LXXIV.
Domitianus prima inruptione apud aedituum occultatus, sollertia liberti lineo amictu turbae sacricolarum immixtus (turbae sacricolarum immixtus: ‘mingling with a crowd of worshippers’, probably followers of the cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis, one of whose shrines was on Capitol hill; they spurned wool as unclean and dressed in linen clothes.) ignoratusque, apud Cornelium Primum paternum clientem iuxta Velabrum (iuxta Velabrum: Velabrum was a market area in the level space between the Capitol and the Palatine hills.) delituit. (delituit: from delitesco, ‘to slip’ ‘or slink away’, not a dignified thing to do for a future emperor. Tacitus never misses an opportunity to slight Domitian, whom he abhorred.) ac potiente rerum patre, disiecto aeditui contubernio, (potiente rerum patre, disiecto aeditui contubernio: two ablatives abs. both of temporal sense: ‘when his father became master of the world’ and ‘after he dismantled the hovel of the temple’s guardian’; potiens is from potior, unlike potens.) modicum sacellum Iovi Conservatori aramque posuit casus suos in marmore expressam; (aram … casus suos … expressam: the passive perfect participle of exprimere is occasionally found followed by acc. object rather than by abl., as if the verb were deponent, just like adeptus next.) mox imperium adeptus Iovi Custodi templum ingens seque in sinu dei sacravit. Sabinus et Atticus onerati catenis et ad Vitellium ducti nequaquam infesto sermone vultuque excipiuntur, (nequaquam infesto sermone vultuque excipiuntur: ‘they are received with words and looks in no way hostile.’ excipiuntur is historical present.) frementibus qui ius caedis et praemia navatae operae petebant. (frementibus qui ius caedis et praemia navatae operae petebant: abl. abs. with dependent rel clause: ‘those grumbling, who demanded their right to murder the prisoners and the reward for the work done’) clamore a proximis orto sordida pars plebis supplicium Sabini exposcit, minas adulationesque miscet. stantem pro gradibus Palatii Vitellium et preces parantem pervicere ut absisteret: (stantem pro gradibus Palatii Vitellium et preces parantem pervicere ut absisteret: the subject of pervicere is a collective ‘they’ from sordida pars plebis: ‘they prevailed on Vitellius, standing before the steps of the palace, ready to plead [in favor of the prisoners] to desist.’) tum confossum laceratumque et absciso capite truncum corpus Sabini in Gemonias (in Gemonias: or Gemoniae scalae, a set of steps near the base of the eastern slope of Capitol hill (exact location unknown) down which the corpses of criminals were dragged to the Tiber.) trahunt.