Chapter 17

_Extremo metu_ is to be closely connected with _corpora_. For the sense of _defixere_, cf. Ann. 13, 5: pavore defixis.

_Ederetis_. Subj. cf. H. 500, 2; Z. 556, a.

_Transigite cum expeditionibus_==finite expeditiones. Dr. Cf. G. 19: cum spe--transigitur, note.

_Quinquaginta annis_. So many years, it might be said to be in round numbers, though actually somewhat _less_ than fifty years, since the dominion of Rome was first established in Britain under the Emperor Claudius. Cf. 13, supra.--The speech of A. is not equal to that of Galgacus. He had not so good a cause. He could not appeal to the sacred principles of justice and liberty, to the love of home and household gods. But he makes the best of a bad cause. The speech is worthy of a Roman commander, and touches with masterly skill all those chords in a Roman soldier's breast, that were never touched in vain.

XXXV. _Et==both_. Both while he was speaking and after he had ceased, the soldiers manifested their ardor, etc.

_Instinctos_. Cf. note 16: instincti.

_Aciem firmarent_==aciem firmam facerent, of which use there are examples not only in T., but in Liv. Dr. The auxiliary foot _formea_ or _made up_ (not merely strengthened) _the centre_.--_Affunderentur. Were attached to_.--_Pro vallo. On the rampart_; properly on the fore part of it. Cf. note, H. 1, 29.

_Ingens--decus_. In app. with _legiones--stetere_.

_Bellanti_, sc. Agricolae. Al. bellandi.

_In speciem_. Cf. in suam famam, 8, and in jactationem, 5.

_Aequo_. Supply consisteret to correspond with _insurgeret_. Zeugma. Cf. note, 18: in aequum.

_Media campi_. _The intervening parts of the plain_, sc. between the two armies.--_Covinarius_ is found only in T. _Covinarii_==the essedarii of Caesar. Covinus erat currus Belgarum, a quibus cum Britanni acceperant. Dr.

_Pedes_. Nom. sing, in app. with subject of _constitit_.

XXXVI. _Indentibus gladiis_, etc. So below: _parva scuta_, etc. The small shield and broad sword of the Highlanders.

_Donec--cohortatus est_. Cf. note, G. 37: _affectavere_.--_Batavorum cohortes_. Al. _tres--cohortes_. But the number is not specified in the best MSS. In the Histories, eight cohorts of Batavians are often mentioned as constituting the auxiliaries of the 14th legion, which was now in Britain. See Rit. in loc.

_Ad mucrones_. The Britons were accustomed to fight with the edge of the sword, and cut and hew the enemy. The Romans, on the contrary, made use of the _point_. Of course in a close engagement, they would have greatly the advantage. Br.--_Ad manus_. The opposite of _eminus_, i.e. _a close engagement_. The same thing is expressed below by _complexum armorum_.

_In aperto pugnam_. Literally a fight in the open field, i.e. a _regular_ pitched _battle_, which with its compact masses would be less favorable to the large swords of the Britons, than a battle on ground uncleared of thickets and forests. Al. _in arto_.

_Miscere, ferire_, etc. A series of inf. denoting a rapid succession of events, cf. note, 5: noscere--nosci; G. 30: praeponere.

_Equitum turmae_, sc. Britannorum. The word _turmae_ is applicable to such a cavalry as theirs, cf. Ann. 14, 34: _Britannorum_ copiae passim per catervas et _turmas_ exsultabant. Br. Ky. and others here understand it of the Roman cavalry. But R. Dr. and Wr. apply it to the Britons, and with reason, as we shall see below, and as we might infer indeed from its close connexion with _covinarii_, for the _covinarii_ were certainly Britons.

_Peditum proelio, hostium agminibus_. These also both refer to the _Britons_. The covinarii were interspersed among their own infantry, and, as the Romans advanced, became entangled with them. This is disputed. But the small number of Romans slain in the whole battle is alone enough to show, that _their_ cavalry was not routed, nor _their_ infantry broken in upon by the chariots of the enemy. Moreover, how could T. properly use the word _hostium_ of his own countrymen?

