XLIII.
Ac si statim interiora ceterasque nationes petivisset, oppressa cunctantium dubitatio et omnes in unum cedebant: (si … ceterasque nationes petivisset, … omnes in unum cedebant: conditional sentence with contrary to fact condition (type III): ‘if he had visited the other nations [of the empire], all Parthians would have inclined towards one man.’ The imperfect indicative in the apodosis represents an assured outcome had the condition proven true. See G. 254 Remark 3.) adsidendo castellum, in quod pecuniam et paelices Artabanus contulerat, dedit spatium exuendi pacta. (adsidendo castellum, in quod pecuniam et paelices Artabanus contulerat, dedit spatium exuendi pacta: ‘by besieging the fortress into which [Artabanus] had collected his wealth and concubines, he gave space for reneging on promises.’ adsidendo castellum: instrumental use of abl. gerund with direct object, a construction only possible with abl. gerund without preposition, as here, and genitive gerund, as shown next; spatium exuendi pacta: the gerund exuendi is objective genitive after a noun, having a direct object and expressing purpose: this final usage of the gerund is found mostly in later Latin when its function is that of a predicate genitive. See A.G. 504, a., Note.) nam Phraates et Hiero et si qui alii delectum capiendo diademati diem haut concelebraverant, pars metu, quidam invidia in Abdagaesen qui tum aula et novo rege potiebatur ad Artabanum vertere; (et si qui alii delectum capiendo diademati diem haut concelebraverant, pars metu, quidam invidia in Abdagaesen qui tum aula et novo rege potiebatur ad Artabanum vertere: ‘and if any others (si qui alii) had not participated in the ceremonies during the day appointed for the coronation, they transferred their allegiance to Artabanus, some from fear, others from envy of Abdagaeses who then was in control of the court and of the new king.’ Abdagaeses, the father of Sinnaces, was first mentioned in ch. 36. si qui alii … concelebraverant: the indefinite pronoun or adjective si qui or si quis (often written as one word and meaning ‘if any unspecified person(s), who … ‘, or simply ‘anyone or any persons at all, who …’) is used with either indicative or subjunctive. capiendo diademati: use of dat. gerundive to signify intention or destination, lit. ‘for the crown to be accepted’. Ernout says that the frequent occurrence of this dative in both Livy and Tacitus is a reaction against the overuse, in their time, of ad + acc. to express purpose.) isque in Hyrcanis repertus est, inluvie obsitus et alimenta arcu expediens. (is in Hyrcanis repertus est, inluvie obsitus et alimenta arcu expediens: ‘he, [Artabanus], was tracked down among the Hyrcanians, coated in filth, and supporting life with his bow.’ Hyrcania was a region of Parthia south and southeast of the Caspian sea, also known as the Hyrcanian sea.) ac primo tamquam dolus pararetur territus, (primo tamquam dolus pararetur territus: ‘at first fearful, thinking a trap was being set for him’; in Tacitus tamquam often introduces a presumed reason with subjunctive (virtual oratio obliqua). See G. 602, Note 4.) ubi data fides reddendae dominationi venisse, adlevatur animum (ubi data fides reddendae dominationi venisse, adlevatur animum: ‘as soon as assurance was given that they had come to return the empire [to him], his spirit was revived.’ reddendae dominationis: see note above for capiendo diademati. adlevatur is historical present and so is exquirit below.) et quae repentina mutatio exquirit. (quae repentina mutatio exquirit: quae is interrogative adjective qualifying mutatio: lit. ‘he asked what sudden change of heart [that was]’, i.e., ‘he asked the reason for the sudden change.’) tum Hiero pueritiam Tiridatis increpat, neque penes Arsaciden imperium sed inane nomen apud imbellem externa mollitia, vim in Abdagaesis domo. (neque penes Arsaciden imperium sed inane nomen apud imbellem externa mollitia, vim in Abdagaesis domo: ‘[Hiero exclaimed] that the empire [was] not in the hands of an Arsacid, but an empty title for a weakling [softened] by foreign luxury, and that the real power [was] in the house of Abdagaeses. penes Arsaciden: the prep penes takes acc.)