"summa delumbe saliva Hoc natat: in labris et in udo est Maenas et Attis; Nec pluteum caedit, nec demorsos sapit ungues"—
agrees with the judgment of Tacitus (Ann. xiv. 16). Suetonius (Vit. Ner. 52), who had seen some of Nero's MSS., speaks of the extreme care that had been given to correction; and the few verses preserved by Seneca make against the estimate of Tacitus and Persius.
[26] 4tos. Ennion.
[27] Vid. Dion Cassius [Greek: XB]. 29.
[28] 4tos. conductors.
[29] 4tos. again.
[30] Cf. Tacitus, Ann. xv. 48.
[31] The 4to. points the passage thus:—
"The thing determinde on our meeting now,
Is of the meanes, and place, due circumstance,
As to the doing of things t'is requir'd,
So done, it names the action."
The words "t'is requir'd … action," I take to mean, "The assassination must be accomplished in such a way as to appear an act of patriotism and make the actors famous."