LXXIII.
Haud pigebit referre in Falanio et Rubrio, modicis equitibus Romanis, (modicis equitibus Romanis: equestrian Romans were divided on the basis of their possessions into splendidi or inlustres equites, who wore the laticlavia, a tunic with a broad purple stripe, and modici equites, who wore the angusticlavia, whose band was narrow.) praetemptata crimina, (haud pigebit referre … praetemptata crimina: piget is an impersonal verb, like pudet, paenitet, miseret, taedet, to name a few. whose forms are limited to third person(s): ‘it will not be irksome to relate the initial tests [in the courts] of such accusations.’) ut quibus initiis, quanta Tiberii arte gravissimum exitium inrepserit, dein repressum sit, postremo arserit cunctaque corripuerit, noscatur. (ut quibus initiis, quanta Tiberii arte gravissimum exitium inrepserit, dein repressum sit, postremo arserit cunctaque corripuerit, noscatur: final ut goes with noscatur: ‘in order to make known from what beginnings and with what artfulness of Tiberius this most pernicious affliction has wormed its way [in our midst], then was curbed, ultimately burst into flames and destroyed everything’. noscatur, a primary verb, brings in an indirect question with the interrogative quibus and quanta, followed by perfect subjunctive, in accordance with tense sequence for past action. Cf. A.G. 482-485. It is left to the reader to decide whether what Tacitus says here of the law of treason is limited to Tiberius reign or extends to later emperors like Nero and Domitian. The phrase dein repressum sit may apply equally well to Tiberius’ efforts, initially, to reduce the rigors of the law or to its suspension under Vespasian and Titus. Similarly, postremo arserit cunctaque corripuerit may fit either the cruelty of Tiberius’ last years or Domitian’s despotism. The reference, however, to Tiberius’ cunning (arte) as the factor responsible for the gravissimum exitium appears to restrict the field to his years in power.) Falanio obiciebat accusator, quod inter cultores Augusti, qui per omnis domos in modum collegiorum habebantur, (qui per omnis domos in modum collegiorum habebantur: the rel. clause is purely explanatory, a note added by the author and directed at the reader, thus its verb, habebantur, is outside the rules governing the indir. speech in which it finds itself (See the third note down.): ‘[votaries of Augustus], who were found in some sort of brotherhood in all great houses …’; it appears that private worship of Augustus in some of the major families of Rome had begun even before his death. The same applies to taking an oath in his name.) Cassium quendam mimum corpore infamem (corpore infamem: corpore is abl. of specification, ‘degenerate in respect of his body’) adscivisset, quodque venditis hortis (venditis hortis: abl. abs.: ‘his gardens having been sold’) statuam Augusti simul mancipasset. (Falanio obiciebat accusator, quod inter cultores Augusti … Cassium quondam … adscivisset, quodque … statuam Augusti … mancipasset: the passage is in oratio obliqua after obiciebat, in that it reflects the words of the charge: lit. ‘the accuser produced charges for Falanius because, [as he said], among Augustus’ votaries he had accepted a certain Cassius, and because Falanius had sold a statue of Augustus.’ quod is here followed by subjunctive for two reasons: first, the clause is in indir. speech and second, the reasons given are assigned by someone other than the author.) Rubrio crimini dabatur violatum periurio numen Augusti. (Rubrio crimini dabatur violatum periurio numen Augusti: the passive dabatur is used impersonally: lit. ‘it was given to Rubrius for a crime that he had violated the divine status of Augustus by perjury.’ Rubrio crimini is double dative, Rubrio of indir. object with dabatur and crimini of purpose.) quae ubi Tiberio notuere, (quae ubi Tiberio notuere: ‘when this became known to Tiberius, …’; temporal ubi is regularly followed by perfect indicative; notuere is from notesco.) scripsit consulibus non ideo decretum patri suo caelum, ut (non ideo decretum patri suo caelum, ut …: in oratio obliqua after scripsit: ‘that divine honors had not been decreed to his father with the intention of …’; ideo ut: pronominal form that in the course of time became conjunction: ‘for the reason that’ (with the reason expressed as a purpose clause); the id in ideo is adverbial accusative like many others in Latin, e.g. plus, nihil, iterum ceterum, tantum quantum, postremum, etc. (Ernout). caelum: ‘elevation to heaven’; the gods were referred to in poetry as caelicola, ‘dwellers of the skies’.) in perniciem civium is honor verteretur. Cassium histrionem solitum inter alios eiusdem artis interesse ludis, (ludis: the ludi palatini instituted by Livia in memory of Augustus, so called because they were held on the Palatine hill of Rome. It was during these games, years later, that Caligula was assassinated.) quos mater sua in memoriam Augusti sacrasset; nec contra religiones fieri quod effigies eius, ut alia numinum simulacra, venditionibus hortorum et domuum accedant. (nec contra religiones fieri quod effigies eius, …, venditionibus … accedant: lit. ‘that the fact that effigies of him (Augustus) are added (accedant) to sales is not done contrary to religion.’ Freely: ‘that it was not an affront to religion to include Augustus’ effigies in the sale of…’. Here quod seems to be more explanatory (quod = ‘the fact that’) than causal. The mood is still the indicative, except in oratio obliqua as here. See G. 525.) ius iurandum perinde aestimandum quam si Iovem fefellisset: (ius iurandum perinde aestimandum quam si Iovem fefellisset: ‘swearing an oath must be regarded just as if he had deceived Jove.’ perinde …quam si: ‘in the same way as if’, usually perinde ac si: found ordinarily with plup. subjunctive irrespective of sequence of tenses. aestimandum [esse]: impersonal use of passive periphrastic conjugation to express duty, necessity, propriety.) deorum iniurias dis curae.