_Minimeque_, etc. This is one passage, among a few in T., which is so manifestly corrupt that no sense can be made of it, as it stands in the MSS. The reading given in the text is the simplest of all the conjectural readings that have been proposed. It is that of Br. and E., and is followed by the common editions. Cavalry took a large part in the battle. But the battle wore little the aspect of an equestrian fight; for the Britons, after maintaining their position with difficulty for some time, were at length swept away by the bodies (the _mere uncontrolled bodies_) of the horses--in short, the riders had no control over horses or chariots, which rushed on without drivers obliquely athwart, or directly through the lines, as their fears severally impelled them; all which was in marked contrast to a Roman's idea of a regular battle of cavalry.

XXXVII. _Vacui. Free from apprehension_.

_Ni_. Cf. note 4: ni.--_Subita belli. Unexpected emergencies_ arising in the course of the battle. Cf. 6: _inania honoris_.

_Grande et atrox spectaculum_, etc. See a similar description in Sal. Jug. 101. The series of infinitives and the omission of the connectives (_asyndeton_) make the succession of events very rapid and animated. Compare the famous _veni, vidi, vici_, of Caesar.

_Prout--erat_. According to their different natural disposition, i.e. _the timid, though armed, turned their backs before inferior numbers; while the brave, though unarmed, met death in the face_.

_Praestare terga_ is an expression found only in T.

_Et aliquando_, etc. _Et==ac tamen. And_ yet (notwithstanding the flight of crowds and the passive death of some as above) _sometimes to the conquered also_ there was _anger and bravery_. The language is Virgilian, cf. Aen. 2, 367.

_Quod_. Cf. note 12.--_Ni frequens--fiduciam foret_. "Had not A., who was everywhere present, caused some strong and lightly equipped cohorts to encompass the ground, while part of the cavalry having dismounted, made their way through the thickets, and part on horseback scoured the open woods, some disaster would have prcoeeded from this excess of confidence." Ky.

XXXVIII. _Gaudio praedaque laeta_. Cf. note, G. 7: _cibos et hortamina_. Observe also the juxtaposition of _tempestate_ and _fama_ in this same chapter.

_Separare_, sc. consilia, i.e. _they sometimes act in concert, sometimes provide only for their individual safety_.

_Pignorum_. Cf. note G. 7: pignora--_Saevisse. Laid violent hands_. "This picture of rage and despair, of tenderness, fury, and the tumult of contending passions, has all the fine touches of a master who has studied human nature." Mur.--_Secreti_==deserti.

_Ubi. When_, cf. 26. Its direct influence extends to _nequibat_, and with its clause, it expresses the _reason_ why A. drew off his forces into the country of the Horesti.--_Spargi bellum_==diversis locis, vel diviso exercitu, vel vagando bellum geri. E.

_Secunda--fama. Favored by the weather and the glory of their past achievements_ (lit. the weather and fame _following_ them, _secunda ==sequunda_.)

_Trutulensem portum_. Some port, now unknown, probably near the mouth of the Tay or the Forth. _Unde_ qualifies _lecto_. E. With _redierat_ a corresponding adv. denoting _whither_, is to be supplied: whence it had set sail, and whither, after having surveyed all the nearest coast of Britain, it had now returned. _Had_ returned, i.e. prior to _entering_ the port; the action of _redierat_, was prior to that of _tenuit_. Hence plup. _Proximo, nearest_, sc. to the scene of Agricola's operations, i.e. the whole northern coast from the Forth to the Clyde and back again. This was all that was necessary to prove Britain to be an island (cf. chap. 10), the southern coast having been previously explored.

XXXIX. _Actum_. Al. auctum, a conjecture of Lipsius. _Actum==treated of, reported.--Moris erat_. H. 402, I.; Z. 448, N. 1. N. 1.

_Falsum--triumphum_. He had returned without so much as seeing the enemy (Dio Cass. 67, 4); and yet he bought slaves, dressed them in German style, had their hair stained red (G. 4: _rutilae comae_) and left long, so as to resemble Germans, and then marched in triumph into Rome with his train of pretended captives! Caligula had done the same before him. Suet. Calig. 47.

