XXXVI
In latere Chaucorum Chattorumque Cherusci (in latere Chaucorum Chattorumque Cherusci: the directions are rather cursory and generic, as usual in Tacitus. The Cherusci were NNE of the Chatti and south of the Chauci, east of the Teutoburger Wald, between modern Hannover to the north and the Harz mountain range to the south, in the area around Braunschweig. They were famous on account of Arminius, their chief, who in 9 A.D. had ambushed and destroyed three Roman legions under Quintilius Varus (Book 1 and 2 of the Annals). Later the Cherusci were weakened and humiliated by losing a war against the Chatti.) nimiam ac marcentem diu pacem illacessiti nutrierunt; (nimiam ac marcentem diu pacem illacessiti nutrierunt: ‘undisturbed by invaders, they fostered a peace that was too durable and debilitating in the long run (diu)’.) idque jucundius, quam tutius, fuit: quia inter impotentes et validos falso quiescas; (quia inter impotentes et validos falso quiescas: quia is normally followed by indicative, except in indirect discourse, be it expressed or implicit: here the clause partakes of the nature of a proverb, whose gist is: ‘since, as they say, sleeping among lions is not safe’. Cf. G. 541 and A.G. 540. quiescas is use of the second person singular as indefinite subject; the subjunctive is potential, ‘you may rest unwisely’.) ubi manu agitur, (ubi manu agitur: ‘whenever things are done using force’. ubi can take any tense of the indicative for recurrent action; agitur is impersonal use of passive, ‘it is acted’.) modestia ac probitas nomina superioris sunt. (modestia ac probitas nomina superioris sunt: ‘modesty and probity are names distinguishing the stronger man’. Lit. ‘names of the stronger man’) Ita, qui olim boni aequique Cherusci, nunc inertes ac stulti vocantur: Chattis victoribus fortuna in sapientiam cessit. (Chattis victoribus fortuna in sapientiam cessit: ‘success for the victorious Chatti has passed for wisdom’.) Tracti ruina Cheruscorum et Fosi, contermina gens, adversarum rerum ex aequo socii, cum in secundis minores fuissent. (Fosi …adversarum rerum ex aequo socii, cum in secundis minores fuissent: ‘the Fosi, …partners to an equal extent [of the Cherusci] in their misfortune, whereas they had been only minor partners in prosperity’. cum is here adversative or concessive and in either case requires subjunctive. The Fosi, except for the mention here, are otherwise unknown: it has been said that they lived along the river Fusa (hence the name), a tributary of the Aller near Celle, northeast of Hannover and northwest of Braunschweig.)