XXVI.
Responsum est a contione mandata Clementi centurioni quae perferret. (mandata [esse] Clementi centurioni quae perferret: lit. ‘that their demands had been given to the centurion Clemens in order for him to present them’: the relative quae perferret is the same as a purpose clause with ut.) is orditur de missione a sedecim annis, de praemiis finitae militiae, ut denarius diurnum stipendium foret, ne veterani sub vexillo haberentur. (is orditur de …de …ut … ne …: three ways to list the topics on which Clemens begins to speak: de + abl., ut or ne + subjunctive) ad ea Drusus cum arbitrium senatus et patris obtenderet, clamore turbatur. (cum arbitrium senatus et patris obtenderet, clamore turbatur: ‘when Drusus put forward as a reason the power of decision of the senate and of his father, he was interrupted by loud protest’; cum followed by subjunctive (historical cum) gives the circumstance which occasions or accompanies the action of the main clause; turbatur is historical present and clamore turbatur governs the oratio obliqua in the rest of the chapter, followed by primary or secondary tenses at the discretion of the writer.) cur venisset neque augendis militum stipendiis neque adlevandis laboribus, denique nulla bene faciendi licentia? (cur venisset neque augendis militum stipendiis neque adlevandis laboribus, denique nulla bene faciendi licentia?: cur venisset is indirect question requiring subjunctive; —augendis …stipendis and adlevandis laboribus are examples of use of dative gerundives to express purpose; —nulla bene faciendi licentia: bene facio is usually found as one word; faciendi is objective genitive completing the sense of licentia.) at hercule verbera et necem cunctis permitti. (necem cunctis permitti: not exactly true: only the legate within a legion, exercising the powers given to him by the emperor, could have a man executed.) Tiberium olim nomine Augusti desideria legionum frustrari solitum: easdem artis Drusum rettulisse. numquamne ad se nisi filios familiarum venturos? (numquamne ad se nisi filios familiarum venturos?: the enclitic -ne in direct or indirect questions is usually attached to the emphatic word, here numquam. The fact that the infinitive with subject accusative is being used in oratio obliqua indicates that the question is rhetorical, asked to stress a point, implying its own answer, and partaking more of the nature of a statement than of a question (cf. L. 2313). Also rhetorical is the question with an closing the chapter below. –ad se: the reflexive se refers to the mutineers: though they are not the subject of either the infinitive clause or of the main clause, they are the speakers and the subject of discourse. Cf. A.G. 300, 2. Note. — filios familiarum: inside a family, a man was not master of himself (sui iuris) as long as the father lived, but in the public arena a son might hold podestas over his father in political matters by virtue of his office.) novum id plane quod imperator sola militis commoda ad senatum reiciat. (novum id plane quod imperator sola militis commoda ad senatum reiciat: plane is sarcastic: ‘really strange this, that the emperor should refer to the senate only what was to the soldiers’ advantage’; id is explained by quod, ‘the fact that …’; reiciat is subjunctive after quod in indirect speech.) eundem ergo senatum consulendum quotiens supplicia aut proelia indicantur: (eundem ergo senatum consulendum quotiens supplicia aut proelia indicantur: ergo is commonly the first word in a rebuttal: ‘in that case the same senate ought to be consulted whenever they were sent to execution or to battle’; –indicantur is subjunctive in that the relative clause headed by quotiens , besides being in oratio obliqua, has the iterative sense often found after ubi, ut, cum, and quando.) an praemia sub dominis, poenas sine arbitro esse? (an praemia sub dominis, poenas sine arbitro esse?: an alone introduces here a Yes or No rhetorical question in the infinitive; see above under numquamne; – sub dominis: words such as dominus and rex were odious to the Romans.)