XLIV.
Obiere eo anno viri nobiles Cn. Lentulus et L. Domitius. (Cn. Lentulus et L. Domitius: Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus was previously mentioned in the Annals in Book 1, ch. 27, and in ch. 29 of the present book. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus was the grandfather of emperor Nero.) Lentulo super consulatum et triumphalia de Getis gloriae fuerat bene tolerata paupertas, dein magnae opes innocenter partae et modeste habitae. (Lentulo super consulatum et triumphalia de Getis gloriae fuerat bene tolerata paupertas, dein magnae opes innocenter partae et modeste habitae: ‘beside the consulate and the triumphal insignia for his victory over the Geti, Lentulus had [to his credit] a poverty graciously borne, then great wealth honestly acquired and modestly relished.’ Geti, also known as Getae or Daci were inhabitants of Dacia, approx. modern Romania. Lentulo is dative of possessor with fuerat; cf. note for sibi … esse in previous chapter.) Domitium decoravit pater civili bello maris potens, donec Antonii partibus, mox Caesaris misceretur. (donec Antonii partibus, mox Caesaris misceretur: ‘until he associated himself [first] with Antony’s party then with Caesar’s’; Antonii and Caesaris are Marc Antony and Octavian (later Augustus) respectively, the two archrivals in the civil war preceding the establishment of the empire. donec …misceretur: donec in Tacitus is almost regularly with subjunctive; misceretur is reflexive rather than passive.) avus Pharsalica acie pro optumatibus ceciderat. (avus Pharsalica acie pro optumatibus ceciderat: ‘his grandfather had died on behalf of the aristocrats in the battle of Pharsalus.’ Pharsalus, a city in Thessaly (central Greece) where Julius Caesar defeated Pompey in 48 B.C.) ipse delectus cui minor Antonia, Octavia genita, in matrimonium daretur, (ipse delectus cui minor Antonia, Octavia genita, in matrimonium daretur: ‘[Domitius] himself was chosen [as the man] to whom would be given Antonia minor, Octavia’s daughter.’ Octavia, the sister of Octavian (Augustus), had two daughters, both named Antonia, so distinguished as Antonia major (the elder) and Antonia minor. Tacitus is mistaken both here and in Book 12, ch. 64 in saying thar Antonia minor was married to Domitius, when in fact she was the wife of Drusus, Tiberius’ brother and son of Livia Augusta. daretur is in place of ut daretur.) post exercitu flumen Albim (flumen Albim: the Elbe river flowing from the Czech republic into the North Sea, north of Hamburg. Domitius crossed it in the southern portion of the river, probably in Bohemia where he was operating.) transcendit, longius penetrata Germania quam quisquam priorum, (longius penetrata Germania quam quisquam priorum: abl. abs.: ‘Germany having been penetrated farther than anyone (quisquam) of his predecessors {had done].) easque ob res insignia triumphi adeptus est. obiit et L. Antonius, (L. Antonius: he was married to Claudia Marcella major, the daughter of Octavia, Augustus’ sister. The honor shown to his ashes may be due to Marcella, who perhaps was still alive when he died.) multa claritudine generis sed improspera. nam patre eius Iullo Antonio ob adulterium Iuliae morte punito (patre eius Iullo Antonio ob adulterium Iuliae morte punito: abl. abs.: ’his father being Julius Antonius, condemned to die on account of his adultery with Julia [the daughter of Augustus]’) hunc admodum adulescentulum, sororis nepotem, seposuit Augustus in civitatem Massiliensem ubi specie studiorum nomen exilii tegeretur. (hunc admodum adulescentulum, sororis nepotem, seposuit Augustus in civitatem Massiliensem ubi specie studiorum nomen exilii tegeretur: ‘Augustus confined him (Antonius), still a very young man, to the city of Massilia (Marseille) where the word exile might be veiled by the pretence of studies.’ ubi …tegeretur: use of subjunctive after ubi because the clause is in virtual oratio obliqua: ‘where, [as Augustus thought], his exile would be disguised as …’; Tacitus uses sepono to mean something less drastic then full exile. adulescentulus is diminutive of adulescens.) habitus tamen supremis honor ossaque tumulo Octaviorum inlata per decretum senatus. (habitus tamen supremis honor ossaque tumulo Octaviorum inlata per decretum senatus: ‘honor was accorded, however, to his obsequies (supremis, dat. of suprema, used as noun) and his ashes were placed in the tumulus of the Octavii, by decree of the senate.’ per + acc. can replace abl. of cause.)