XXIX.
Libo interim veste mutata (veste mutata: men accused of capital crimes were requires to wear black garments when appearing in public.) cum primoribus feminis circumire domos, orare adfinis, vocem adversum pericula poscere, (vocem … poscere: i.e. a voice that would defend him in court: Tacitus could have used patronum (=’an advocate’), but vocem is far more poignant and suggestive. poscere is historical infinitive, like the preceding circumire and orare.) abnuentibus cunctis, cum diversa praetenderent, eadem formidine. (abnuentibus cunctis, cum diversa praetenderent, eadem formidine: abl. abs. supplemented by a cum clause: ‘all refusing, inasmuch as they put forward various excuses, from the same fear [of the emperor]’) die senatus (die senatus: ‘on the day the senate met’) metu et aegritudine fessus, sive, ut tradidere quidam, simulato morbo, lectica delatus ad foris curiae innisusque fratri et manus ac supplices voces ad Tiberium tendens (innisusque fratri et manus ac supplices voces ad Tiberium tendens: ‘leaning on his brother, stretching out his hands and calling out to Tiberius, …’; fratri is dat. with innitor; manus ac …voces …tendens: example of zeugma: tendens goes well with manus, much less with voces; English prefers a separate verb for the latter.) immoto eius vultu excipitur. mox libellos et auctores (libellos et auctores: ‘the written charges and the names of the accusers’) recitat Caesar ita moderans ne lenire neve asperare crimina videretur. (ita moderans ne lenire neve asperare crimina videretur: consecutive sentence in the subjunctive with ita announcing the main clause and ne the negative dependent clause: ‘carefully controlling his voice so as not to appear to soften or to aggravate the charges’; in consecutive or result clauses ut non is used in place of ne, except when the result implies an effect intended. Cf. A.G. 537, a., Note.)