VII
Reges ex nobilitate, duces ex virtute sumunt. Nec regibus infinita aut libera potestas: (regibus infinita aut libera potestas: regibus is dat. of possessor with implies est: ‘kings do not have boundless or arbitrary powers’.) et duces exemplo potius, quam imperio, si prompti, si conspicui, si ante aciem agant, admiratione praesunt. (si ante aciem agant, admiratione praesunt: conditional sentence of the ideal or potential type (Type II): the condition is conceived or presumed by the mind as possible, hence the subjunctive in the protasis; the indicative in the apodosis suggests that the stated result can be counted on once the condition is fulfilled.) Ceterum (ceterum: adversative sense, ‘nevertheless’) neque animadvertere neque vincire, ne verberare quidem, nisi sacerdotibus permissum; non quasi in poenam, nec ducis jussu, sed velut deo imperante, (non quasi in poenam, … sed velut deo imperante: both quasi (quam si) and velut (velut si) are conditional particles of comparison, both here without finite verb: ‘not as the case would be if the intention was punishment, but as though at the bidding of a [guardian] god’; in poenam: in implies intention, ‘with punishment in mind’; deo imperante: may be abl. of cause or instrument, ‘by the will of a god’, or abl. abs., ‘a god so directing’. The punishment is offered as a sacrifice to the god in graditude for the protection accorded.) quem adesse bellantibus credunt: effigiesque et signa quaedam, detracta lucis, (effigiesque et signa quaedam, detracta lucis: ‘effigies and also certain symbols are taken out from their hallowed groves’: there appears to be agreement among commentators that effigies are images of animals sacred to the gods, since it was considered disrespectful to represent the gods themselves in any form, human or otherwise (see also Histories, Book 4, ch. 22); signa may be objects representing weapons or tools associated with the gods, e.g. the sword of Tiu or the hammer of Donar. detracta: plur. and neuter since either (a) it refers to effigiesque et signa, two nouns of inanimate things of different gender or (b) it agrees with the nearest noun. Cf. A.G. 287, 2. and 3.) in proelium ferunt. Quodque praecipuum fortitudinis incitamentum est, non casus nec fortuita conglobatio turmam aut cuneum facit, sed familiae et propinquitates, et in proximo pignora, (quodque praecipuum fortitudinis incitamentum est, non casus nec fortuita conglobatio turmam aut cuneum facit, sed familiae et propinquitates et in proximo pignora: ‘and the main stimulus to bravery is the fact that (quod, explanatory) neither chance nor haphazard grouping makes their cavalry squadrons or infantry formations, but families and communities, as well as having the dearest ones nearby’. in proximo pignora: ‘the pledges of one’s love being close at hand ’) unde feminarum ululatus audiri, (unde feminarum ululatus audiri: audiri is hist. infinitive, rarely found in a relative clause (here introduced by unde); more common in temporal clauses with cum, ut, ubi, postquam. Cf. L. 1539 and G. 647, Note.) unde vagitus infantium: hi cuique sanctissimi testes, hi maximi laudatores. Ad matres, ad conjuges vulnera ferunt; nec illae numerare, aut exigere plagas (exigere plagas: may also mean that the women expect or demand to see wounds on their men as token of bravery.) pavent; cibosque et hortamina pugnantibus gestant.