XXIII.
Is demum annus populum Pomanum longo adversum Numidam Tacfarinatem (Numidam Tacfarinatem: the war with Tacfarinas lasted from 17 A.D. to 24 A.D. and was fought under four commanders: Furius Camillus (see Book 2, ch. 52); Lucius Apronius (see Book 3, ch. 21); Junius Blaesus (see Book 3, ch. 72ff.); and Publius Dolabella in this and following chapters.) beilo absolvit. nam priores duces, ubi impetrando triumphalium insigni sufficere res suas crediderant, (ubi … crediderant: ubi, in the sense of ‘as soon as’ is always followed by indicative.) hostem omittebant; iamque tres laureatae in urbe statuae et adhuc raptabat Africam Tacfarinas, auctus Maurorum auxiliis (auctus Maurorum auxiliis: ‘reinforced by the help of the Mauri’: the Mauri lived near the border between Numidia (northern and eastern part of modern Tunisia) and ancient Mauritania, which extended from Algeria to the Atlantic coast.) qui, Ptolemaeo Iubae filio inventa incurioso, libertos regios et servilia imperia bello mutaverant. erat illi praedarum receptor ac socius populandi rex Garamantum, (erat illi praedarum receptor ac socius populandi rex Garamantum:: ‘he had (illi [erat]) the king of the Garamantes as receiver of stolen goods and associate of plundering.’ The Garamantes were a tribe from the Fezzan region of western Lybia, far away from Numidia in eastern Tunisia, where Tacfarinas was active. See also Book 3, ch. 74.) non ut cum exercitu incederet, sed missis levibus copiis (non ut cum exercitu incederet, sed missis levibus copiis: ‘not in order to intervene with his army, but by sending lightly-armed units’; missis levibus copiis: abl. abs., lit. ‘lightly-armed troops being sent’. Note the change of construction from a purpose clause to abl. abs. to add variety to the narrative, one of Tacitus’ peculiarities.) quae ex longinquo in maius audiebantur; (ex longinquo in maius audiebantur: ‘being from far away (ex longinquo), their numbers were heard magnified.’ The passive of audio is frequently used by Tacitus in reference to rumors heard at second hand and changing as they are passed along, the farther their origin the greater being the change they undergo on the way.) ipsaque e provincia ut quis fortunae inops, moribus turbidus, promptius ruebant, (ut quis fortunae inops, moribus turbidus, promptius ruebant: ut establishes a correlation between two sets of circumstances: ‘in proportion as anyone [was] destitute and restless for change, the more eagerly he rushed to join Tacfarinas,’ quis is for aliquis after ut and singular, but with collective force, hence the plural ruebant.) quia Caesar post res a Blaeso gestas (res a Blaeso gestas: cf. Book 3, ch. 74.) quasi nullis iam in Africa hostibus reportari nonam legionem iusserat, (quasi nullis iam in Africa hostibus reportari nonam legionem iusserat: ‘he had ordered that the Ninth legion be brought back, as though no enemies were then left in Africa.’ quasi nullis …in Africa hostbus: abl. abs., ‘as if no enemies having been left in Africa’; quasi, normally a subordinating conjunction, is here as adverb modifying an adjective (nullis), a usage that spread after classical times. The Ninth legion, stationed in Pannonia, was moved to Africa, passing through Rome, in 20 A.D. to fight Tacfarinas (cf. Book 3, ch. 9), but was returned to Pannonia in the wake of Blaesus’ successes.) nec pro consule eius anni P. Dolabella (P. Dolabella: for Publius Cornelius Dolabella, a notorious sycophant, cf. Book 3, ch. 47 and 69.) retinere ausus erat iussa principis magis quam incerta belli metuens.