1. Urbem] The opening sentence here forms a hexameter. Rycke says Tacitus wrote in this way, because Sallust did so before him a very foolish reason, if it were true. One would rather think it accidental, as it probably was; or did the Translators of our Bible wish to rival both Sallust and Tacitus, when they wrote, "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them"?

libertatem] By 'libertas' Tacitus means security from the arbitrary caprices of Tarquinius, the freedom enjoyed in a state where the laws are supreme, and not the will of one man. Juvenal conveys the same idea when he speaks of "legum prima securis" (viii. 268).

ad tempus] In vi. 11 Tacitus has "in tempus deligebatur qui ius redderet," and therefore seems to use the expressions convertibly. So xiii. 22, "Plautus ad praesens silentio transmissus est," and yet xv. 44, "repressaque in praesens exitiabilis superstitio." In H. i. 44 the two forms are combined, "munimentum ad praesens in posterum ultionem." This form, ad praesens,' is said to be almost peculiar to the silver age of Latinity. The sense is for a time,' the dictatorship not being a yearly office, or for a stated time, but for such a period, not exceeding six months, as should turn out to be requisite.

ultra biennium] The Decemvirs took office in 451 A.c., and were reappointed in 450 A.C. At the expiration of this last year they refused to resign or appoint successors, and were not ejected until seven months of the year 449 A.C. had elapsed. As their authority did not continue during the whole of the third year, Tacitus, counting by yearly periods, would naturally say 'non ultra biennium.' This seems to me a better explanation than Walther's, that their government in the third year was not really 'potestas,' constitutional rule, but mere despotism.

dominatio] This is originally the irresponsible power vested in the master of the house ('domus'). It is used here appropriately for the lawless usurpations of Cinna, who, with Marius as his colleague, nominated himself by his own authority to the consulate for the year 86 A.C., and retained office during the next two years, and of Sulla, who held the dictatorship from 82 A.c. to 79 A.c.

in Augustum cessere] Not yielded to Augustus,' which would rather be Augusto,' but 'were merged in or transferred to Augustus.' Cf. H. i. 11, 'provinciae in pretium belli cessurae erant."

principis] 'Princeps senatus' was the title originally given to the first of

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claris scriptoribus] In other writers this would probably have been 'a claris scriptoribus.' Tacitus, however, often omits the preposition. Cf. xiv. 8, "respicit Anicetum trierarcho et centurione comitatum." He uses, moreover, the dative, instead of the ablative and preposition. Cf. xiv. 18, agros regi Apioni quondam habitos." This construction is most usual after participles (cf. xi. 29), but is also found with finite verbs. Cf. xii. 54, "cui pars provinciae habebatur," and xiii. 20, "provecta nox erat et Neroni per vinolentiam trahebatur." It is consequently difficult to say whether above 'scriptoribus' is the dative or ablative. deterrerentur] Lipsius proposed to read 'detererentur,' because in H. ii. 76 Tacitus has "si quid ardoris ac ferociae miles habuit, popinis . . . deteritur." But Tacitus does not apparently intend to say that genius decayed, but that it was intimidated. falsae] Falsified,' 'made deceptive.' Cf. i. 7," tanto magis falsi ac festinantes, vultuque composito," and xvi. 32, "falsos et amicitiae fallaces." It has a passive meaning in H. ii. 17, "adesse omnem Caecinae exercitum trepidi ac falsi nuntiarent."

procul habeo] Cf. H. i. 1, "Mihi Galba,

Otho, Vitellius nec beneficio nec iniuria cogniti."

2. Postquam] For the omission after 'postquam' of the verb of existence, cf. xii. 35 and vi. 33. After this particle Tacitus uses the indicative mood (xiv. 44, ii. 65, &c.) : otherwise the verb could hardly be omitted. For the subjunctive 'sit' or 'esset' can be understood apparently in three cases only. (1) When there are two clauses joined by a conjunction, and the verb of existence can be supplied from the other verb, as H. iv. 34, "tentaverat interim Civilis obsessorum animos tamquam apud Romanos res, et suis victoria provenisset," and i. 65, "quum aput Romanos invalidi ignes, interruptae voces, atque ipsi adiacerent vallo." (2) If the particle has two or more verbs depending on it, without a conjunction, as i. 9, "quod idem dies accepti quondam imperii princeps et vitae supremus: quod Nolae . . . vitam finivisset," which is very much akin to the first case. (3) If the subjunctive is the oratio obliqua of the indicative, as H. iii. 56, "quis ordo agminis, quae cura explorandi alios rogitans." For two passages which violate these usages see on i. 7.

publica arma] After the battle of Philippi, 42 A.C., the contest was no longer between a commonwealth and aspirers to supreme power, but between rival claimants of empire: whichever gained the day, the republic was equally extinguished.

Pompeius] Sextus Pompeius, the son of Pompeius Magnus, was defeated by M. Agrippa, 36 A.c., between Mylae and Naulochus. He fled into Asia, and was put to death by Titius, a lieutenant of Antonius.

exsutoque Lepido] 'Stripped of his forces.' Cf. Suet. Octav. 16, " M. Lepidum superbientem XX. legionum fiducia spoliavit exercitu, supplicemque concessa vita Circeios in perpetuum relegavit."