LI.
De praetore in locum Vipstani Galli, quem mors abstulerat, subrogando certamen incessit. (de praetore … subrogando certamen incessit: lit. ‘with the’ or ‘in the choosing of a praetor a dispute arose’; subrogando is abl. gerund expressing manner, instrument, or cause; cf. A.G. 507; de praetore: de + abl. most commonly denotes subject or object of concern.) Germanicus.atque Drusus (nam etiam tum Romae erant) (etiam tum Romae erant: i.e. before the departure of Drusus for Illyricum in 17 A.D. (cf. ch. 44). Germanicus left for the Orient a little later (cf. ch. 53).) Haterium Agrippam propinquum Germanici fovebant: contra plerique nitebantur ut numerus liberorum in candidatis praepolleret, (contra plerique nitebantur ut numerus liberorum in candidatis praepolleret: ‘on the other side, the majority did their utmost to make the number of the candidate’s children the deciding factor.’ nitor is here followed by complementary final clause.) quod lex iubebat. (lex iubebat: the law was called Papia Poppaea) laetabatur Tiberius, cum inter filios eius et leges senatus disceptaret. (cum inter filios eius et leges senatus disceptaret: causal cum + sujunctive: ‘because the senate was forced to decide between his sons and the laws’) victa est sine dubio lex, sed neque statim et paucis suffragiis, quo modo etiam cum valerent leges (cum valerent leges: use of narrative cum + subjunctive; cf. A.G. 546.) vincebantur.