XIV.
Igitur Civilis desciscendi certus, (desciscendi certus: genitive (here gerund) after an adj. requiring an object. Cf. A.G. 349, a. and d.) occultato interim altiore consilio, cetera ex eventu iudicaturus, novare res hoc modo coepit. (occultato interim altiore consilio, cetera ex eventu iudicaturus, novare res … coepit: ‘his deeper intent having been hidden and intending to decide the rest from the circumstances, he began to shake things up.’ Civilis’ ultimate design was the creation of a kingdom of Germany and Gaul.) iussu Vitellii Batavorum iuventus ad dilectum vocabatur, quem suapte natura gravem onerabant ministri avaritia ac luxu,)(quem suapte natura gravem onerabant ministri avaritia ac luxu: ‘which [levy], already injurious by its own nature, the recruiting agents made more unbearable by their graspingness and depravity.’ The enclitic –pte, added to possessive adjectives is for emphasis.) senes aut invalidos conquirendo, quos pretio dimitterent: (senes aut invalidos conquirendo, quos pretio dimitterent: ‘going after the aged and the infirm to release them for a price’; senes aut invalidos conquirendo: example of abl. gerund followed by direct object; the rel. clause quos …dimitterent stands in for a purpose clause.) rursus impubes et forma conspicui (et est plerisque procera pueritia) (est plerisque procera pueritia: plerisque is dative of possessor with est: lit. ‘most have a tall boyhood.’) ad stuprum trahebantur. hinc invidia, (hinc invidia: ‘hence [arose] indignation.’) et compositae seditionis auctores perpulere ut dilectum abnuerent. (compositae seditionis auctores perpulere ut dilectum abnuerent: ‘the leaders of the organized revolt prevailed [on the people] to refuse the levy.’ perpello is normally followed by ut clause, but the infinitive is also found.) Civilis primores gentis et promptissimos vulgi specie epularum sacrum in nemus vocatos, ubi nocte ac laetitia incaluisse videt, (ubi nocte ac laetitia incaluisse videt: ‘when he saw that they had become warm with the night’s revelry, …’ nocte ac laetitia is hendiadys and so is laude gloriaque below. ubi …videt: ubi takes indicatve; videt is historical present; also enumerat further on.) a laude gloriaque gentis orsus (a laude gloriaque gentis orsus: ‘beginning by extolling the glory of their nation, …’) iniurias et raptus et cetera servitii mala enumerat: neque enim societatem, ut olim, sed tamquam mancipia haberi: ( neque enim societatem, ut olim, sed tamquam mancipia haberi: the preceding enumerat introduces indir.speech, which continues to the end of the chapter: lit. ‘for [he said] the alliance was not as in time past, but they were considered as if slaves’; neque enim: ‘for …not’; cf. A.G. 324, h.) quando legatum, gravi quidem comitatu et superbo, cum imperio venire? (quando legatum … cum imperio venire?: infinitive is used in a question in indirect speech when the question if purely rhetorical, thus equivalent to a statement. Cf. A.G. 586. legatus: here a provincial governor appointed by the emperor; cum imperio: a legate with full powers would have the authority to redress and punish abuses., a kind of court of appeal.) tradi se praefectis centurionibusque: quos ubi spoliis et sanguine expleverint, mutari, exquirique novos sinus et varia praedandi vocabula. (tradi se praefectis centurionibusque: quos ubi spoliis et sanguine expleverint, mutari, exquirique novos sinus et varia praedandi vocabula: ‘that they (se) were abandoned to prefects (minor governors of small distrcts) and centurions, who were replaced whenever they had their fill of blood and spoils, that new pockets were found [to stuff with illicit gains] and fancy new names of plundering; ubi …explevering: perf. subjunctive corresponding to the perf. indicative of direct speech; praedandi vocabula: the gerund praedandi is objective genitive; cf. G. 363. sinus were folds in a toga in which money was carried.) instare dilectum (instare dilectum: ‘that the levy was upon them’) quo liberi a parentibus, fratres a fratribus velut supremum dividantur. (quo …velut supremum dividantur: ‘by which they were divided as if forever’; dividantur , present subjunctive, is repraesentatio. Cf. B. 318. supremum is adverb.) numquam magis adflictam rem Romanam (numquam magis adflictam rem Romanam: ‘that never before the Roman state had ever been more impaired’) nec aliud in hibernis quam praedam et senes: attollerent tantum oculos et inania legionum nomina ne pavescerent. (attollerent tantum oculos et inania legionum nomina ne pavescerent: attollerent and ne pavescerent are imperatives in indir. speech, the latter in the form of a prohibition. In direct speech: attollite and nolite pavescere or ne pavescatis; see G. 270, R. 2 and A.G. 588.) at sibi (at sibi: at denotes contrast with what precedes; the reflexive sibi refers to the Batavi and is dative of possessor with an implied form of esse.) robur peditum equitumque, consanguineos Germanos, Gallias idem cupientis. ne Romanis quidem ingratum id bellum, cuius ambiguam fortunam Vespasiano imputaturos: (ne Romanis quidem ingratum id bellum, cuius ambiguam fortunam Vespasiano imputaturos: ‘that not even to the Romans themselves would that war be displeasing, the doubtful fortunes of which they would lay to the charge of Vespasian’, that is, they would claim that they had fought to help the Fabian cause and thereby gain credit with Vespasian.) victoriae rationem non reddi. (victoriae rationem non reddi: ‘that no accounts are rendered for victory’)