XIII.
At (at: introduces here a new and contrasting aspect of the same subject, namely the disorders within Vitellius`camp; at is frequently used in this manner, as sometimes is also sed.) Caecina, defectione classis vulgata, primores centurionum et paucos militum, ceteris per militiae munera dispersis, (ceteris per militiae munera dispersis: ‘the others having been scattered by means of military assignments’; it has been suggested that munera should be emended to munia.) secretum castrorum adfectans (secretum castrorum adfectans: ‘seeking the privacy of the camp’, i.e. conditions in which no witnesses were present.) in principia vocat. ibi Vespasiani virtutem virisque partium extollit: transfugisse classem, in arto commeatum, (in arto commeatum: ‘the supply situation critical’) adversas Gallias Hispaniasque, nihil in urbe fidum; atque omnia de Vitellio in deterius. mox incipientibus qui conscii aderant, ceteros re nova attonitos in verba Vespasiani adigit; (mox incipientibus qui conscii aderant, ceteros re nova attonitos in verba Vespasiani adigit: lit. ‘those present who knew of the plot making a beginning, Caecina soon prevailed on the rest, stunned by the novel twist, to take the oath to Vespasian’; re nova attonitos: re nova is abl. of instrument, rather than of agent, as indicated by the absence of a or ab.) simul Vitellii imagines dereptae et missi qui Antonio nuntiarent. sed ubi totis castris in fama proditio, recurrens in principia miles praescriptum Vespasiani nomen, proiectas Vitellii effigies aspexit, (ubi totis castris in fama proditio [fuit], miles … praescriptum Vespasiani nomen … aspexit, …: ‘when the treason became common knowledge throughout the camp and the soldiers saw Vespasian’s name inscribed on the standards …’. Temporal ubi is usually followed by perf. indicative.) vastum primo silentium, mox cuncta simul erumpunt. (mox cuncta simul erumpunt: sudden switch to present: ‘immediately everything bursts out at once’) huc cecidisse Germanici exercitus gloriam ut sine proelio, sine vulnere vinctas manus et capta traderent arma? (huc cecidisse Germanici exercitus gloriam ut … traderent arma?: rhetorical question (as is the one following) in indir. speech after a verb of saying implid in cuncta …erumpunt; such questions, which entail their own answer, are considered assertions and are put in the infinitive with acc. subject. The correlatives huc and ut introduce the two parts of a consecutive sentence in indir. discourse: ‘had the reputation of the German army sunk so low that they should relinquish their arms?’) quas enim ex diverso legiones? nempe victas; (quas enim ex diverso legiones? nempe victas: ‘what legions were there from the opposing side? Obviously the defeated ones’. nempe victas: nempe ironically opens a question the answer to which is already known to the other speaker: ‘you mean no doubt the defeated ones’.) et (et: adds reinforcement or afterthought.) abesse unicum Othoniani exercitus robur, primanos quartadecimanosque, (et abesse …primanos quartadecimanosque: the First Adiutrix legion that had fought so valiantly at Bedriacum (cf. Book 2, ch. 43) had been sent by Vitellius to Spain (Book 2, ch. 67); the Fourteenth legion, only detachments of which saw any fighting, was sent to Britain (Book 2, ch. 66).) quos tamen (tamen: ‘after all’) isdem illis campis fuderint straverintque. (quos …fuderint straverintque: subjunctive for rel. clause in indir. discourse; fuderint and straverint correspond to fudimus and stravimus of direct speech.) ut tot armatorum milia, velut grex venalium, (venalium: venalis is said in general of a person who is bought and sold.) exuli Antonio donum darentur? (ut tot armatorum milia … exuli Antonio donum darentur?: ut here introduces an exclamatory question with subjunctive to express surprise, indignation, or similar feelings (cf. A.G. 462, a. and G. 558): ‘why should so many thousands of armed men be given as a present to that proscribed Antonius?’ Antonius was once exiled by Nero for fraud; cf. Book 2, 86.) octo nimirum legiones unius classis accessionem fore. (octo nimirum legiones unius classis accessionem fore: nimirum implies bitter sarcasm: ‘naturally, eight legions were going to be the appendage of one paltry fleet’. The eight legions were: First Italica, Fifth Alaudae (‘of the Crested Lark’), Twenty-first Rapax, Twenty-second Primigenia, First Germanica, Fourth Macedonica, Fifteenth Primigenia, Sixteenth Gallica; the first four were complete legions, the last four only select detachments.) id Basso, id Caecinae visum, postquam domos hortos opes principi abstulerint, (postquam … abstulerint: subjunctive after postquam in indir. speech; abstulerint reflects abstulerunt of direct speech.) etiam militem auferre. (id Basso, id Caecinae visum [esse] …principi … etiam militem auferre: ‘this was the plan for Bassus and Caecina, to rob the emperor also of his soldiers’.) integros incruentosque, Flavianis quoque partibus vilis, quid dicturos reposcentibus aut prospera aut adversa? (quid dicturos reposcentibus aut prospera aut adversa?: the question again is rhetorical , eliciting no response, therefore tantamount to a forceful statement that requires the infinitive construction in indir. speech.)