LII.
C. Sulpicius D. Haterius consules sequuntur, inturbidus externis rebus annus, (C. Sulpicius D. Haterius consules sequuntur inturbidus externis rebus annus: [‘the consuls] next entered office, a quiet year abroad.’ Gaius Sulpicius Galba was the elder brother of the emperor that would succeed Nero in 68 A.D. For Decimus Haterius Agrippa cf. ch. 49. annus is apposition of consules, since the year was coextensive with the consulate. The term inturbidus is only found in Tacitus, twice in the Annales and once in the Historiae. externis rebus: abl. of specification or of respect, ‘in respect of foreign affairs’; As used here, unturbidus forms zeugma in that it applies well to externis rebus, but not at all to suspecta severitate, for which its antonym is required. See next note.) domi suspecta severitate adversum luxum qui immensum proruperat ad cuncta quis pecunia prodigitur. ([annus turbidus] domi suspecta severitate adversum luxum qui immensum proruperat ad cuncta quis pecunia prodigitur: ‘at home [the year was unquiet] on account of the anticipated severity against the luxury that had broken out uncontrollably in all things on which money is lavished.’ domi is locative; quis is for quibus.) sed alia sumptuum quamvis graviora dissimulatis plerumque pretiis occultabantur; (alia sumptuum quamvis graviora dissimulatis plerumque pretiis occultabantur: ‘other expenses, though heavier, were for the most part kept hidden, their cost being falsely altered.’ The concessive conjunction quamvis is commonly found as an ordinary adverb modifying adjectives or other adverbs. Rarely used with superlatives, not so with a comparative, as here. See G. 609, Note 2. sumptuum is partitive gen. after the neuter alia.) ventris et ganeae paratus adsiduis sermonibus vulgati fecerant curam ne princeps antiquae parsimoniae durius adverteret. (ventris et ganeae paratus adsiduis sermonibus vulgati fecerant curam ne princeps antiquae parsimoniae durius adverteret: ‘the providing of food and prodigal feasting, made notorious by incessant talk, raised the fear lest a prince of ancient frugality should proceed too severely against it.’ ventris et ganeae: lit. ‘of the belly and debauches’; rather crude terms for an author who strives to maintain a lofty style. It may be hendiadys, ‘gluttonous excesses’; antiquae parsimoniae is gen. of quality, equivalent to an adjective; cf. A.G. 345. durius adverteret: the verb is short for animadverteret; durius is an example of absolute comparative, as it lacks a second term of comparison. It is rendered in English by having it preceded by an adverb like ‘too’, ‘rather’, or similar.) nam incipiente C. Bibulo ceteri quoque aediles disseruerant, (incipiente C. Bibulo ceteri quoque aediles disseruerant: ‘first Gaius Bibulus and also the other aediles had declared …’; the duties of the aediles included supervision of the markets, the control of prices, and the implementation of the laws regulating excesses. incipiente C. Bibulo: ‘C. Bibulus taking the initiative’) sperni sumptuariam legem vetitaque utensilium pretia augeri in dies nec mediocribus remediis sisti posse, (sumptuariam legem vetitaque utensilium pretia augeri in dies nec mediocribus remediis sisti posse: ‘…that the sumptuary law was not observed, unlawful food prices were increased every day, and the situation could not be stopped by ordinary measures’; sunptuariam legem: namely the lex Iulia promulgated by Julius Caesar and re-enacted by Augustus in 22 B.C. utensilium: ‘articles of food’; mediocribus remediis: abl. of instrument: ‘with moderate remedies’) et consulti patres integrum id negotium ad principem distulerant. sed Tiberius saepe apud se pensitato an coerceri tam profusae cupidines possent, num coercitio plus damni in rem publicam ferret, quam indecorum adtrectare quod non obtineret vel retentum ignominiam et infamiam virorum inlustrium posceret, (saepe apud se pensitato an coerceri tam profusae cupidines possent, num coercitio plus damni in rem publicam ferret, quam indecorum adtrectare quod non obtineret vel retentum ignominiam et infamiam virorum inlustrium posceret: abl. abs. followed by three indirect questions with subjunctive, introduced respectively by an, num, quam, the last governing a relative clause with quod: lit. ‘it having been often pondered in his mind whether they would be able to arrest such widespread tendencies, whether the repression would bring more damage [than good] to the state, how humiliating [it would be] to attempt what might well not succeed or, if implemented, might entail the shameful exposure of prominent citizens.’ Both an and num bring in a simple Yes or No question, but num tends to suggest a negative answer (see L. 1503); damni is partitive gen. after the neuter plus; obtineret and posceret are subjunctive for rel. clause in oratio obliqua after pensitato, a one-word abl. abs. like other perfect participles in -to (cf. G. 410, Note 4), used impersonally. retentum agrees with quod and is a protasis with si in disguise. See note for qui neque servatus in periculum rei publicae neque interfectus in exemplum ibit in ch. 50.) postremo litteras ad senatum (litteras ad senatum: with his missive to the senate, Tiberius, in a subtle, roundabout, good-natured way, takes the old republican institutions of senate, consuls, praetor, aediles to task for shirking duty and taking shelter behind the emperor to avoid attracting public odium to themselves. A vein of fine sarcasm runs through the entire speech.) composuit quarum sententia in hunc modum fuit.