XLVI.
Inter quae militaris seditio prope exarsit. praetorianam militiam repetebant a Vitellio dimissi, (a Vitellio dimissi: the praetorians who had backed Otho and were dismissed by Vitellius (Book 2, ch. 67) and had resumed service under Vespasian (Book 2, ch. 82.) pro Vespasiano congregati; et lectus in eandem spem (in eandem spem: ‘with the same prospect’; in + acc. used to express purpose) e legionibus miles promissa stipendia flagitabat. (e legionibus miles promissa stipendia flagitabat: service in the praetorian guard was paid more than twice the service in the legions. e legionibus is abl. of place from which.) ne Vitelliani quidem sine multa caede pelli poterant: (ne Vitelliani quidem … pelli poterant: probably the non-praetorian troops who surrendered at Narni in Book 3, ch. 63 and at Bovillae in Book 4, ch. 2 and also mentioned below.) sed immensa pecunia tanta vis hominum retinenda erat. (immensa pecunia tanta vis hominum retinenda erat: ‘such an immense force could only be kept with a staggering outlay of money’.) ingressus castra Mucianus, quo rectius stipendia singulorum spectaret, (quo rectius stipendia singulorum spectaret: ‘that thereby the more correctly he should examine the length of service of each man’; for use of quo + subjunctive see note for quo … plebes modestiae admoneretur in previous chapter.) suis cum insignibus armisque victores constituit, modicis inter se spatiis discretos. (modicis inter se spatiis discretos: ‘separated by a moderate distance between themselves’; Mucianus’ intent is to make his army appear larger and more menacing.) tum Vitelliani, quos apud Bovillas in deditionem acceptos memoravimus, ceterique per urbem et urbi vicina (urbi vicina: ‘places near the city’) conquisiti producuntur (producuntur: historical present; other examples can be found below.) prope intecto corpore. (prope intecto corpore: ‘with their bodies nearly bare’) eos Mucianus diduci et Germanicum Britannicumque militem, ac si qui aliorum exercituum, separatim adsistere iubet. illos primus statim aspectus obstupefecerat, cum ex diverso (ex diverso: ‘from the opposite direction’) velut aciem telis et armis trucem, (velut aciem telis et armis trucem: ‘seemingly an army about to attack, fierce-looking on account of the weapons and armor’) semet clausos nudosque et inluvie deformis aspicerent: (cum … semet clausos nudosque et inluvie deformis aspicerent: ‘when they saw themselves hemmed around, unarmed, and disfigured by filth, …’; cum + subjunctive gives the circumstances preceding or accompanying the action of the main verb. semet is for emphasis.) ut vero huc illuc distrahi coepere, metus per omnis et praecipua Germanici militis formido, tamquam ea separatione ad caedem destinaretur. (tamquam …destinaretur: cf. note for tamquam …rogaret in ch. 44.) prensare commanipularium pectora, cervicibus innecti, (cervicibus innecti: ‘hanging on their necks’) suprema oscula petere, (prensare … petere: historical infinitives) ne desererentur soli neu pari causa (pari causa: ‘in a common cause’) disparem fortunam paterentur; (ne desererentur …neu … paterentur: ne introduces a first neg. purpose clause, neu a second: ‘to prevent that they should be abandoned and not to allow that they should suffer …’.) modo Mucianum, modo absentem principem, postremum caelum ac deos obtestari, donec Mucianus cunctos eiusdem sacramenti, eiusdem imperatoris milites appellans, falso timori obviam iret; (donec Mucianus … timori obviam iret: lit. ‘until Mucianus went to bring relief to their fears’; donec + subjunctive indicates suspense and anticipation. ) namque et victor exercitus clamore lacrimas eorum iuvabat. isque finis illa die. paucis post diebus adloquentem Domitianum firmati iam excepere: spernunt oblatos agros, militiam et stipendia orant. preces erant, sed quibus contra dici non posset; igitur in praetorium accepti. dein quibus aetas et iusta stipendia, (iusta stipendia: ‘the required number of years of service’) dimissi cum honore, alii ob culpam, (ob culpam: ‘by rason of misconduct’) sed carptim (carptim: ‘gradually’) ac singuli, quo tutissimo remedio consensus multitudinis extenuatur.