_Formarentur_. Subj. in a relative clause denoting a purpose (_quorum==ut eorum_). H. 500; Z. 567.

_Studia--acta_. Lawyers and politicians, all public men, had been gagged and silenced by Domitian.

_Alius_. Another than the Emperor.--_Occuparet==pre-occupy_, so as to rob him of it.

_Utcumque_. Somehow, possibly, perhaps. _Other things perhaps were more easily concealed; but the merit of a good commander was an imperial prerogative_.

_Quodque--satiatus_. _And what was a proof of some cruel purpose, wholly absorbed in his retirement_ (where he never plotted any thing but mischief, and where in early life he is said to have amused himself with killing flies, Suet. Dom. 3). Cf. Plin. Panegyr. 48: nec unquam ex solitudine sua prodeuntem, nisi ut solitudinem faceret. The whole passage in Pliny is a graphic picture of the same tyrant, the workings of whose heart are here so laid bare by the pen of Pliny's friend Tacitus. _Secreto--satiatus_ may also be translated: _satisfied with his own secret_, i.e. keeping to himself his cherished hatred and jealousy.-- _Languesceret_. Subj. after _donec_. Cf. note, G. 37: _affectavere_.

_Reponere odium_. See lexicon under _repono_ for this phrase.

_Impetus--exercitus_. _Until the freshness of his glory, and his popularity with the army should gradually decline_.

_Etiam tum obtinebat_, i.e. he was still in _possession of the government_, and of course in command of the army, in Britain.

XL. _Triumphalia ornamenta_. Not a real triumph, which from the reign of Augustus was conceded only to the Emperor or the princes of the Imperial Family; but triumphal insignia, such as the _corona, laurea, toga praetexta, tunica palmata, sella curulis_, &c. Dr.

_Illustris statuae_. Called _laureata_, Ann. 4, 23; _triumphalis_, His. 1, 79.

_Quidquid datur_. Besides the _ornamenta_ above mentioned, sacrifices and thanksgivings were offered in the name of the victorious commander. Dr.

_Addique_. Al. additque. _Addique_ is the reading of the MSS. and old editions. And it suits better the genius of Dom.; he did not express the _opinionem_ himself, for it was not his real intention, but he _ordered_ some one to put it in circulation as if from him, that he might have the credit of it and yet not be bound by it.--_Destinari_, sc. by Domitian.

_Majoribus reservatam_. _Majoribus_==illustrioribus. Syria was the richest province in the Empire, and the praefectship of it the most honorable office.

_Ex secretioribus ministeriis_. _One of his private secretaries, or confidential agents_.

_Codicillos_. Under the Emperors this word is used to denote an imperial letter or diploma. Properly a billet, diminutive of _codex_, tablet (==_caudex_, trunk of a tree).

_Syria dabatur_. Syria was one of the Provinces, that were at the disposal of the Emperor.

_Ex ingenio principis_. _In accordance with_ (cf. _ex_, G. 7) _the_ (dissimulating) _genius or policy of Domitian_. The design, if not real, at least imputed to him, was to withdraw Agricola from his province and his troops at all events, by the offer of the best province in the Empire if need be; but that object having been secured by Agricola's voluntary retirement, the offer, and even the ordinary civilities of life, especially official life, were deemed unnecessary. Compare this with the concluding sentence of the preceding chapter.

_Celebritate et frequentia_. Hendiadys: _By the number of distinguished men who might go out to meet him_ (and escort him into the city).

_0fficio_==salutatione. Dr.--_Brevi osculo_, lit. a _hasty kiss_==_cold and formal salutation_. The kiss was a common mode of salutation among the Romans, in the age of the Emperors. See Becker's Gallus, p. 54.

_Turbae servientium_. The usual and characteristic associates, as well as attendants of Domitian. A severe cut, though quite incidental and very concise.

_Otiosos_. Antith. to _militare_. _Men in civil life_, cf. note on _otio_, II.

