Expeditionem—continuisse. He did not call it a campaign or a victory to have kept the conquered in subjection.
Laureatis sc. litteris. It was customary to communicate the news of victory to the Emperor and Senate, by letters bound with bay leaves, cf. Liv. 5, 28: litterae a Postumio laureatae sequuntur. Without litterae, it occurs only here. Or. So in H. 3, 77. T. avoids the technical expression and employs the word laurea, seldom used in this sense.
Dissimulatione. Cf. note, 6.—Aestimantibus, cf. aestimanti, 11. The aspiring, and especially the vain, may learn from this passage a lesson of great practical value. Compare also § 8, at the close.
XIX. Aliena experimenta. The experience of others.
Nihil. Ellipsis of agere (which is inserted without MS. authority in the common editions). So Cic. Phil. 1, 2: Nihil per senatum, etc. Cf. G. 19: adhuc, note.
Ascire, al. accire. To receive into regular service. The reference is to the transfer of soldiers from the raw recruits to the legions. So W. followed by Dr. R. and W. The next clause implies, that he took care to receive into the service none but the best men (optimum quemque), whom he deemed trustworthy (fidissimum) just in proportion as they were good. This use of two superlatives mutually related to each other, the former with quisque, is frequent in Latin and resembles the English use of two comparatives: the better, the more trustworthy. Cf. Z. 710, b.; also note, 3: promptissmus quisque.
Exsequi==punire. A sense peculiar to the later Latin. Cic. and Caes. use persequi. For a similar use of the word in the expression of a similar sentiment, see Suet. Jul. 67: Delicta neque observabat omnia neque pro modo exsequebatur. Compare our word execute. And mark the sentiment, as a maxim in the science of government.
Severitatem commodare. W. with Dr. and R. make this an example of zeugma. And in its ordinary acceptation (i.e. in the sense to give) the word commodare certainly applies only to veniam, and not to severitatem. But commodare in its primary signification means to adapt; and in this sense, it suits both of its adjuncts: He adapted (awarded) pardon to small offences, severe punishment to great ones. So Wr. For the series of infinitives, cf. notes, 5: nosci, etc.; G. 30: praeponere, etc.
Nec poena—contentus esse. Nor was he always content with punishment, but oftener with repentance. Mere punishment without reformation did not satisfy him; reformation without punishment satisfied him better. See Död. in loc. Here too some have called in the aid of zeugma.
Auctionem. Al. exactionem. The former is the reading of the greater part of the MSS. and the later German editions. Auctionem tributorum refers to the increased tribute exacted by Vesp. cf. Sueton. Vesp. 16: auxisse tributa provinciis, nonnullis et duplicasse.