Asia, sc. Minor.Africa, sc. the Roman Province of that name, comprising the territory of Carthage.—Peteret. The question implies a negative answer, cf. Z. 530. The subj. implies a protasis understood: if he could, or the like. H. 502.
Sit. Praesens, ut de re vera. Gün.Nisi siis nearly equivalent tonisi forte: unless perchance; unless if we may suppose the case. Cf. Wr. note on Ann. 2, 63, and Hand's Tursellinus, 3, 240.
Memoriae et annalium. Properly opposed to each other astraditionandwritten history, though we are not to infer that written books existed in Germany in the age of Tacitus.
Carminibus.Songs, ballads(from cano). Songs and rude poetry have been, in all savage countries, the memorials of public transactions, e.g. the runes of the Goths, the bards of the Britons and Celts, the scalds of Scandinavia, &c.
Tuisconem. The god from whom Tuesday takes its name, as Wednesday from Woden, Thursday from Thor, &c., cf. Sharon Turner's His. of Ang. Sax. app. to book 2. chap. 3. Some find in the name of this god the root of the words Teutonic, Dutch (Germ. Deutsche or Teutsche &c.,) Al. Tuistonem, Tristonem, &c. More likely it has the same root as the Latin divus, dius, deus, and the Greek theios, dios, theos, cf. Grimm'sDeutsche Mythologie, sub v.
Terra editum==indigenaabove; and gaegenaes and autochthon in Greek.
Originem==auctores. It is predicate afterMannum.
Ut in licentia vetustatis. As in the license of antiquity, i.e. since such license is allowed in regard to ancient times.
Ingaevones. "According to some German antiquaries, theIngaevonesare dieEinwohner, those dwelling inwards towards the sea; theIstaevonesare dieWestwohner, the inhabitants of the western parts; and theHermionesare theHerumwohner, midland inhabitants," Ky. cf. Kiessling in loc. Others, e.g. Zeuss and Grimm, with more probability, find in these names the roots of German words significant ofhonorandbravery, assumed by different tribes or confederacies as epithets or titles of distinction. Grimm identifies these three divisions with the Franks, Saxons, and Thuringians of a later age. See further, note chap. 27.
Vocentur. The subj. expresses the opinion of others, not the direct affirmation of the author. H. 529; Z. 549.
Deo==hoc deo, sc. Mannus—Germ. Mann, Eng. Man.
Marsos, Gambrivios. Under the names of Franci and Salii these tribes afterwards became formidable to the Romans. Cf. Prichard's Researches into the Physical History of Mankind, Vol. III. chap. 6, sec. 2.—Suevos, cf. note, 38.—Vandalios. The Vandals, now so familiar in history.
Additum, sc. esse, depending onaffirmant.
Nunc Tungri, sc. vocentur, cf. His. 4, 15, 16. In confirmation of the historical accuracy of this passage, Gr. remarks, that Caes. (B.G. 2, 4) does not mention the Tungri, but names four tribes on the left bank of the Rhine, who, he says, are called by the common name ofGermans; while Pliny (Nat. His. 4, 31), a century later, gives not the names of these four tribes, but calls them by the new nameTungri.
Ita—vocarentur. Locus vexatissimus! exclaim all the critics. And so they set themselves to amend the text by conjecture. Some have writtenin nomen gentisinstead ofnon gentis. Others have proposeda victorum metu, ora victo ob metum, ora victis ob metum. But these emendations are wholly conjectural and unnecessary. Günther and Walch rendera victore, fromthe victorious tribe, i.e.after the name ofthat tribe. Buta se ipsismeansbythemselves; and the antithesis doubtless requiresato be understood in the same sense in both clauses. Grüber translates and explains thus: "In this way the name of a single tribe, and not of the whole people, has come into use, so that all, at first by the victor (the Tungri), in order to inspire fear, then by themselves (by the mouth of the whole people), when once the name became known, were called by the name of Germans. That is, the Tungri called all the kindred tribes that dwelt beyond the Rhine, Germans, in order to inspire fear by the wide extension of the name, since they gave themselves out to be a part of so vast a people; but at length all the tribes began to call themselves by this name, probably because they were pleased to see the fear which it excited." This is, on the whole, the most satisfactory explanation of the passage, and meets the essential concurrence of Wr., Or. and Död.—Germani. If of German etymology, this word==gehr or wehr (Fr. guerre) and mann,men of war; hence themetus, which the name carried with it. If it is a Latin word corresponding only insensewith the original German, then==brethren. It will be seen, that either etymology would accord with Grüber's explanation of the whole passage—in either case, the name would inspire fear. The latter, however, is the more probable, cf. Ritter in loc. A people often bear quite different names abroad from that by which they call themselves at home. Thus the people, whom we callGermans, call themselvesDeutsche(Dutch), and are called by the FrenchAllemands, cf. Latham.Vocarenturis subj. because it stands in a subordinate clause of the oratio obliqua, cf. H. 531; Z. 603.
Metum. Here taken in anactivesense; oftener passive, but used in both senses. Quintilian speaks ofmetum duplicem, quem patimur et quem facimus (6, 2, 21). cf. A. 44: nihil metus in vultu, i.e., nothing to inspire fear in his countenance. In like manner admiratio (§ 7) is used for the admiration which one excites, though it usually denotes the admiration which one feels. Forob, cf. Ann. 1, 79:ob moderandas Tiberis exundationes.
Nationis—gentis. Gensis often used by T. as a synonym withnatio. But in antithesis,gensis the whole, of whichnationesorpopuliare the parts, e.g. G. 4: populos—gentem; § 14: nationes—genti. In like manner, in the civil constitution of Rome, agensincluded several relatedfamilies.
III.Herculem. That is, Romana interpretatione, cf. § 34. The Romans foundtheirgods everywhere, and ascribed to Hercules, quidquid ubique magnificum est, cf. note 34:quicquid—consensimus. That this is a Roman account of the matter is evident, from the use ofeos, for if the Germans were the subject ofmemorant,semust have been used. On the use ofethere, cf. note 11.
Primum—ut principem, fortissimum. Gün.
Haec quoque.Haecis renderedsuchby Ritter. But it seems rather, as Or. and Död. explain it, to imply nearness and familiarity to the mind of the author and his readers:thesewell known songs. So 20:in haec corpora, quae miramur.Quoque, likequidem, follows the emphatic word in a clause, H. 602, III. 1; Z. 355.
Relatu, calledcantus trux, H. 2, 22. A Tacitean word. Freund. Cf. H. 1, 30.
Baritum. Al. barditum and barritum. But the latter has no ms. authority, and the former seems to have been suggested by the bards of the Gauls, of whose existence among the Germans however there is no evidence. Död. says the root of the word is common to the Greek, Latin, and German languages, viz.baren, i.e.fremere, a verb still used by the Batavians, and the nounbar, i.e. carmen, of frequent occurrence in Saxon poetry to this day.
Terrent trepidantve. They inspire terror or tremble with fear, according as the line(the troops drawn up in battle array)has sounded, sc. thebaritusor battle cry. Thus the Batavians perceived, that thesonitus acieion the part of the Romans was more feeble than their own, and pressed on, as to certain triumph. H. 4, 18. So the Highlanders augured victory, if their shouts were louder than those of the enemy. See Murphy in loco.
