Medio rationis. The text is doubtful. The MSS. vacillate between medio ratinois and modo rationis; and the recent editions, for the most part, follow a third but wholly conjectural reading, viz. moderationis. The sense is the same with either reading: He conducted the games and the empty pageantry of office in a happy mean (partaking at once) of prudence and plenty. See Freund ad duco.
Uti—propior. As far from luxury, so (in the same proportion) nearer to glory, i.e. the farther from luxury, the nearer to glory. Cf. Freund ad uti.
Longe—propior. Enallage of the adv. and adj. ef. G. 18: extra.
Ne sensisset. Would not have felt, etc., i.e. he recovered all the plundered offerings of the temple, but those which had been sacrilegiously taken away by Nero for the supply of his vicious pleasures. This explanation supposes a protasis understood, or rather implied in quam Neronis. (Cf H. 503, 2. 2). The plup. subj. admits perhaps of another explanation, the subj. denoting the end with a view to which Agricola labored (H. 531; Z. 549), and the plup. covering all the past down to the time of his labors: he labored that the republic might not have experienced, and he virtually effected that it had not experienced, since he restored everything to its former state, the plunder of Nero alone excepted. See Wr. and Or. in loc. Perhaps this would not be an unexampled praegnantia for Tacitus. For sentire in the sense of experiencing especially evil, see Hor. Od. 2, 7, 10, and other examples in Freund sub v.
VII. Classis Othoniana. Ad rem. cf. His. 2, 12, seqq.—Licenter vaga. Roaming in quest of plunder.—Intemelios, Cf. note, 2, 13.—In praediis suis. On her own estates. Praedia includes both lands and buildings.
Ad solemnia pietatis. To perform the last offices of filial affection.
Nuntio deprehensus. Supply est, cf. 4: jussus. Was overtaken unexpectedly by the news of Vespasian's claim (nomination) to the throne.—Affectati. Cf. note, G. 28.—In partes, to his (Vesp.) party.
Principatus, sc. Vespasiani.—Mucianus regebat. Vesp. was detained in Egypt for some time after his troops had entered Rome under Mucianus; meanwhile Mucianus exercised all the imperial power, cf. His. 4, 11. 39: vis penes Mucianum erat.
Juvene—usurpante. Dom. was now eighteen years old, cf. His. 4, 2: nondum ad curas intentus, sed stupris et adulteriis filium principis agebat.
Is, sc. Mucianus.—Vicesimae legioni. One of three legions, at that time stationed in Britain, which submitted to the government of Vesp. tarde and non sine motu (His. 3, 44).