VI.
Erant quibus adpetentior famae videretur, (erant quibus adpetentior famae videretur: rel. clause of characteristic with subjunctive: ‘there were those to whom he seemed too hungry for fame.’) quando etiam sapientibus cupido gloriae novissima exuitur. (quando etiam sapientibus cupido gloriae novissima exuitur: causal quando is construed with indicative: ‘since the desire for glory is the last [weakness] shed even by the wise.’ sapientibus is dative of agent with a passive verb in place of abl. with a or ab. It is rare in prose, but Tacitus affects it. ) ruina soceri (ruina soceri: abl. of cause) in exilium pulsus, ut Galbae principatu rediit, Marcellum Eprium, delatorem Thraseae, accusare adgreditur. ea ultio, incertum maior an iustior, senatum in studia diduxerat: (ea ultio, incertum maior an iustior senatum in studia diduxerat: ‘that redress of injustice, uncertain whether more raucous or more righteous, had split the Senate into factions.’ incertum maior an iustior: alternative question with only the second part, as usual in Tacitus, preceded by an interrogative particle.) nam si caderet Marcellus, agmen reorum sternebatur. (si caderet Marcellus, agmen reorum sternebatur: conditional sentence of the ideal or potential type. The imperfect indicative in the apodosis expresses certainty in the outcome if the condition were fulfilled.) primo minax certamen et egregiis utriusque orationibus testatum; (primo minax certamen et egregiis utriusque orationibus testatum: ‘at first the dispute was tempestuous and attested by the great speeches of both contendants.’ Obviously, the speeches must have survived at least until Tacitus’ time.) mox dubia voluntate Galbae, multis senatorum deprecantibus, (dubia voluntate Galbae, multis senatorum deprecantibus: abl. abs.: ‘Galba’s intentions being dubious and many senators entreating [Priscus to desist]’) omisit Priscus, variis, ut sunt hominum ingenia, sermonibus moderationem laudantium aut constantiam requirentium. (variis … sermonibus moderationem laudantium aut constantiam requirentium: abl. abs.: ‘the comments of those praising his moderation or deploring his want of resolve conflicting’) Ceterum (ceterum: marks a return to the narrative suspended at the end of ch. 4 to accommodate the parenthesis about Priscus’ life. Possibly: ‘in any case’, ‘anyhow’, ‘be that as it may’, ‘at all events’, ‘to continue’) eo senatus die quo de imperio Vespasiani censebant, placuerat mitti ad principem legatos. hinc inter Helvidium et Eprium acre iurgium: Priscus eligi nominatim a magistratibus iuratis, (eligi nominatim a magistratibus iuratis: ‘that they be expressly chosen by the magistrates sworn for that purpose’) Marcellus urnam (urnam: an urn for drawing lots; here metonymy, the vessel standing for its use, the selection by lot) postulabat, quae consulis designati sententia fuerat.