Repercussu. A post-Augustan word. The earlier Latin authors would have saidrepercussa, orrepercutiendo. The later Latin, like the English, uses more abstract terms.—Nec tam—videntur. Nor do those carmina seem to be so much voices(well modulated and harmonized),as acclamations(unanimous, but inarticulate and indistinct)of courage. So Pliny usesconcentusof the acclamations of the people. Panegyr. 2. It is often applied by the poets to the concerts of birds, as in Virg. Geor. 1, 422. It is here plural, cf. Or. in loc. The readingvocisis without MS. authority.
Ulixem. "The love of fabulous history, which was the passion of ancient times, produced a new Hercules in every country, and made Ulysses wander on every shore. Tacitus mentions it as a romantic tale; but Strabo seems willing to countenance the fiction, and gravely tells us that Ulysses founded a city, called Odyssey, in Spain. Lipsius observes, that Lisbon, in the name of Strabo, had the appellation of Ulysippo, or Olisipo. At this rate, he pleasantly adds, what should hinder us inhabitants of the Low Countries from asserting that Ulysses built the city of Ulyssinga, and Circe founded that of Circzea or Ziriczee?" Murphy.
Fabuloso errore. Storied, celebrated in song, cf. fabulosus Hydaspes. Hor. Od. 1, 227. Ulysses havingwandered westwardgave plausibility to alleged traces of him in Gaul, Spain and Germany—Asciburgium. Now Asburg.
Quin etiam, cf. notes, 13:quin etiam, and 14:quin immo.—Ulixi, i.e. ab Ulixe, cf. Ann. 15,41: Aedes statoris Jovis Romulo vota, i.e. by Romulus. This usage is especially frequent in the poets and the later prose writers, cf. H. 388, II. 3; Z. 419; and in T. above all others, cf. Böt. Lex. Tac. subDativus. Wr. and Rit. understand however an altar (or monument) consecrated to Ulysses, i.e. erected in honor of him by the citizens.
Adjecto. Inscribed with the name of his father, as well as his own, i.e. [Greek: Laertiadae].
Graecis litteris. Grecian characters, cf. Caes. B.G. 1, 29: In castrisHelvetiorum, tabulae repertae suntlitteris Graecisconfectae; and (6, 14):Galliin publicis privatisque rationibusGraecis utuntur litteris. T. speaks (Ann. 11, 14) of alphabetic characters, as passing from Phenicia into Greece, and Strabo (4, 1) traces them from the Grecian colony at Marseilles, into Gaul, whence they doubtless passed into Germany, and even into Britain.
IV.Aliis aliarum. The Greek and Latin are both fond of a repetition of different cases of the same word, even where one of them is redundant, e.g. [Greek: oioden oios] (Hom. II. 7, 39), and particularly in the words [Greek: allos] andalius.Aliisis not however wholly redundant; but brings out more fully the idea:no intermarriages, one with one nation, and another with another. Walch and Ritter omitaliis, though it is found in all the MSS.
Infectos. Things are saidinficiandimbui, which are so penetrated and permeated by something else, that that something becomes a part of its nature or substance, as inficere colore, sanguine, veneno, animum virtutibus. It does not necessarily imply corruption or degeneracy.
Propriam—similem. Three epithets not essentially different used for the sake of emphasis==peculiar, pure, and sui-generis. Similistakes the gen., when it expresses, as here, an internal resemblance in character; otherwise the dat., cf. Z. 411, H. 391, 2. 4.
Habitus. Form and features, external appearance. The physical features of the Germans as described by Tacitus, though still sufficient to distinguish them from the more southern European nations, have proved less permanent than their mental and social characteristics.
Idem omnibus. Cf. Juv. 13, 164:
Caerulaquis stupuitGermani lumina? flavamCaesariem, et madido torquentem cornua cirro?Nempe quod haec illis natura estomnibus una.
Magna corpora. "Sidonius Apollinaris says, that, being in Germany and finding the men so very tall, he could not address verses of six feet to patrons who were seven feet high:
Spernit senipedem stilum Thalia,Ex quo septipedes vidit patronos." Mur.
Skeletons, in the ancient graves of Germany, are found to vary from 5 ft. 10 in. to 6 ft. 10 in. and even 7 ft. Cf. Ukert, Geog. III. 1. p. 197. These skeletons indicate astrongandwell formedbody.
Impetum. Temporary exertion, as opposed topersevering toil and effort, laboris atque operum.
Eadem. Not so muchpatientia, asad impetum valida. See a like elliptical use ofidem§ 23: eadem temperantia; § 10: iisdem nemoribus. Also of totidem § 26.
Minime—assueverunt. "Least of all, are they capable of sustaining thirst and heat; cold and hunger, they are accustomed, by their soil and climate, to endure." Ky. The force ofminimeis confined to the first clause, and the proper antithetic particle is omitted at the beginning of the second.Toleraredepends onassueverunt, and belongs to both clauses.Veis distributive, referringcoelotofrigoraandsolotoinediam. Sovelin H. 1, 62: strenuisvelignavis spem metumque addere==strenuis spem, ignavis metum addere.
V.Humidior—ventosior. Humidiorrefers topaludibus, ventosiortosilvis; the mountains (which were exposed to sweepingwinds) being for the most part covered with forests, and the low grounds with marshes.Ventosus==Homeric [Greek: aenemoeis], windy, i.e. lofty. H. 3, 305: [Greek: Ilion aenemoessan].
Satis ferax. Satis==segetibuspoetice.Feraxis constructed with abl., vid. Virg. Geor. 2, 222: ferax oleo.
Impatiens. Not to be taken in the absolute sense, cf. § 20, 23, 26, where fruit trees and fruits are spoken of.
Improceraagrees withpecoraunderstood.
Armentis. Pecora—flocks in general.Armenta(fromaro, to plough), larger cattle in particular. Itmayinclude horses.
Suus honor. Their proper, i.e. usual size and beauty.
Gloria frontis. Poetice forcornua. Their horns were small.
Numero. Emphatic:number, rather thanquality. Or, with Ritter,gaudentmay be taken in the sense of enjoy, possess:they have a good number of them. In the same sense he interpretsgaudentin A. 44:opibus nimiis non gaudebat.
Irati, sc. quiaopessuntirritamenta malorum. Ov. Met. 1, 140.—Negaverint. Subj. H. 525; Z. 552—Affirmaverim. cf. note, 2:crediderim.
Nullam venam. "Mines of gold and silver have since been discovered in Germany; the former, indeed, inconsiderable, but the latter valuable." Ky. T. himself in his later work (the Annals), speaks of the discovery of a silver mine in Germany. Ann. 11, 20.
Perinde. Not so much as might be expected, or as theRomans, and other civilized nations. So Gronovius, Död. and most commentators. See Rup. in loc. Others, as Or. and Rit. allow no ellipsis, and render:not much. See Hand's Tursellinus, vol. IV. p. 454. We sometimes usenot so much, not so very, not so bad, &c., fornot very, not much, andnot bad. Still the form of expression strictly implies a comparison. And the same is true ofhaud perinde, cf. Böt. Lex. Tac.
Est videre. Estforlicet. Graece et poetice. Not so used in the earlier Latin prose. See Z. 227.
Non in alia vilitate, i.e. eadem vilitate, aeque vilia,held in the same low estimation.—Humo. Abl. of material.
Proximi, sc. ad ripam. Nearest to the Roman border, opposed tointeriores.
Serratos. Not elsewhere mentioned; probably coins with serrated edges, still found. The word is post-Augustan.