_Otium auxit_. Augere otium==sequi altissimum otium. Dr.

_Penitus_==inwardly, i.e. sincerely, _zealously_. So R. But Dr.== prorsus, omnino, valde.--_Cultu modicus. Simple in dress_, cf. note on _cultus_, G. 6.--_Comitatus_, passive, so used by Cic. also.--_Uno aut altero. One or two_.

_Per ambitionem_==ex vitae splendore et numeroso comitatu. Br. cf. note on _ambitio_, G. 27.

_Quaererent--interpretarentur_. _Many inquired_ (with wonder) _into the reputation_ (of a man so unassuming), _and few explained_ or _understood_ (the true reason of his humble manner of life). _Interpretarentur_, not _famam_ but the facts above mentioned, and the necessity A. was under of living as he did.--_Viso aspectoque. On seeing him and directing their attention particularly to him_.

XLI. _Crimen==public accusation_.--_Querela==private complaint_.-- _Princeps, gloria, genus_. Supply, as a predicate, _causa periculi_; these were the causes that put A's life in jeopardy.

_Militares viri_==duces. So Corbulo is called, Ann. 15, 26.

_Expugnati et capti_. _Defeated and taken captive_, For. and Fac. Properly _expugnare_ is said of a fortress or city. But _ektoliorkein_ in Greek is used in the same way, of persons. Compare _expugnatis praesidiis_, 16, note. The wars particularly referred to are those against Decebalus, leader of the Dacians, which lasted four years and in which Moesia also was invaded by the Dacians, and several Roman armies with their commanders were lost (Suet. Dom. 6.); and that of the Pannonian legions against the German tribes of the Marcomanni and the Quadi (Dion, 67, 7).

_Hibernis--dubitatum_, i.e. the enemy not only met them on the river banks, which formed the borders of the empire, but attacked the winter quarters of their troops, and threatened to take away the territory they had already acquired.

_Funeribus_, sc. militarium virorum.--_Cladibus_, sc. cohortium. Dr.

_Amore et fide_. _Out of affection and fidelity_ (sc. to their imperial master).--_Malignitate et livore_. _Out of envy and hatred_ (sc. towards A.).

_Pronum deterioribus_. _Inclined to the worse measures_, or it may be, to the _worse advisers_.

_In ipsam--agebatur_==invito gloria aucta, simulque pernicies accelerata. W.

XLII. _Asiae et Africae_. He drew lots, _which_ he should have, _both_ being put into the lot.--_Proconsulatum_. See H. 1, 49. note, on proconsul. A. had already been consul, 9.

_Sortiretur_. _In which he would, or such that he must, obtain by lot_, etc. Cf. H. 501, I.; Z. 558.

_Occiso Civica_. Cf. Suet. Dom. 10: complures senatores, et in his aliquot consulares, interemit, ex quibus _Civicam Cerealem in ipso Asiae proconsulate_.

_Nec Agricolae--exemplum_. _A warning was not wanting to A_. (to avoid the dangerous post); _nor a precedent to Dom_. (for disposing of A. in the same way if he accepted the office).

_Iturusne esset_. Subj. cf. H. 525; Z. 552.--_Interrogarent_. H. 500; Z. 567.

_In--excusatione_. _In urging his request_ (before Dom.) _to be excused_.

_Paratus simulatione_. Al. simulationi. _Furnished with deceit, armed_, as it were, _with hypocrisy_.

_In arrogantiam compositus_. _Assuming a proud demeanor_.

_Beneficii invidia_, lit. _the odium of such a kindness==so odious a favor_. The idea is, he did not blush to let A. return thanks for a signal injury, as if it were a real kindness. "A refinement of cruelty not unfrequently practised by the worst Roman Emperors." Ky. The only peculiarity in the case of Dom. was, the unblushing impudence with which he perpetrated the wrong, cf. 45. See a fine commentary on this passage in Sen. de Benef. 4, 17: Quis est, qui non beneficus _videri_ velit? qui non inter scelera et injurias opinionem bonitatis affectet? velit quoque _iis videri beneficium dedisse, quos laesit? gratias itaque agi sibi ab his, quos afflixere, patiuntur_.

