Auctor operis. Auctor fuit rei adversus Britannos gerendae et feliciter gestae. Dr. See on the same subject Suet. Claud. 17.—Assumpto Vespasiano, cf. Suet Vesp. 4. II. 3, 44.
Quod—fuit. Vespasian's participation in the war against Brit. was the commencement of his subsequent brilliant fortunes.
Monstratus fatis, i.e. a fatis, by the fates. The expression is borrowed perhaps from Virg. Aen. 6, 870: Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata.
XIV. Consularium. Cf. note on it, 8.—Aulus Plautius. Ann. 13, 32;
Dio. 60, 19.—Ostorius Scapula. Ann. 12, 31-39.—Proxima, sc. Romae.
Veteranorum colonia. Camolodunum. Ann. 12, 32. Now Colchester. Dr.—Et reges. Kings also, i.e. besides other means.—Ut vetere, etc. So in the MSS. and earliest editions. Rhenanus transferred ut to the place before haberet which it occupies in the common editions. But no change is necessary. Render: that in accordance with their established custom, the Roman people might have kings also as the instruments of reducing (the Britons) to slavery.
Didius Gallus. Cf. Ann. 12, 40: arcere hostem satis habebat.—Parta a prioribus. The acquisitions (conquests) of his predecessors.
Aucti officii. Of enlarging the boundaries of his government. Officium is used in a like sense, Caes. B.C. 3, 5: Toti officio maritimo praepositus, etc. So Wr.; Or. and Död. understand by it going beyond the mere performance of his duty. It was his duty to protect his province: he enlarged it.—Quaereretur. Subj. in a relative clause denoting a purpose. H. 500; Z. 567.
Veranius. Ann. 14, 29.—Paullinus. Ann. 14, 29-30.
Monam insulam. Now Anglesey. But the Mona of Caesar is the Isle of Man, called by Pliny Monapia. The Mona of T. was the chief seat of the Druids, hence ministrantem vires rebellibus, for the Druids animated and led on the Briton troops to battle. T. has given (Ann. 14, 30) a very graphic sketch of the mixed multitude of armed men, women like furies, and priests with hands uplifted in prayer, that met Paullinus on his landing, and, for a time, well nigh paralyzed his soldiers with dismay. In the same connexion, he speaks also of the human sacrifices and other barbarous rites, which were practised by our Briton Fathers in honor of their gods.
XV. Interpretando. By putting their own, i.e. the worst construction upon them.