Bigatos. Roman coins stamped with a biga or two-horse chariot. Others were stamped with a quadriga and called quadrigati. The bigati seem to have circulated freely in foreign lands, cf. Ukert's Geog. of Greeks and Romans, III. 1: Trade of Germany, and places cited there. "The serrati and bigati were old coins, of purer silver than those of tho Emperors." Ky. Cf. Pliny, H. N. 33, 13.
Sequuntur. Sequi==expetere. So used by Cic., Sal., and the best writers. Compare our wordseek.
Nulla affectione animi. Not from any partiality for the silver in itself(but for convenience).
Numerus. Greater number and consequently less relative value of the silver coins. Onquia, cf. note, H. 1, 31.
VI.Ne—quidem.Not even, i.e. iron is scarce as well as gold and silver. The weapons found in ancient German graves are ofstone, and bear a striking resemblance to those of the American Indians. Cf. Ukert, p. 216. Ad verba, cf. note, His. 1, 16:ne—fueris. The emphatic word always stands betweenneandquidem. H. 602, III. 2; Z. 801.—Superest. Is over and above, i.e.abounds. So superest ager, § 26.
Vel. Prosive, Ciceroni inauditum. Gün. Cf. note, 17.
Frameas. The word is still found in Spain, as well as Germany.Lancea. is also a Spanish word, cf. Freund.
Nudi. Cf. § 17, 20, and 24. Also Caes., B.G. 6, 21: magna corporis parte nuda.
Sagulo. Dim. of sago. A small short cloak.—Leves==Leviter induti. The clausenudi—levesis addedhereto show, that their dress is favorable to the use of missiles.
Missilia spargunt. Dictio est Virgiliana. K.
Coloribus. Cf. nigra scuta, § 43. "Hence coats of arms and the origin of heraldry." Mur.
Cultus. Military equipments. Cultus complectitur omnia, quae studio et arte eis, quae natura instituit, adduntur. K.
Cassis aut galea.Cassis, properly of metal;galeaof leather (Gr.: galen); though the distinction is not always observed.
Equi—conspicui. Cf. Caes. B.G. 4, 2, 7, 65.
Sed nec variare.But(i.e. on the other hand)they are not even(fornecin this sense see Ritter in loc.)taught to vary their curves(i.e. as the antithesis shows, to bend now towards the right and now towards the left in their gyrations),but they drive them straight forward or by a constant bend towards the right in so connected a circle(i.e. a complete ring),that no one is behind(for the obvious reason, that there is neither beginning nor end to such a ring). Such is on the whole the most satisfactory explanation of this difficult passage, which we can give after a careful examination. A different version was given in the first edition. It refers not to battle, but to equestrian exercises, cf. Gerlach, as cited by Or. in loc.
Aestimanti. Greek idiom. Elliptical dative, nearly equivalent to the abl. abs. (nobis aestimantibus), and called by some the dat. abs. In A. II. the ellipsis is supplied bycredibile est. Cf. Bötticher's Lex. Tac. subDativus.
Eoque mixti. Eo, causal particle==for that reason. Caesar adopted this arrangement in the battle of Pharsalia. B.C. 3, 84. The Greeks also had [Greek: pezoi amippoi]. Xen. Hellen. 7, 5.
Centeni. A hundred is a favorite number with the Germans and their descendants. Witness the hundredpagiof the Suevi (Caes. B.G. 4, 1), and of the Semnones (G. 39), thecantonsof Switzerland, and thehundredsof our Saxon ancestors in England. Thecentenihere are a military division. In like manner, Caesar (B.G. 4, 1) speaks of athousandmen drafted annually from eachpagusof the Suevi, for military service abroad.
Idque ipsum. Predicate nominative after a verb of calling, H. 362, 2. 2; Z. 394. The division was called ahundred, and each man in it ahundreder; and such was the estimation in which this service was held, that to be a hundreder, became an honorable distinction,nomen et honor==honorificum nomen.
Cuneos. A body of men arranged in the form of a wedge, i.e. narrow in front and widening towards the rear; hence peculiarly adapted to break the lines of the enemy.
Consilii quam formidinis. Supplymagis. The conciseness of T. leads him often to omit one of two correlative particles, cf. note onminime, 4.
Referunt. Carry into the rear, and so secure them for burial.
Etiam in dubiis proeliis. Even while the battle remains undecided. Gün.
Finierunt. In a present or aorist sense, as often in T. Soprohibuerunt, § 10;placuitanddisplicuit, 11. cf. Lex. Tac. Böt.
VII.Reges, civil rulers;duces, military commanders.Ex== secundum. Soex ingenio, § 3. The government was elective, yet not without some regard to hereditary distinctions. Theychose (sumunt)their sovereign, but chose him from the royal family, or at least one of noble extraction. They chose also their commander—the king, if he was the bravest and ablest warrior; if not, they were at liberty to choose some one else. And among the Germans, as among their descendants, the Franks, the authority of the commander was quite distinct from, and sometimes (in war) paramount to, that of the king. Here Montesquieu and others find the original of the kings of the first race in the French monarchy, and themayors of the palace, who once had so much power in France. Cf. Sp. of Laws, B. 31, chap. 4.
Necis correlative toet. The kings on the one hand do not possess unlimited or unrestrained authority, and the commanders on the other, &c. Infinita==sine modo;libera==sine vinculo. Wr.Potestas==rightful power, authority;potentia==power without regard to right, ability, force, cf. note, 42. Ad rem, cf. Caes. B.G. 5, 27. Ambiorix tells Caesar, that though he governed, yet the people made laws for him, and the supreme power was shared equally between him and them.
Exemplo—imperio. "Dativeaftersunt==are to set an example, rather than to give command." So Grüber and Död. But Wr. and Rit. with more reason consider them as ablatives of means limiting a verb implied induces: commanders(command)more by example, than by authority(official power). See the principle well stated and illustrated in Döderlein's Essay on the style of Tacitus, p. 15, in my edition of the Histories.
Admiratione praesunt. Gain influence, or ascendency, by means of the admiration which they inspire, cf. note on metus, § 2.
Agant. Subj., ut ad judicium admirantium, non mentem scriptoris trahatur. Gün.
Animadvertere==interficere. Cf. H. 1, 46. 68.None but the priests are allowed to put to death, to place in irons, nor even(ne quidem)to scourge. Thus punishment was clothed with divine authority.
Effigies et signa. Images and standards, i.e. images, which serve for standards. Images of wild beasts are meant, cf. H. 4, 22: depromptae silvis lucisve ferarum imagines.—Turmam, cavalry.Cuneum, infantry, but sometimes both.Conglobatiois found only in writers after the Augustan age and rarely in them. It occurs in Sen. Qu. Nat. 1, 15, cf. Freund.
Familiaeis less comprehensive thanpropinquitates. Audiri, sc. solent. Cf. A. 34ruere. Wr. calls it histor. inf., and Rit. pronounces it a gloss.
Pignora. Whatever is most dear, particularly mothers, wives, and children.—Unde, adv. of place, referring toin proximo.
Vulnera ferunt, i.e. on their return from battle.
Exigere. Examine, and compare, to see who has the most and the most honorable, or perhaps to soothe and dress them.—Cibos et hortamina. Observe the singular juxtaposition of things so unlike. So 1:metu aut montibus; A. 25:copiis et laetitia; 37:nox et satietas; 38:gaudio praedaque.
VIII.Constantia precum==importunate entreaties.
Objectu pectorum. By opposing their breasts, not to the enemy but to their retreating husbands, praying for death in preference to captivity.
