Or it arose in the way of the appropriate organs--especially the comitia, and in later times also perhaps the senate--nominating a chief magistrate not contemplated in the constitution, who was otherwise on a parity with the ordinary magistrate, but in token of the extraordinary nature of his office designated himself merely "instead of a praetor" or "of a consul." To this class belong also the magistrates nominated in the ordinary way as quaestors, and then extraordinarily furnished with praetorian or even consular official authority (-quaestores pro praetore- or -pro consule-); in which quality, for example, Publius Lentulus Marcellinus went in 679 to Cyrene (Sallust, Hist.
ii.

39 Dietsch), Gnaeus Piso in 689 to Hither Spain (Sallust, Cat.
19), and Cato in 696 to Cyprus (Vell.ii.

45).

Or, lastly, the extraordinary magisterial authority was based on the right of delegation vested in the supreme magistrate.

If he left the bounds of his province or otherwise was hindered from administering his office, he was entitled to nominate one of those about him as his substitute, who was then called -legatus pro praetore-( Sallust, lug.