LXV.
Haudquaquam erecto animo eas (haudquaquam erecto animo: ‘his interest by no means roused’) voces accipiebat, invalidus senecta; sed erant qui occultis suspicionibus incesserent, tamquam invidia et aemulatione fortunam fratris moraretur. (erant qui occultis suspicionibus incesserent tamquam invidia et aemulatione fortunam fratris moraretur: ‘some [of Sabinus interlocutors] beset him with veiled accusations, on the grounds that he was delaying his brother’s elevation out of spite and envy’; erant qui …incesserent is a clause of characteristic requiring subjunctive (cf. A.G. 534-535). tamquam …moraretur: Tacitus often uses tamquam like quod or quia to give an assumed reason. Cf. G. 602, Note 4.) namque Flavius Sabinus aetate prior privatis utriusque rebus (privatis utriusque rebus: abl. abs., ‘the condition of both being private’) auctoritate pecuniaque Vespasianum anteibat, et credebatur adfectam eius fidem parce iuvisse domo agrisque pignori acceptis; (credebatur adfectam eius fidem parce iuvisse domo agrisque pignori acceptis: ‘it was believed that Sabinus had reluctantly backed the tottering credit of his brother (eius) after accepting his house and lands as security.’ pignori: dat. of purpose, ‘for a pledge’) unde, quamquam manente (quamquam manente: the use of quamquam to modify a participle is definitely post-classical. G. 605, Note 1.) in speciem concordia, offensarum operta (offensarum operta: ‘secret resentments’ or, literally and more suggestively, ‘the secret recesses of resentment’) metuebantur. melior interpretatio, (interpretatio: here the noun functions as a verb of saying introducing indir. speech down to agitare.) mitem virum abhorrere a sanguine et caedibus, eoque crebris cum Vitellio sermonibus de pace ponendisque per condicionem armis agitare. (eoque crebris cum Vitellio sermonibus de pace ponendisque per condicionem armis agitare: ‘for that reason, he often discussed about peace in frequent meetings with Vitellius and the laying down of arms through negotiations.’ agitare: frequentative form of ago. de …ponendis …armis: abl. gerundive, ‘about arms to be laid down’) saepe domi congressi, postremo in aede Apollinis, (in aede Apollinis: on the Palatine hill, west of the Forum) ut fama fuit, pepigere. (pepigere: ‘they reached an accord’; the verb is pango.) verba vocesque duos testis habebant, Cluvium Rufum et Silium Italicum: vultus procul visentibus notabantur, (verba vocesque duos testis habebant, Cluvium Rufum et Silium Italicum: vultus procul visentibus notabantur: verba vocesque is hendiadys: ‘the verbal agreement had two witnesses, Cluvius Rufus and Silius Italicus; the expressions [on Vitellius’ and Sabinus’ faces] were noted by those looking on from a distance.’ vultus procul visentibus notabantur: visentibus is dative of agent regularly found after passive forms of video or related verbs. Cluvius Rufus: governor of Spain; cf. Book 1, ch. 8 and Book 2, ch. 58 and 65. Silius Italicus is known mainly for his epic Punica, which has survived.) Vitellii proiectus et degener, (proiectus et degener: ‘abject and unworthy of his state’) Sabinus non insultans et miseranti propior. (miseranti propior: ‘nearer to that of a man commiserating.’ propior takes dative.)