Irritamenta. Inducements.—Pacis. Ang. to or for peace.
Ex aequo egerant, lit. had acted (lived) on an equality, i.e. had maintained their independence, cf. His. 4, 64: aut ex aequo agetis aut aliis imperitabitis.
Iram posuere. Cf. Hor. Ars Poet.: et iram colligit ac ponit temere. See also G. 27: ponunt dolorem, etc.
Ut—transierit. The clause is obscure. The best that can be made of it is this: they were encompassed by forts and garrisons with so much skill and care that no part of Britain hitherto now went over (to the enemy) with impunity (literally unattacked). For the meaning of nova, cf. 22. For transierit, cf. transitio, H. 2, 99; 3, 61; and Freund, sub v. This is Walther's interpretation. If, with Ernesti, Dr. and some others, we might suppose a sic, ita or tam to be understood with illacessita, we might obtain perhaps a better sense, viz. came over (to the Romans) with so little annoyance (from the enemy). In the last edition a meaning was attached to transierit (remained, sc. unattacked), for which I now find no sufficient authority. Among the many amendments, which have been suggested, the easiest and best is that of Susius, followed by Wexius, Dübner, Or. and Rit, viz. placing Illacessita transiit at the beginning of the next chapter. But this does violence not only to MS. authority, but to Latin usage in making the adverb ut, so as, as, follow tanta. In such a connection, ut must be a conjunction==so that, that. See Freund sub v. For the perf. subj. cf. note, 18: crediderint.
Praesidiis castellisque. Gordon, in his Itinerarium Septentrionale, found more remains of Roman works in that part of Britain here referred to, than in any other portion of the Island.
XXI. Ut—assuescerent. In order that they might become habituated, etc.—In bella faciles. Easily inclined to wars. Cf. Ann. 14, 4: facili ad gaudia. Al. in bello, bello, and in bellum.—Otio. See note, 11: otio.—Privatim. As a private individual; publice, by public authority, and of course from the public treasury, cf. note G. 39: publice.—Jam vero. Moreover, cf. G. 14, note.
Anteferre. Wr. takes this word in its primary sense==bear before, i.e. carry beyond: he carried (advanced) the native talents of the Britons beyond the learning of the Gauls. But there is no authority for such a use of the word, when followed by the acc. and dat. It is doubtless used in its more ordinary sense; and the preference which A. expressed for the genius of the Britons over the learning of the Gauls, stimulated them to greater exertions. It is somewhat curious to observe thus early that mutual emulation and jealousy, which has marked the whole history of Britain and France. The national vanity of La Bletterie is sorely wounded by this remark of T. See his note in loco, also Murphy's.—Toga. Cf. note on togatos, 9.
Ut—concupiscerent. Ut==so that, denoting a consequence. The verb here denotes a continued or habitual state of mind. Hence the imp. subj. Cf. note, 18: crediderit.
Discessum, sc. a patrum moribus ad vitia varia. Dr.
Delenimenta==illa, quibus animi leniuntur. Dr. Charms, blandishments. Cf. H. 1, 77. The word is not found in Cic. or Caes.