Metus—est. It is fear and terror (sc. that keep them in subjection), weak bonds of affection.
Removeris—desierint. Fut. perf. Cf. note, G. 23: indulseris.
Nulla—aut alia. Some of the Roman soldiers had lost all attachment to country and could not be said to have any country; others had one, but it was not Britain, it was far away.
Ne terreat. The third person of the imperative is for the most part avoided in ordinary language; and the pres. subj. is used in its stead. Z. 529, Note.
Nostras manus, i.e. those ready to join us and aid our arms, viz. (as he goes on to say), the Gauls and Germans, as well as the Britons now in the Roman ranks.—Tamquam==just as (tam-quam). Död. renders, just as certainly as.
Vacua.—Destitute of soldiers.—Senum, sc. veterani et emeriti. Cf. note, 15. Aegra==disaffected. Cf. H. 2, 86.
Hic dux, etc. Here a general, here an army (sc. the Roman, awaits you); there tributes, mines, &c. (and you must conquer the former or endure the latter—these are your only alternatives).
In hoc campo est. Depends on this battle field.—T. has laid out all his strength on this speech. It can hardly be matched for martial force and sententious brevity. It breathes, as it should in the mouth of a Briton, an indomitable spirit of liberty, and reminds us, in many features, of the concentrated and fiery eloquence, which has so often roused our American Indians to defend their altars and revenge their wrongs.
XXXIII. Ut barbaris moris. Al. et barbari moris. But compare 39: ut Domitiano moris erat; His. 1, 15: ut moris est. Supply est here: as is the custom of (lit. to) barbarians. Z. 448, & H. 402, I.
Agmina, sc. conspiciebantur.—Procursu is the means by which the gleam of armor was brought into view.