, in consequence of decided, evident differences of opinion, and of conflicting principles; seditio (from se and ire) when concord is first disturbed, and the parties as yet contend with words only; secessio, when the prospect of reconciliation is already given up, and the parties either stand opposite each other, ready to come to blows, or, at least, have broken off all connection with each other. 2. The seditiosi and secedentes are citizens and members of a free community, and only suspend public concord; whereas the deficientes and desciscentes break a compact, because, either as subjected states they rebel, or as allies fall off; deficere, as the most general expression, represents the falling off, in a moral point of view, as a treacherous, fickle, cowardly desertion; desciscere (from scindere) in a political point of view, as an alteration in the constitution and political system. (v. 363.)