Monstrata—captivitate.Cominuslimitscaptivitate, pointing to captivity as just before them.—Impatientius.Impatienterandimpatientia(the adv. and the subst.) are post-Augustan words. The adj. (impatiens) is found earlier. Cf. Freund.
Feminarum—nomine, i.e. propter feminas suas. Gün. So Cic.: tuo nomine et reipublicae==on your account and for the sake of the republic. But it means perhaps more than that here, viz. in the person of. They dreaded captivity more for their women than for themselves.Adeo==insomuch that.
Inesse, sc. feminis.They think, there is in their women something sacred and prophetic. Cf. Caes. B.G. 1, 50, where Caesar is informed by the prisoners, that Ariovistus had declined an engagement because thewomenhad declared against coming to action before the new moon.—Consilia, advicein general;responsa, inspired answers, when consulted.
Vidimus, i.e. she lived in our day—under the reign of Vespasian.—Veledam. Cf. H. 4, 61. 65.
Auriniam. Aurinia seems to have been a common name in Germany for prophetess or wise woman. Perhaps==Al-runas, women knowing all things. SoVeleda==wise woman. Cf. Wr. in loc.
Non adulatione, etc. "Not through adulation, nor as if they were raising mortals to the rank of goddesses." Ky. This is one of those oblique censures on Roman customs in which the treatise abounds. The Romans in the excess of their adulation to the imperial familymadeordinary women goddesses, as Drusilla, sister of Caligula, the infant daughter of Poppaea (Ann. 15, 23), and Poppaea herself (Dio 63, 29). The Germans, on the other hand, really thought some of their wise women to be divine. Cf. His. 4, 62, and my note ibid. Reverence and affection for woman was characteristic of the German Tribes, and from them has diffused itself throughout European society.
IX.Deorum. T. here, as elsewhere, applies Roman names, and puts a Roman construction (Romana interpretatione, § 43), upon the gods of other nations, cf. § 3.
Mercurium. So Caes. B.G. 6, 17: Deum maxime Mercurium colunt. Probably the GermanWoden, whose name is preserved in our Wednesday, as that of Mercury is in the French name of the same day, and who with a name slightly modified (Woden, Wuotan, Odin), was a prominent object of worship among all the nations of Northern Europe.Marsis perhaps the German god of war (Tiw, Tiu, Tuisco) whence Tuesday, French Mardi, cf. Tur. His. Ang. Sax. App. to B. 2. chap. 3.Herculemis omitted by Ritter on evidence (partly external and partly internal) which is entitled to not a little consideration. Hercules is the god of strength, perhaps Thor.
Certis diebus. Statis diebus. Gün.
Humanis—hostiis. Evenfacerein the sense ofsacrificeis construed with abl. Virg. Ec. 3, 77.Quoque==even. For its position in the sentence, cf. note, 3.
Concessis animalibus. Such as the Romans and other civilized nations offer, in contradistinction tohumansacrifices, which the author regards asin-concessa. The attempt has been made to remove from the Germans the stain of human sacrifices. But it rests on incontrovertible evidence (cf. Tur. His. Ang. Sax., App. to B. 2. cap. 3), and indeed attaches to them only in common with nearly all uncivilized nations. The Gauls and Britons, and the Celtic nations generally, carried the practice to great lengths, cf. Caes. B.G. 6, 15. The neighbors of the Hebrews offered human victims in great numbers to their gods, as we learn from the Scriptures. Nay, the reproach rests also upon the Greeks and Romans in their early history. Pliny informs us, that men were sacrificed as late as the year of Rome 657.
Isidi. The Egyptian Isis in Germany! This shows, how far the Romans went in comparing the gods of different nations. Gr. Ritter identifies this goddess with the Nertha of chap. 40, the Egyptian Isis and Nertha being both equivalent to Mother Earth, the Terra or Tellus of the Romans.
Liburnae. A light galley, so called from the Liburnians, a people of Illyricum, who built and navigated them. Thesignum, here likened to a galley, was more probably a rude crescent, connected with the worship of the moon, cf. Caes. B.G. 6, 21: Germani deorum numero ducunt Solem etLunam.
Cohibere parietibus==aedificiis includere, K. T. elsewhere speaks of temples of German divinities (e.g. 40: templum Nerthi; Ann. 1, 51: templum Tanfanae); but a consecrated grove or any other sacred place was calledtemplumby the Romans (templum from [Greek: temno], cut off, set apart).
Ex magnitudine.Ex==secundum, cf.ex nobilitate,ex virtute§ 7.Ex magnitudineis predicate afterarbitrantur: they deem it unbecoming the greatness, etc.
Humani—speciem. Images of the gods existed at a later day in Germany (S. Tur. His. of Ang. Sax., App. to B. 2. cap. 3). But this does not prove their existence in the days of T. Even as late as A.D. 240 Gregory Thaumaturgus expressly declares, there were no images among the Goths. No traces of temple-walls or images have been discovered in connection with the numerous sites of ancient altars or places of offering which have been exhumed inGermany, though both these are found on theborders, both south and west, cf. Ukert, p. 236.
Lucos et nemora. "Lucus (a [Greek: lukae], crepusculum) sylva densior, obumbrans; nemus ([Greek: nemos]) sylva rarior, in quo jumenta et pecora pascuntur." Bredow.
Deorumque—vident. They invoke under the name of gods that mysterious existence, which they see(not under any human or other visible form, but)with the eye of spiritual reverence alone. So Gr. and K. Others get another idea thus loosely expressed: They give to that sacred recess the name of the divinity that fills the place, which is never profaned by the steps of man.
Sola reverentia, cf.sola menteapplied by T. to the spiritual religion of the Jews, H. 5, 5. The religion of the Germans and other northern tribes was more spiritual than that of southern nations, when both were Pagan. And after the introduction of Christianity, the Germans were disinclined to the image-worship of the Papists.
X.Auspicia sortesque.Auspicia(avis-spicia) properly divination by observing the flight and cry of birds;sortes, by drawing lots: but both often used in the general sense of omens, oracles.
Ut qui maxime, sc.observant. Ellipsis supplied by repeatingobservant==to the greatest extent, none more.
Simplex. Sine Romana arte, cf. Cic. de Div. 2, 41, K. The Scythians had a similar method of divining, Herod. 4, 67. Indeed, the practice ofdiviningbyrodshas hardly ceased to this day, among the descendants of the German Tribes.
Temere, without plan on the part of the diviner.—Fortuito, under the direction of chance. Gr.
Si publice consuletur. If the question to be decided is of a public nature.Consuletur, fut., because at the time of drawing lots the deliberation and decision are future. Or it may refer to the consultation of the gods (cf. Ann. 14, 30:consulere deos):if it is by the state that the gods are to be consulted. So Ritter in his last edition.
Ter singulos tollit. A three-fold drawing for the sake of certainty. Thus Ariovistus drew lots three times touching the death of Valerius (Caes. B.G. 1, 53). So also the Romans drew lots three times, Tibul. 1, 3, 10: sortes ter sustulit. Such is the interpretation of these disputed words by Grüber, Ritter and many others, and such is certainly their natural and obvious meaning:he takes up three times one after anotherall the slips he hasscattered(spargereis hardly applicable tothreeonly): if the signs are twice or thrice favorable, the thing is permitted; if twice or thrice unfavorable it is prohibited. The language of Caesar (in loc. cit.) is still more explicit:ter sortibus consultum. But Or., Wr. and Död. understand simply the taking up of three lots one each time.