_Salarium_. Properly salt-money, i.e. a small allowance to the soldiers for the purchase of salt. Cf. _clavarium_, H. 3, 50, note. But after Augustus, official pay, _salary_.

_Ne--emisse_. _That he might not appear to have purchased a compliance with his virtual prohibition_ (viz. of A.'s accepting the proconsulship).

_Proprium humani_, etc. Mark the sentiment.

_Irrevocabilior_. _More implacable_. Found in this sense only in T. Cf. Böt. Lex. Tac.

_Illicita_. Unlawful, i.e. forbidden by the powers that be. Explained by _contumacia_ and _inani jactatione libertatis_ above. T. is animadverting upon the conduct of certain stoics and republicans, who obtruded their opinions upon those in power, and coveted the glory of martyrdom.

_Eo--excedere_. Reach the same height of distinction. _Eo_ Old dat. cf. _eo inopiae_ 28, note. _Excedere_, lit. come out to, _arrive at_. Cf. Val. Max. 5, 6, 4: _ad summum imperii fastigium excessit_.

_Per abrupta_. "Through abrupt and dangerous paths." Ky.

_Ambitiosa morte_, i.e. morte ultro adita captandae gloriae causa apud posteros. For. and Fac.

XLIII. _Luctuosus, afflictive_, is stronger than _tristis, sad_.

_Vulgus_. The lower classes, _the ignorant and indolent rabble_.-- _Populus_. _The common people, tradesmen, mechanics_, and the like. Hence, _aliud agens_, which implies that they were too busy with something else of a private nature, to give much attention to public affairs or the concerns of their neighbors.--_Populus_ and _vulgus_ are brought together in a similar way, Dial. de Clar. Orat. 7: Vulgus quoque imperitum et tunicatus hic populus, etc.

_Nobis--ausim_. _I should not dare to affirm that we_ (the friends of A.) _found any conclusive proof_, that he was poisoned.--_Ceterum_. _But_. This implies that the circumstantial evidence, which he goes on to specify, convinced the writer and his friends, as well as the public, that poison administered by direction of Dom., was really the means of hastening A. out of the world. Dion Cassius expressly affirms, that he was poisoned, 66, 20.

_Principatus_. The imperial government in general, i.e. former Emperors.

_Momenta ipsa deficientis_. _Each successive stage of his decline_. _Ipsa_ is omitted in the common editions. But it rests on good authority and it adds to the significance of the clause: _the very moments_, as it were, were reported to Dom.

_Per dispositos cursores_. Dom. appears not to have been at Rome at this time, but in the Alban Villa (cf. 45), or somewhere else.

_Constabat_. That was an _admitted point_, about which there was entire _agreement_ (_con_ and _sto_).

_Animo vultuque_. Hendiadys: _he wore in his countenance an expression of heartfelt grief_.

_Securus odii_. Now, that A. was dead, Dom. had nothing to fear in regard to the _object of his hatred_, or the _gratification of his hate_. _Odii_. Gen. of the respect.--_Qui--dissimularet_. _Qui==talis, ut_, hence the subj. H. 501, I.; Z. 558.

_Lecto testamento_. When A.'s _will was read_.

_Honore judicioque_. As if a mark of honor and esteem. E. says==judicio honorifico.--_Piissimae_, devoted, affectionate.

_Malum principem_. It was customary for rich men at Rome, who were anxious to secure any of their property to their heirs, to bequeath a part of their estates to _bad emperors_ in order to secure the remainder from their rapacity.

This and several preceding sections present a most graphic _outline_ of the _life and times_ of Dom., the more to be prized, because the full _picture_, which T. doubtless drew of him in the Histories, is lost. The Histories and the Annals are a vast portrait gallery full of such pictures drawn to the life.

XLIV. _Natus--excessit_. The dates assigned for A.'s birth and death, do not agree with the age ascribed to him. They may be harmonized in either of two ways, each of which has its advocates: by reading _primum_ instead of _tertium_, or, which is perhaps a more probable amendment, since it only alters the relative position of the two characters, by reading LIV instead of LVI.

