XXIII.
Sed aestate iam adulta (aestate iam adulta: ‘summer being now at the fullest’; June, July, and August were called respectively aestas nova, aestas adulta, aestas praeceps (Holbrooke).) legionum aliae (legionum aliae: ‘some legions’; aliae as in aliae …aliae, ‘some …others’) itinere terrestri in hibernacula remissae; pluris Caesar classi inpositas per flumen Amisiam Oceano invexit. ac primo placidum aequor mille navium remis strepere aut velis inpelli: mox atro nubium globo effusa grando, simul variis undique procellis incerti fluctus prospectum adimere, regimen inpedire; milesque pavidus et casuum maris ignarus dum turbat nautas vel intempestive iuvat, officia prudentium corrumpebat omne dehinc caelum et mare omne in austrum cessit, (omne dehinc caelum et mare omne in austrum cessit: ‘after that, all sea, all sky fell under the sway of the Auster, [the south wind].’ Note the chiastic arrangement of the two omne, providing a frame for caelum et mare. As the ships moved away from the relative protection of the coastline, the wind became increasingly a factor they had to contend with.) qui humidis Germaniae terris, profundis amnibus, immenso nubium tractu validus et rigore vicini septentrionis horridior rapuit disiecitque navis in aperta Oceani aut insulas saxis abruptis vel per occulta vada infestas. (qui humidis Germaniae terris, profundis amnibus, immenso nubium tractu validus et rigore vicini septentrionis horridior rapuit disiecitque navis in aperta Oceani aut insulas saxis abruptis vel per occulta vada infestas: ‘which [wind], strong by reason of the sodden soils and the swollen rivers of Germany, of the immense expanse of rain clouds, and more brutal because of the rigors of the not far off arctic regions, dragged away and scattered the ships in the open ocean or towards islands with sheer cliffs or [made] treacherous on account of hidden shoals’; humidis terris, profundis amnibus, and immenso …tractu are ablatives of cause, and so is rigore, though some view the first two as abl. abs.; saxis abruptis and per occulta vada also give a reason. Tacitus may not have known exactly the interplay of forces that unleash a violent sea storm, but the description he gives here in his own succinct way, shows that his guess is as good as any. Auster, the wind from southern Europe, blowing hot air over the waterlogged lands and bodies of water of northern Germany in midsummer, causes a vast buildup of evaporation, that leads to cloud formation and heavy rains. As the warm air rises, a vacuum is created at ground level which the wind rushes in to fill. The stronger wind favors greater evaporation, more rain, and higher wind speeds in a self-feeding circle of events. The Roman fleet, on its way out of the mouth of the Ems (Amisia), is inevitably pushed first against the string of islands outside the mouth, then into the open Oceanus or North Sea.) quibus paulum aegreque vitatis, postquam mutabat aestus eodemque quo ventus ferebat, (postquam mutabat aestus eodemque quo ventus ferebat: ‘after the tide changed, it bore [the ships] in the same direction in which the wind was blowing.’ aestus: here the ebb tide, with the waters retiring in the same direction as the wind, thereby adding to its force.) non adhaerere ancoris, non exhaurire inrumpentis undas poterant: equi, iumenta, sarcinae, etiam arma praecipitantur quo levarentur alvei manantes per latera et fluctu superurgente. (etiam arma praecipitantur quo levarentur alvei manantes per latera et fluctu superurgente: ‘even arms are thrown overboard, so that thereby the keels, taking water in through the sides and the waves threatening from above, are lightened.’ Note the frequent use of the historical present. arma: perhaps not the personal arms, but heavier items, such as catapults and ballistas. quo levarentur: another example of quo replacing final ut in the absence of a comparative. fluctu superurgente: abl. abs.; superurgente is the sole occurrence of the word both in the Annals and elsewhere (Oxford Lat. Dictionary).)