Si prohibueruntsc. sortes==dii. The readingprohibuerunt(aL prohibuerint) is favored by the analogy ofsi displicuit, 11, and other passages.Sin (==si—ne)is particularly frequent in antithesis withsi, and takes the same construction after it.
Auspiciorum—exigitur. Auspiciorum, here some other omens, than lots; such as the author proceeds to specify.Adhuc==ad hoc, praeterea, i.e. in addition to the lots. The sense is:besides drawing lots, the persuasion produced by auspices is required.
Etiam hic. In Germany also (as well as at Rome and other well known countries).Hicis referred to Rome by some. But it was hardly needful for T. to inform the Romans of that custom at Rome.
Proprium gentis. It is a peculiarity of the German race. It is not, however, exclusively German. Something similar prevailed among the Persians, Herod. 1, 189. 7, 55. Darius Hystaspes was indebted to the neighing of his horse for his elevation to the throne.
Iisdem memoribus, § 9.—Mortali opere==hominum opere.—Contacti. Notio contaminandi inest, K.—Pressi curru. Harnessed to the sacred chariot. More common, pressi jugo. Poetice.
Consciossc. deorum.The priests consider themselves the servants of the gods, the horses the confidants of the same. So Tibullus speaks of theconsciafibradeorum. Tibul. 1, 8, 3.
Committunt. Con and mitto, send together==engage in fight. A technical expression used of gladiators and champions.
Praejudicio. Sure prognostic. Montesquieu finds in this custom the origin of the duel and of knight-errantry.
XI.Apud—pertractentur. Are handled, i.e. discussed, among, i.e.by the chiefs, sc. before being referred to the people.
Nisirefers not tocoeunt, but tocertis diebus.
Fortuitum, casual, unforeseen;subitum, requiring immediate action.
Inchoatur—impletur. Ariovistus would notfightbefore the new moon, Caes. B.G. 1, 50.
Numerum—noctium. Of which custom, we have a relic and a proof in our seven-nightand fort-night. So also the Gauls. Caes. B.G. 6, 18.
Constituunt==decree, determine;condicunt==proclaim, appoint. Theconin both impliesconcertedor public action. They are forensic terms.
Nox—videtur. So with the Athenians, Macrob. Saturn. 1, 3.; and the Hebrews, Gen. 1, 5.
Ex libertate, sc.ortum, arising from. Gün.
Nec ut jussi. Not precisely at the appointed time, but a day or two later, if they choose.
Ut turbae placuit. Ut==simul ac, as soon as,when. It is thetime of commencing their session, that depends on the will of the multitude; not their sittingarmed, for that they always did, cf.frameas concutiuntat the close of the section; also § 13: nihil neque publicae neque privatae rei nisi armati agunt. To express this latter idea, the order of the words would have been reversed thus:armati considunt.
Tum et coercendi. When the session is commenced,then (tum)the priests have the right not merely to command silence, butalso (et) to enforce it. This use ofetforetiamis very rare in Cic., but frequent in Livy, T. and later writers. See note, His. 1, 23.
Imperatur. Imperareplus est, quamjubere. See the climax in Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 98; jubeo, cogo atque impero.Imperois properly military command. K.
Proutrefers, not to the order of speaking, but to the degree of influence they have over the people. Gr.—Aetas. Our wordalderman(elderman) is a proof, that office and honor were conferred onageby our German ancestors. Sosenator(senex) among the Romans.
Armis laudare, i.e. armis concussis. "Montesquieu is of opinion that in this Treatise on the manners of the Germans, an attentive reader may trace the origin of the British constitution. That beautiful system, he says, was formed in the forests of Germany, Sp. of Laws 11, 6. TheSaxonWitena-gemot (Parliament) was, beyond all doubt, an improved political institution, grafted on the rights exercised by the people in their own country." Murphy, cf. S. Tur. His. of Ang. Sax. B. 8. cap. 4
XII.Accusare—intendere. To accuse and impeach for capital crimes. Minor offences were tried before the courts described at the end of the section.—Quoque. In addition to the legislative power spoken of in the previous section, the council exercisedalsocertain judicial functions.Discrimen capitis intendere, lit.to endeavor to bring one in danger of losing his life.
Ignavos—infames. The sluggish, the cowardly, and the impure; for socorpore infamesusually means, and there is no sufficient reason for adopting another sense here.Infamesfoeda Veneris aversae nota. K. Gr. understands those, whose persons were disfigured by dishonorable wounds, or who had mutilated themselves to avoid military duty. Gün. includes both ideas:quocunque, non tantumvenereo, corporis abusu contempti.
Insuper==superne. So 16: multoinsuperfimo onerant.
Diversitasis a post-Augustan word, cf. Freund, sub v.
Illuc respicit. Has respect to this principle. Scelera==crimes; flagitia==vices, low and base actions. Sceluspoena,flagitiumcontemptu dignum. Gün.
Levioribus delictis. Abl. abs.==when lighter offences are committed; or abl. of circum.==in case of lighter offences.
Pro modo poenarum. Such is the reading of all the MSS.Pro modo, poenais an ingeniousconjectureof Acidalius. But it is unnecessary. Render thus:in case of lighter offences, the convicted persons are mulcted in a number of horses or cattle, in proportion to the severity of the sentence adjudged to be due.
Qui vindicatur. The injured party, orplaintiff. This principle of pecuniary satisfaction was carried to great lengths among the Anglo-Saxons. See Turner, as cited, 21.
Qui reddunt. Whosebusinessorcustomit is to administer justice, etc. E. proposesreddant. But it is without authority and would give a less appropriate sense.
Centeni. Cf. note, § 6: centeni ex singulis pagis. "Sunt in quibusdam locis Germaniae, velut Palatinatu, Franconia, etc. Zentgericht (hundred-courts)," cf. Bernegger.
Consilia et auctoritas. Abstract for concrete==his advisers and the supporters of his dignity.
XIII.Nihil nisi armati. TheRomanswore arms only in time of war or on a journey.
Moris, sc. est. A favorite expression of T. So 21: concedere moris (est). And in A. 39.
Suffecturum probaverit. On examination has pronounced him competent(sc. to bear arms). Subj. afterantequam. H. 523, II.; Z. 576.
Ornant. Ornatwould have been more common Latin, and would have made better English. But this construction is not unfrequent in T., cf. 11: rex vel princeps audiuntur. Nor is it without precedent in other authors. Cf. Z. 374. Ritter readspropinqui. The attentive reader will discover here traces of many subsequent usages ofchivalry.
Haec toga. This is the badge of manhood among the Germans, as the toga virilis was among the Romans. The Romans assumed the toga at the age of seventeen. The Athenians were reckoned as [Greek: Ephaeboi] at the same age, Xen. Cyr, 1, 2, 8. The Germans (in their colder climate) not till the 20th year. Caes. B.G. 6, 21.
Dignationem. Rank, title. It differs fromdignitasin being more external. Cf. H. 1, 19:dignatio Caesaris; 8, 80:dignatio viri. Ritter readsdignitatem.
Assignant. High birth or great merits of their fathers assign(i.e. mark out, not consign, or fully confer)the title of chief even to young men.
Gradus—habet. Observe the emphatic position ofgradus, and the force ofquin etiam ipse: Gradations of rank, moreover the retinue itself has, i.e. the retainers are not only distinguished as a body in following such a leader,butthere arealso distinctionsamongthemselves. Quin etiamseldom occupies the second place. T. is fond of anastrophe. Cf. Böt. Lex. Tac.
