VII
Sequens annus gravi vulnere animum domumque eius adflixit. Nam classis Othoniana (classis Othoniana: Otho was the second of the four emperors who held power in 69 A.D.; he succeeded Galba and was defeated by Vitellius, who in turn was defeated by Vespasian.) licenter vaga dum Intimilium (Intimilium: today’s Ventimiglia on the Ligurian coast, on the border between Italy and France) (Liguriae pars est) hostiliter populatur, matrem Agricolae in praediis suis interfecit, praediaque ipsa et magnam patrimonii partem diripuit, quae causa caedis fuerat. Igitur ad sollemnia pietatis profectus Agricola, nuntio adfectati a Vespasiano imperii (nuntio adfectati a Vespasiano imperii: ‘by the news of the imperial power being aimed at by Vespasian’; Vespasian was proclaimed emperor in 69 A.D. during the brief reign of Vitellius who had defeated Otho.) deprehensus ac statim in partis transgressus est. (in partes transgressus est: ‘crossed over to his party’) Initia principatus ac statum urbis Mucianus (Mucianus: Vespasian came to Rome almost a year after C. Licinius Mucianus, governor of Syria, had captured the city in his name.) regebat, iuvene admodum Domitiano et ex paterna fortuna tantum licentiam usurpante. (iuvene …Domitiano et ex paterna fortuna tantum licentiam usurpante: abl. abs., ‘Domitian being a youth seizing from his father’s position only freedom from all restraint’; ex paterna fortuna is abl. of separation) Is missum ad dilectus agendos Agricolam integreque ac strenue versatum vicesimae legioni tarde ad sacramentum transgressae praeposuit, (is missum ad dilectos agendos Agricolam integreque ac strenue versatum vicesimae legioni tarde ad sacramentum transgressae preposuit: lit. ‘he [Mucianus] put Agricola, sent to levy troops and being loyally and strenuously active, in command of the 20th legion crossing over reluctantly for the oath-taking’; the past participle transgressae, dep., is passive in form but active in meaning) ubi (ubi: rel. adv. of place, not conj., its antecedent being the foregoing legioni; thus ubi = in qua [legione]; cf. G. 611, R. 1) decessor seditiose agere narrabatur: quippe legatis quoque consularibus (legatis … consularibus: ‘consular commanders’; ex-consuls and ex-praetors were routinely assigned high military commands.) nimia ac formidolosa erat, nec legatus praetorius ad cohibendum potens (nec…ad cohibendum potens [erat]: ‘was not able to bring about cohesion’; as with the passive gerundive, the active gerund with ad denotes purpose) incertum suo an militum ingenio. (incertum [est] suo an militum ingenio: ‘it is not certain whether through his or his soldiers’ disposition’; an in alternative questions may or may not be preceded by utrum) Ita successor simul et ultor electus rarissima moderatione maluit videri invenisse bonos quam fecisse.