_Quod si_. And if, _now if_.--_Habitum_. _Personal appearance_, cf. G. 5.

_Decentior quam sublimior_. _Well proportioned, rather than tall_. R.

_Nihil metus_. _Nothing to inspire fear in his countenance_. Antith. to _gratia--supererat_: _kindness of expression rather prevailed_. So Gr. and R. For this sense of _metus_, see note G. 2: ob metum. Död. distinguishes between _vultus_ and _oris_, making the former refer more to the _eyes_ (as if from _volvo_, the rolling of the eye), to which it belongs to express anger and fierceness; the latter to the mouth, which is more expressive of kindness.

_Medio--aetatis_. We should hardly say so of a man dying at 56. But in Dial. de Clar. Orat. T. speaks of 120 years, as _unius hominis aetas_.

_Et vera bona_. T. has here in mind the distinction made by philosophers, particularly the Stoics, between the virtues, which they called the only real good, and the gifts of fortune, which they declared to be indifferent.--_Et--et, both--and_, marks the distinction more strongly.

_Impleverat_. _Had enjoyed to the full_.

_Consulari_. _Having attained to the rank of consul_ (the summit of a Roman's ambition) _and having been honored with triumphal insignia_. Al. consularibus. But _consulari_ has the better authority and makes the better sense.

_Opibus--contigerant_. _Great riches he did not desire; a respectable property it was his good fortune to possess_, cf. 5: medio rationis atque abundantiae. Al. non contigerant. But considerable property is implied in the circumstances attending his will, 43, also in his not asking the visual salary, 42. Dion Cass. says, however, (66, 20.), that A. spent his last days in want, as well as in disgrace. For another explanation of _gaudebat_, cf. n. G. 6.

_Quod--ominabatur_. _Quod_ is omitted in the common editions. But it is found in the MSS. And it may be explained on the principle of Zeugma, by supplying with _durare_ and _videre_ a verb implied in _grande solatium tulit_ thus: _though (sicuti) it would have been a great gratification to A. to behold the dawn of this auspicious age and see Trajan Emperor, of which he expressed in my hearing a sort of prophetic anticipation and desire, yet (ita)_, etc. Cassius affirms (69, 12), that by auguries the elevation of Trajan to the throne was foretold, as early as A.U.C. 844, i.e. _two years before the death of A_. The reference to Trajan here, as in 3, marks clearly the date of the composition, cf. note, 3: augeatque Trajanus.

_Spiramenta_. _Breathing-spells_, i.e. intervals to recover and take breath in. The word is found only in poetry and post-Augustan prose, and, in the expressive sense in which it is here used, only in Ammian. Marc. 29, 1. See Or. and Freund.

_Velut uno ictu_. The commentators illustrate the force of this expression by reference to Caligula's wish (Vid. Sen. de Va. 3, 19), that the Roman people had but one neck, ut scelera sua in _unum ictum_ et unum diem cogeret.

XLV. _Non vidit_. Did not see, as he would have done, had he lived a few years longer. This passage resembles Cic. de Orat. 3, 2, 8, too closely to be mere coincidence. Imitator tamen, id quod uni Tacito contigit, auctore suo praestantior. Rit.

_Consularium_. Rhen. collects from Suet. the names of several victims of Dom.'s displeasure, _who had been consuls_.

_Feminarum_. Pliny has preserved the names of several of this list-- Gratilla, wife of Rusticus, Arria, wife of Thrasea, Fannia, daughter of Thrasea and betrothed to Helvidius. Their husbands will be remembered as having been mentioned in 1 and 2.

_Carus Metius_. An infamous informer, cf. Plin. Epist. 7, 19; Juv. 1, 35; Mart. 12, 25, 5.

_Censebatur_. _Was honored_, ironice. _Censeri_ est aestimari, sive existimationem consequi. Dr.

_Una--victoria_. He had occasioned the death of but one innocent victim.-- _Adhuc_. Up to the death of A., cf. G. 38: adhuc, note.