Si—emineat. If he(cuique)stands pre-eminent for the number and valor of his followers. Comitatusis gen.Emineat, subj. pres. H. 504 et 509; Z. 524.
Ceteris—aspici. These noble youth, thus designated to the rank of chieftains,attach themselves(for a time, with some followers perhaps)to the otherchiefs, who areolder and already distinguished, nor are they ashamed to be seen among their attendants.
Quibus—cui, sc. sit==who shall have, etc.
Ipsa fama. Mere reputationorrumorwithout coming to arms.
Profligant==ad finem perducunt. So Kiessling, Bötticher and Freund. Ritter makes it==propellunt, frighten away.Profligare bella, proelia, &c., is Tacitean.Profligare hostes, etc., is the common expression.
XIV.Jam vero==porro. Cf. Böt. Lex. Tac. It marks a transition to a topic of special importance. Cf. H. 1, 2. See Död, in loc.
Recessisse. All the best Latin writers are accustomed to use the preterite after pudet, taedet, and other words of the like signification. Gün. The cause of shame is prior to the shame.
Infame. "When Chonodomarus, king of the Alemanni, was taken prisoner by the Romans, his military companions, to the number of two hundred, and three of the king's most intimate friends, thinking it a most flagitious crime to live in safety after such an event, surrendered themselves to be loaded with fetters. Ammian. Marcell, 16, 12, 60. There are instances of the same kind in Tacitus." Mur. Cf. also Caes. B.G. 3, 22. 7, 40.
Defendere, to defend him, when attacked;tueri, to protect himat all times.
Praecipuum sacramentum. Their most sacred duty, Gün. and K.;or the chief part of their oath, Gr.—Clarescunt—tuentur. So Ritter after the best MSS. Al.clarescant—tueantur, ortueare.
Non nisi. In Cic. usually separated by a word or a clause. In T. generally brought together.
Exigunt. They expect.—Illum—illam. Angl.this—that, cf.hinc—hinc, A. 25.—Bellatorem equum. Cf. Virg. G. 2, 145.
Incompti—apparatus. Entertainments, though inelegant yet liberal. Apparatusis used in the same way, Suet. Vitel. 10 and 13.—Cedunt== iis dantur. Gün.
Nec arare, etc. The whole language of this sentence is poetical, e.g. the use of the inf. afterpersuaseris, ofannumfor annuam mensem, the sense ofvocareandmereri, &c.Vocare, i.e. provocare, cf. H. 4, 80, and Virg. Geor. 4, 76.Mereri, earn, deserve, i.e. by bravery.
Pigrum et iners. Piger est natura ad laborem tardus; iners, in quo nihil artis et virtutis. K. Render:a mark of stupidity and incapacity.
Quin immo. Nay but, nay more. These words connect the clause, though not placed at the beginning, as they are by other writers. They seem to be placed afterpigrumin order to throw it into an emphatic position. Sogradus quin etiam, 13, where see note.—Possis. You, i.e., any one can. Z. 524. Cf. note II. 1, 10:laudares. Sopersuaserisin the preceding sentence. The subj. gives a contingent or potential turn==can procure, sc. if you willwould persuade, sc. if you should try. An indefinite person is always addressed in the subj. in Latin, even when the ind. would be used if a definite person were addressed. Z. 524.
In the chieftains and their retainers, as described in the last two sections, the reader cannot fail to discover the germ of the feudal system. Cf. Montesq. Sp. of Laws, 30, 3, 4; also Robertson's Chas. V.
XV.Non multum. The common reading (multum without the negative) is a mere conjecture, and that suggested by a misapprehension of the meaning of T.Non multumis to be taken comparatively. Though in time of peace they hunt often, yet they spendso much more time in eating, drinking, and sleeping, that the former is comparatively small. Thus understood, this passage of T. is not inconsistent with the declarations of Caesar, B.G. 6, 21: Vita Germanorum omnis in venationibus atque in studiis rei militaris consistit. Caesar leaves out of account their periods of inaction, and speaks only of their active employments, which were war and the chase. It was the special object of Tacitus, on the contrary, to give prominence to that striking feature of the German character which Caesar overlooks; and therein, as Wr. well observes, the later historian shows his more exact acquaintance with the Germans.Non multum, as opposed toplus, is nearly equivalent tominus.
Venatibus, per otium. Enallage forvenatibus, otio, H. 704, III. This figure is very frequent in T., e.g. § 40: per obsequium, proeliis; A. 9: virtute aut per artem; A. 41: temeritate aut per ignaviam, &c. Seneca, and indeed most Latin authors, prefer asimilarconstruction in antithetic clauses; T. seems rather to avoid it. In all such cases however, as the examples just cited show,perwith the acc. is not precisely equivalent to the abl. The abl. is more active and implies means, agency; the acc. withperis more passive and denotes manner or occasion.
Delegata, transferred.
Familiae. Household, properly of servants (from famel, Oscan for servant), as in chapp. 25 and 32: but sometimes the whole family, as here and in chap. 7:familiae et propinquitates.
Ipsi. The men of middle life, the heads of thefamiliae.
Diversitate. Contrariety.—Ament. Subj. H. 518, I.; Z. 577.—Oderint. Perf. in the sense of the pres. H. 297, I. 2; Z. 221.
Inertiam. Inertiam==idleness, freedom from business and care (frominandars);quietem==tranquillity, a life of undisturbed repose without action or excitement. Cf. 14:ingrata genti quies. In this account of the habits of the Germans, one might easily fancy, he was reading a description of the manner of life among our American Indians. It may be remarked here, once for all, that this resemblance may be traced in very many particulars, e.g. in their personal independence, in the military chieftains and their followers, in their extreme fondness for the hardships and dangers of war, in their strange inactivity, gluttony and drunkenness in peace, in their deliberative assemblies and the power of eloquence to sway their counsels, in their half elective, half hereditary form of government, in the spirituality of their conceptions of God, and some other features of their religion (Robertson has drawn out this comparison in his history of Charles V). All tribes in a rude and savage state must have many similar usages and traits of character. And this resemblance between the well-known habits of our wandering savages and those which T. ascribes to the rude tribes of Germany, may impress us with confidence in the truthfulness of his narrative.
Vel armentorum vel frugum. Partitive gen. Supply aliquid.—Vel—vel==whether—or, merely distinctive;aut—aut==either—or, adversative and exclusive.Vel—vel(fromvolo) implies, that one maychoosebetween the alternatives or particulars named;aut—aut(from [Greek: au, autis]), that if one is affirmed, the other is denied, since both cannot be true at the same time. Cf. note, A. 17:aut—aut. —Pecuniam. An oblique censure of the Romans for purchasing peace and alliance with the Germans, cf. H. 4, 76. Herodian 6, 7: [Greek: touto gar (sc. chrusio) malista Germanoi peithontai, philargyroi te ontes kai taen eiraenaen aei pros tous Romaious chrusiou kapaeleuontes]. Onet, cf. note 11.
XVI.Populis. Dative of the agent instead of the abl. withaorab.Cf. note 3:Ulixi.
Ne—quidem. These words are always separated, the word on which the emphasis rests being placed between them. H. 602, III. 2; Z. 801. Here however the emphasis seems to belong to the whole clause—Inter se, sc.sedes junctas inter se.
Colunt==in-colunt. Both often used intransitively, or rather with an ellipsis of the object,==dwell.
