XXIX
Omnium harum gentium virtute praecipui Batavi, non multum ex ripa, (ex ripa: abl. of source) sed insulam Rheni amnis (insulam Rheni amnis: the so-called insula Batavorum (modern Betuwe in Holland), formed by the two arms of the Rhine (the Nederrijn and the Waal) as the river approaches its mouth) colunt, Chattorum (Chattorum: the Chatti were settled in the region of Hessen around Fulda, NE of Frankfurt am Main and the Taunus Mountains, at the north end of the Weser river. See also next chapter.) quondam populus et seditione domestica in eas sedes transgressus, in quibus pars Romani imperii fierent. (in quibus pars Romani imperii fierent: subjunctive in relative clause equivalent to a final clause, ut … fierent, ‘destined there to become part of the Roman empire’) Manet honos et antiquae societatis insigne: (insigne: neuter noun, ‘mark of honor’) nam nec tributis contemnuntur, nec publicanus atterit: (nec publicanus atterit: ‘nor does the publican oppress them’; publicanus was the tax-farmer or contractor authorized to collect the tribute, inevitably a predatory individual out to fill his own pockets.) exempti oneribus et collationibus et tantum in usum proeliorum sepositi, velut tela atque arma, (velut tela atque arma: ‘as if they were weapons of war’; tela atque arma is hendiadys.) bellis reservantur. Est in eodem obsequio (in eodem obsequio: ‘in the same subservient state [as the Batavi]’) et Mattiacorum gens; (Mattiacorum gens: the Mattiaci were settled in the corner formed by the Rhine and the Main river, between Mannheim and Wiesbaden.) protulit enim magnitudo populi Romani ultra Rhenum, ultraque veteres terminos, imperii reverentiam. Ita sede finibusque in sua ripa, mente animoque nobiscum agunt, (sede finibusque in sua ripa, mente animoque nobiscum agunt: sede finibusque and mente animoque are ablatives of respect or specification: ‘in respect to site and territorial boundaries they are on the German side of the river, in hearts and minds they are on our side’.) cetera (cetera: adverb) similes Batavis, nisi quod ipso adhuc terrae suae solo et coelo acrius animantur. (nisi quod ipso adhuc terrae suae solo et coelo acrius animantur: the increased vigor may come either from (a) the more salubrious soil and climate of the land of the Mattiaci compared to that of the Batavi, or from (b) knowing that, unlike the Batavi, they live on German land, as yet free from foreign occupation. nisi quod: ‘except that’, ‘but for the fact that’) Non numeraverim (non numeraverim: potential subjunctive: use of first person sing. of the perfect for modest, cautious statements in expressing an opinion; cf. A.G. 447.) inter Germaniae populos, quanquam trans Rhenum Danubiumque consederint, (quanquam … consederint: for use of quamquam see note in previous chapter.) eos, qui Decumates agros exercent. (Decumates agros: when the Marcomanni moved to Bohemia in Augustus’ time, the vacuum they left behind in the territory without natural borders between the Rhine and the Danube (part of Baden-Wurttemberg and of Swabia) was filled by Gallic people in search of opportunities. These apparently were required to pay a tithe of their products (decima or decuma, the tenth part of the harvest) to maintain the protection of the legions against raids or invasion. According to some commentators, the name refers rather to the ten districts or cantons that form the Decumates agri.) Levissimus quisque Gallorum (levissimus quisque Gallorum: idiomatic use of quisque with a superlative: ‘all the dregs of the Gallic provinces’) et inopia audax, dubiae possessionis solum occupavere. Mox limite acto promotisque praesidiis, (limite acto promotisque praesidiis: abl. abs.: ‘the frontier having been advanced and our garrisons moved forward’; this refers to the fortified line (limes) undertaken by Vespasian in 73 A.D., continued by Domitian, and completed by the Antonine emperors, between the Rhine and the Danube, the two natural boundaries of the empire.) sinus imperii et pars provinciae habentur. (mox …, sinus imperii et pars provinciae habentur: the subject is agri Decumates: ‘now they are considered an outgrowth of the empire and part of the Roman province [of Germania Superior]’.)