XXVII.
Postremo deserunt tribunal, ut quis praetorianorum militum amicorumve Caesaris occurreret, (ut quis praetorianorum militum amicorumve Caesaris occurreret: the clause is iterative and ut = ‘whenever’; the subjunctive is practically the norm, especially in Tacitus. quis is for aliquis after ut, si, nisi, ne, num, cum, an, ubi, quo, quando (Petitmangin). manus intentantes, causam discordiae et initium armorum, (manus intentantes, causam discordiae et initium armorum: causam and initium are apposition of manus intentantes: ‘they made threatening gestures, a cause of animosity and prelude to armed clashes.’) maxime infensi Cn. Lentulo, (Cn. Lentulo: his titles to military glory are given in Book 4, ch. 44.) quod is ante alios aetate et gloria belli firmare Drusum credebatur et illa militiae flagitia primus aspernari. nec multo post digredientem cum Caesare (digredientem cum Caesare: abl. of accompaniment with cum where an abl. of separation would be expected, since Drusus was not at all leaving. Commentators are agreed that what is probably meant is that Drusus walked with Lentulus as far as the gate of the camp, where the two parted.) ac provisu periculi (provisu periculi: provisus, ‘the faculty of seeing ahead’, is only found in Tacitus, only in the abl. and always followed by genitive.) hiberna castra repetentem circumsistunt, rogitantes quo pergeret, ad imperatorem an ad patres, (rogitantes quo pergeret, ad imperatorem an ad patres: ‘asking him again and again where he was headed, whether to the emperor or to the senate.’; the question is simple, not alternate, or rather part of it only is alternate: it merely asks which of two places he was going to, not whether of two destinations he would choose one to the exclusion of the other. Tacitus uses an here in place of vel or aut, two particles that help distinguish single from alternate questions in cases such as this. Cf. A.G. 335, Note.) ut illic quoque commodis legionum adversaretur; simul ingruunt, saxa iaciunt. iamque lapidis ictu cruentus et exitii certus protectus est. (adcursu multitudinis quae cum Druso advenerat protectus est: multitudo is the strong, armed escort accompanying Drusus on his mission. These forces had been left outside the gate of the camp, from where they probably saw what was happening to the departing Lentulus and quickly intervened.)