Discreti ac diversi. Separate and scatteredin different directions, i.e. without regular streets or highways. See Or. in loc.
Ut fons—placuit. Hence to this day, the names of German towns often end in bach (brook), feld (field), holz (grove), wald (wood), born (spring). On the permanence of names of places, see note H. 1, 53.
Connexis, with some intervening link, such as fences, hedges, and outhouses;cohaerentibus, in immediate contact.
Remedium—inscitia. It may be as a remedy, etc.—or it may be through ignorance, etc.Sive—siveexpresses an alternative conditionally, or contingently==it may be thus, or it may be thus. Compare it withvel—vel, chap. 15, and withaut—aut, A 17. See also Ramshorn's Synonyms, 138.Remediumis acc. in app. with the foregoing clause.Inscitiais abl. of cause==per inscitiam.
Caementorum. Properlyhewnstone (from caedo), but in usage any building stone.—Tegularum. Tiles, any materials for theroof(tego), whether of brick, stone, or wood.
Citra. Properly this side of, hence short of, orwithout, as used by thelaterLatin authors. This word is kindred tocis, i.e.iswith the demonstrative prefixce. Cf. Freund sub v.
Speciemrefers more to theeye, delectationemto themind. Taken withcitra, they are equivalent to adjectives, connected toinformiand limitingmateria(citra speciem==non speciosa, Gün.). Render:rude materials, neither beautiful to the eye nor attractive to the taste.Materiais distinctively wood for building. Fire-wood islignum.
Quaedam loca. Some parts of their houses, e.g. the walls.
Terra ita pura. Probably red earth, such as chalk or gypsum.
Imitetur. Resembles painting and colored outlinesor figures.
Aperire. Poetice==excavate. Cellars under ground were unknown to the Romans. See Beck. Gal., and Smith's Dict. Ant.
Ignorantur—fallunt. They are not known to exist, or else(though known to exist)they escape discovery from the very fact that they must be sought(in order to be found). Gün. calls attention to the multiform enallage in this sentence: 1. in number (populatur, ignorantur, fallunt); 2. of the active, passive, and deponent verbs; 3. in the change of cases (aperta, acc.;abditaanddefossa, nom.).
XVII.Sagum. A short, thick cloak, worn by Roman soldiers and countrymen.
Fibula==figibula, any artificial fastening;spina==natural.
Si desit. Observe the difference between this clause, andsi quando advenitin the preceding chapter. This is a mere supposition without regard to fact; that implies an expectation, that the case will sometimes happen.
Cetera intecti. Uncovered as to the rest of the body, cf. 6: nudi aut sagulo leves.
Totos dies. Acc. of duration of time.—Agunt==vivunt. K.
Fluitante. The flowing robe of the southern and eastern nations;stricta, the close dress and short clothes of the northern nations.
Artus exprimente. Quae tam arte artus includit, ut emineant, earumque lineamenta et forma appareant, K. K. and Gr. understand this of coat and vest, as well as breeches; Gün. of breeches only.
Proximi ripae. Near the banks of the Rhine and the Danube, so as to have commercial intercourse with the Romans. These having introduced the cloth and dress of the Romans, attached little importance to the manner of wearing theirskins. But those in the interior, having no other apparel, valued themselves on the nice adjustment of them.
Cultus, artificial refinement. Cf. note, 6.
Maculis pellibusque, for maculatis pellibus or maculis pellium, perhaps to avoid the concurrence of genitives.
Belluarum—gignit. Oceanus==terrae, quas Oceanus alluit; andbelluae==lutrae, mustelae, erminiae, etc., so K. But Gr. saysbelluaecannot mean such small creatures, and agrees with Lipsius, in understanding by it marine animals, seadogs, seals, &c. Freund connects it in derivation with [Greek: thaer], fera (bel==ber==ther==fer), but defines it as properly an animal remarkable for size or wildness.Exterior Oceanus==Oceanus extra orbem Romanum, further explained byignotum mare. Cf. note, 2: adversus Oceanus.
Habitus, here==vestitus; in § 4.==forma corporis.
Saepius, oftenerthan themen, who also wore linen more or less. Gün.
Purpura. Facta e succo plantis et floribus expresso. Gün.
Nudae—lacertos. Graece et poetice. Brachia a manu ad cubitum; lacerti a cubito ad humeros.
XVIII.Quanquam==sed tamen, i.e. notwithstanding the great freedom in the dress of German women, yet the marriage relation is sacred. This use ofquanquamis not unfrequent in T., and sometimes occurs in Cic., often in Pliny. See Z. 341, N.
Qui ambiuntur. This passage is construed in two ways:who are surrounded(ambiuntur==circumdantur, cf. II. 5, 12.)by many wives not to gratify lust, but to increase their rank and influence(obin the sensefor the sake of, cf. ob metum, 2). Or thus:who(take many wives)not to gratify lust, but on account of their rank they are solicited to form many matrimonial alliances. Forambioin this sense and with the same somewhat peculiar construction after it, see H. 4, 51:tantis sociorum auxiliis ambiri; also Virg. Aen. 7, 333: connubiis ambire Latinum. The latter is preferable, and is adopted by Wr., K., Gr., &c. The former by Gün. and others. Ariovistus had two wives. Caes. B.G. 1, 53.
Probant, cf. probaverit, 13, note.—Comatur. Subj. denoting the intention of the presentswith which she is to be adorned. H 500, 1; Z. 567.
Frenatum, bridled,caparisoned==paratusbelow.
In haec munera==[Greek: epi toutois tois dorois].In==upon the basis of,on condition of. So Liv.: in has leges, in easdem leges.
Hoc—vinculum, So, § 13: haec apud illos toga. In both passages the allusion is to Roman customs (for which see Becker's Gallus, Exc. 1. Scene 1). In Germany,these presentstake the place of theconfarreatio(see Fiske's Manual, p. 286. 4. ed.), and the various other methods of ratifying the marriage contract at Rome;these, of the religious rites in which the parties mutually engaged on the wedding day (see Man., p. 287).—Conjugales deos. Certain gods at Rome presided over marriage, e.g. Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Jugatinus, Hymenaeus, Diana, &c.
Extra. Cic. would have saidexpertemorpositum extra. But T. is fond of the adv. used elliptically.
Auspiciis==initiatory rites.
Denuntiant, proclaim, denote.—Acciperedepends ondenuntiantoradmonetur.
Rursus, quae—referantur. Rhenanus conjectured; rursusque—referant, which has since become the common reading. Butreferanturis the reading of all the MSS., and needs no emendation; andquae, with as good authority asque, makes the construction more natural and the sense more apposite. The passage, as Gr. well suggests, consists of two parts (accipere—reddat, andquae—accipiant—referantur),eachof which includes thetwoideas ofreceivingandhanding downto the next generation. Render thus:she is reminded that she receives gifts, which she is to hand over pure and unsullied to her children; which her daughters-in-law are to receive again(sc. from her sons, as she did from her husband),which are to be transmitted by them to her grand-children.
Referantur. In another writer, we might expectreferantto correspond in construction and subject withaccipiant. But Tacitus is fond of varying the construction. Cf. Bötticher's Lex Tac., and note, 16:ignorantur.
XIX.Septa. So the MSS. for the most part. Al.septae. Meaning:with chastity guarded, sc. by the sacredness of marriage and the excellent institutions of the Germans.
