XII
Licet apud concilium accusare quoque et discrimen capitis intendere. (discrimen capitis intendere: ‘to bring charges for capital offenses’) Distinctio poenarum ex delicto: proditores et transfugas arboribus suspendunt; ignavos et imbelles et corpore infames coeno ac palude, injecta insuper crate, mergunt. (ignavos et imbelles et corpore infames coeno ac palude, injecta insuper crate, mergunt: ‘they immerse cowards, weaklings, and perverts (lit. ‘men foul as to the body’) in the slime of swamps, a wooden frame being thrown over them’. corpore is abl. of specification (cf. L. 1385); imbelles may include shirkers, malingerers, effeminate men, and anyone who is afraid or refuses to fight. coeno ac palude is hendiadys.) Diversitas supplicii illuc respicit, tanquam scelera ostendi oporteat, dum puniuntur, flagitia abscondi. (diversitas supplicii illuc respicit, tanquam scelera ostendi oporteat, dum puniuntur, flagitia abscondi: lit. ‘the difference in punishment points to a situation [where], as one might say, it becomes necessary that crimes be shown while they are punished, but depravities be hidden’. Tacitus is distinguishing between crimes against the state and crimes against nature, between man-made laws and divine (moral) laws. tanquam (‘as if’) is found with the subjunctive of comparison. Cf. G. 602. ) Sed (sed: here used in a coordinating capacity, like et, to add a new thought.) et levioribus delictis, pro modo poenarum, (pro modo poenarum: ‘in proportion to’ + genitive) equorum pecorumque numero convicti mulctantur: pars mulctae regi vel civitati, pars ipsi, qui vindicatur, vel propinquis ejus exsolvitur. Eliguntur in iisdem conciliis et principes, (principes: men prominent in the community and members of the group of one hundred mentioned below) qui jura per pagos vicosque (pagos vicosque: see note for centeni ex singulis pagis sunt in ch. 6.) reddunt. Centeni singulis ex plebe comites, consilium simul et auctoritas, (plebe comites, consilium simul et auctoritas: consilium and auctoritas are apposition of the subject, comites: ‘the assistants from the people, his support and authority, …’.) adsunt.