Nullis—corruptae. Here, as every where else in this treatise, T. appears as the censor of Roman manners. He has in mind those fruitful sources of corruption at Rome, public shows, (cf. Sen. Epist. 7:nihil vero est tam damnosum bonis moribus, quam in aliquo spectaculo desidere), convivial entertainments (cf. Hor. Od. 3, 6, 27), and epistolary correspondence between the two sexes.
Litterarum secreta==litteras secretas,secret correspondencebetween the sexes, for this limitation is obvious from the connexion.—Praesens. Immediate.
Maritis permissa, sc. as adomesticcrime, cf. Caes. B.G. 6, 19: Viri in uxores, sicut in liberos, vitae necisque habent potestatem. Cf. Beck. Gall., Exc. 1. Sc. 1.
Accisis crinibus, as a special mark ofdisgrace, cf. 1 Cor. 11, 6. So in the laws of the Lombards, the punishment of adulteresses wasdecalvari et fustigari.—Omnem vicum, the whole village, cf. Germania omnis, § 1.—Aetate==juventa.
Non—invenerit. She would not find, could not expect to find. This use of the perf. subj., for a softened fut., occurs in negative sentences oftener than in positive ones. Cf. Arnold's Prose Comp. 417, Note.
Saeculum==indoles et mores saeculi,the spirit of the age, the fashion.
Adhuc(==ad-hoc) is generally used by Cicero, and often by Tacitus, in the sense either ofstill(to this day), ormoreover(in addition to this). From these, it passed naturally, in Quintilian and the writers after him, into the sense ofeven more, still more, even, especially in connection with the comparative degree; where the authors of the Augustan age would have usedetiam. See Z. 486; Bötticher's Lex. Tac. sub. voce; and Hand's Tursellinus, vol. 1. I. 165.Melius quidem adhuc==still better even. For a verb, supplysuntoragunt. Cf. note A. 19:nihil.
Eae civitates. Such as the Heruli, among whom the wife was expected to hang herself at once at the grave of her husband, if she would not live in perpetual infamy. At Rome, on the contrary, divorces and marriages might be multiplied to any extent, cf. Mart. 6, 7:nubit decimo viro; also Beck, as above cited.
Semel, like [Greek: apax],once for all.
Transigitur. Properly a business phrase. The business isdone up, brought to an end. So A. 34: transigite cum expeditionibus.
Ultra, sc. primum maritum. So the ellipsis might be supplied.Ultrahere is equivalent tolongiorin the next clause, as T. often puts the adverb in place of the adjective, whether qualifying or predicate.
Ne tanquam—ament, sc. maritum:that they may not lovea husbandmerely as a husband but asthey lovethe married state. See this and similar examples ofbrachylogywell illustrated in Döderlein's Essay on the style of Tacitus, H. p. 14. Since but one marriage was allowed, all their love for the married state must be concentrated in one husband.
Numerum—finire. In any way contrary to nature and by design. Gün.Quod fiebat etiam abortus procuratione. K.
Ex agnatis. Agnatihoc loco dicuntur, quipost familiam constitutam, ubi haeres jam est,deinde nascuntur. Hess. To put such to death was a barbarous custom among the Romans. Cf. Ann. 3, 25; see Beck. Gall. Exc. 2. scene 1.
Alibi, e.g. at Rome.—Boni moresvs.bonae leges. These words involve a sentiment of great importance, and of universal application. Good habits wherever they exist, and especially in a republic, are of far greater value and efficacy than good laws.
XX.Nudi. Cf. 6: nudi aut sagulo leves. Not literally naked, but slightly clad, cf. Sen. de benef. 5, 13: quimale vestitumet pannosum vidit,nudumse vidisse dicit.
Sordidi. Gün. understands this of personal filth. But this is inconsistent with the daily practice of bathing mentioned, § 22. It doubtless refers to thedress, as Gr. and K. understand it:nudi ac sordidi==poorly and meanly clad. So also Or.
Quae miramur. Cf. 4:magna corpora. See also Caes. B.G. 1, 39, 4, 1. Onhaec, see note, 3:haec quoque.
Ancillis ac nutricibus. So in the Dial. de Clar. Orat., T. animadverts upon the custom here obliquely censured: nunc natus infans delegatur Graeculae alicui ancillae. In the early ages of Roman History it was not so, see Becker's Gall. Exc. 2. scene 1.—Delegantur. Delegamus, quum, quodipsifacere debebamus, id peralterumfieri curamus. E.
Separet. For the use of the subj. pres. afterdonec, see note, 1.erumpat.—Agnoscat==faciat ut agnoscatur. So Död., Gün. and K. But it is better with Gr., to regard the expression as poetical, andvirtus, as personified:and valor acknowledgethem, sc. as brave men and therefore by implication free born.
Venus==concubitus.—Pubertas==facultas generandi. Gr. Cf. Caes, B.G. 6, 21: qui diutissime impuberes permanserunt maximam inter suos ferunt laudem.
Virgines festinantur==nuptiae virginum festinantur, poetice. The words properare, festinare, accelerare are used in both a trans. and intrans. sense, cf. Hist. 2, 82: festinabantur; 3, 37: festinarentur. Among the Romans, boys of fourteen contracted marriage with girls of twelve. Cf. Smith's Dic. Ant.
Eadem, similis, pares. The comparison is between the youth of the two sexes at the time of marriage; they marry at the same age, equal in stature and equal in strength. Marriages unequal in these respects, were frequent at Rome.—Pares—miscentur. Plene: pares paribus, validae validis miscentur. On this kind of brachylogy, see further in Död. Essay on style of T., H. p. 15.Miscenturhas a middle sense, as the passive often has, particularly in Tacitus. Cf. note 21:obligantur.
Referunt. Cf. Virg. Aen. 4, 329: parvulus Aeneas, qui te tamen orereferret. See note, 39: auguriis.
Ad patrem.Adis often equivalent toapudin the best Latin authors; e.g. Cic. ad Att. 10, 16: ad me fuit==apud me fuit. Rhenanus by conjecture wroteapudpatrem to correspond with apud avunculum. But Passow restoredadwith the best reason. For T. prefersdifferentwords and constructions in antithetic clauses. Perhaps also a different sense is here intended from that which would have been expressed byapud. Wr. takesadin the sense,in respect to: as in respect to a father, i.e. as they would have, if he were their father.
Exigunt, sc. hunc nexum==sororum filios.
Tanquam. Like Greek os to denote the views of others, not of the writer. Hence followed by the subj. H. 531; Z. 571.
Et in animum.In==quod attinet ad,in respect to. The commonly received text hasii et animum, which is a mere conjecture of Rhen. According to K.,teneanthas for its subject notsororum filii, but the same subject asexigunt. Render:Since, as they suppose, both in respect to the mind(the affections),they hold it more strongly, and in respect to the family, more extensively.
Heredesproperly refers to property,successoresto rank, though the distinction is not always observed.—Liberiincludes both sons and daughters.
Patrui, paternal uncles;avunculi, maternal.
Propinqui, blood relations;affines, by marriage.
Orbitatis pretia.Pretia==proemia.Orbitatis==childlessness. Those who had no children, were courted atRomefor the sake of their property. Vid. Sen. Consol. ad Marc. 19: in civitate nostra, plus gratiae orbitas confert, quam eripit. So Plutarch de Amore Prolis says: the childless are entertained by the rich, courted by the powerful, defended gratuitously by the eloquent: many, who had friends and honors in abundance, have been stripped of both by the birth of a single child.
XXI.Necesse est. It is their duty and the law of custom. Gün.—Nec==non tamen.—Homicidium. A post-Augustan word.