_Taum_. The Frith of Tay.--_Nationibus_. Here synonymous with _gentes_;
sometimes less comprehensive, cf. note, G. 2.
_Pactione ac fuga_. Al. _aut_ fuga, but without authority. There are
but two distinct clauses marked by _aut--aut: either taken by assault or
abandoned by capitulation and flight_.
_Nam--firmabantur_. This clause assigns a reason, why the Romans were
_able_ to make frequent sorties (_crebrae eruptiones_), viz. supplies of
provision so abundant, as to be proof against blockade.
_Moras obsidionis. A protracted siege_, or _blockade_.
_Annuis copiis. Supplies for a year_. This is the _primary_ signification
of _annuus_; that of our word _annual_ is _secondary_.
_Intrepida--praesidio_==hiberna quieta ac tuta ab hostibus. Fac. and For.
--_Irritis, baffled_. Seldom applied to _persons_ by prose writers. Cf. H.
4, 32.
_Pensare_. R. remarks a peculiar fondness in T. for the use of the simple
verb instead of the compound, e.g. missa for omissa, sistens for
resistens, flammare for inflammare, etc. So here _pensare==compensare_.
Cf. 12: _trahuntur_, note.
_Avidus_, sc. laudis==per aviditatem laudis et gloriae. E.: A. never in
his eagerness for glory arrogated to himself the honor of the
achievements of others.--_Seu--seu. Every one, whether centurion or
praefect_ (commander of a legion, cf. note, H. 1, 82.), _was sure to have
in him an impartial witness to his deeds_.
_Acerbior_, cf. note on _durius_, 16.--_Apud quosdam_==a quibusdam.
_Secretum et silentium. Reserve and silence_. So W. and Ky. But R. and
Dr.: _private interviews_ (to be summoned to which by some commanders was
alarming), _and neglect of the usual salutations in public_ (which was
also often a token of displeasure on the part of a superior officer). The
former is the more simple and obvious, though it must be confessed that
the latter is favored by the usus loquendi of T., in regard especially to
_secretum_, cf. 39; Ann. 3, 8, where _secreto_ is opposed to _palam_; and
His. 4, 49: incertum, quoniam _secreto eorum_ nemo _adfuit_.
XXIII. _Obtirendis. Securing possession of.--Pateretur_, sc. terminum
inveniri.--_In ipsa Brit_. In the very _nature_ or structure of the
island, as described in the sequel. See Or. in loc.
_Clota et Bodotria_. Frith of Clyde and Frith of Forth.
_Revectae_, i.e. the natural current being driven back by the tide from
the sea on either side. _Angusto--spatio_. It is now cut across by a ship
canal.
_Propior sinus_==peninsula on the south side of the Friths, cf, note on
sinus G. 1, and 29. Sinus refers particularly to the _curved border_ on
_this side_ the aestuaries. This border (wherever the friths were so
narrow as to require it), as well as the narrow isthmus, was occupied and
secured (_tenebatur_) by garrisons.
XXIV. _Nave prima_. The first Roman ship that ever visited those shores.
So Br., Dr., etc. _The foremost ship_, sc., A. himself, followed by
others in a line. So Ritter. Wr., and some others understand it of a
voyage from _Rome_, where they suppose him to have passed the winter, and
whence he crossed over to Britain by the _earliest_ vessel in the spring.
W. and R. make _prima_ equivalent to an adv. and render: crossing over
_for the first time_ by ship. Or. also makes _prima==tum primum_.
_Copiis_. Here troops with their equipments==_forces_, cf. 8: majoribus
copiis.--_Medio sita_ lying between, not midway between. E.--_In spem--
formidinem_. More with the hope of invading Ireland, than through fear of
invasion by the Irish.--_Valentissimam partem_, viz. Gaul, Spain and
Britain.
_Miscuerit_. The subj. here denotes the aim or purpose of the projector:
it would have done so _in his view_.
_Invicem_==an adj. _mutual.--Nostri maris_. The Mediterranean.
_Differunt: in melius_. The authorities differ greatly as to the reading,
the pointing and the interpretation of this passage. Some copies omit
_in_. Others insert _nec_ before it. Some place the pause before _in
melius_, others after. Some read _differt_, others _differunt. Nec in
melius_ would perhaps give the better sense. But the reading is purely
conjectural. I have given that, which, on the whole, seems to rest on the
best authority, and to make the best sense. The sense is: _the soil,
climate, &c., do not differ much from those of Britain. But that the
harbors and entrances to the country are better_ (lit. _differ for the
better, differre in melius), is ascertained through the medium of the
merchants, who resort thither for trade_ (for Ireland had not yet, like
Britain, been explored by a Roman _army_). So Wr. and Död. On _in
melius_, see note H. 1, 18. Or. and Rit. make the comparison thus: the
harbors and entrances are better known, than the soil, climate, &c. The
common interpretation is: the harbors, &c., of Ireland are better known,
than those of Britain. But neither of these interpretations accounts for
the position of _melius_; and the last is in itself utterly incredible.
_Ex eo_, sc. A. Pass. and Dr. understand it of the Irish chief, and infer
that T. had been in Brit. But A. is the subject of the next sentence
without the repetition of his name, as it would have been repeated, if
this sentence referred to another.
XXV. _Amplexus_. Some supply _bello_, as in 17: bello amplexus. But
better: embracing _in his plan of operations_, i.e. _extending his
operations to those tribes_.
_Hostilis exercitus_. Al. hostili exercitu. But _hostilis exercitus_ in
the MSS. and earliest editions.--_Infesta_ is here active: _hostile
inroads of the enemy's forces_.
_In partem virium_. _For_, i.e. _as a part of his force_.
_Impelleretur_, was borne on with rapid and resistless power.
_Profunda--adversa_. Cf. note, 6: _inania honoris_.
_Mixti copiis et laetitia. Uniting their stores and their pleasures_,
i.e. their respective means of entertainment. For _mixti_, cf. 4:
locum--mixtum. For _copiis_ in this sense, 22: annuis copiis. For the
other sense, viz. forces, 24: copiis, note.
_Hinc--hinc==on this side--on that_. Cf. note G. 14: _illum--illam_.--
_Victus_. Al. _auctus_.
_Ad manus et arma_. Ang. _to arms_.
_Oppugnasse_ depends on _fama_. Their preparations were great. Rumor as
usual (_uti mos_, etc.) represented them still greater; for the rumor
went abroad, that the Caledonians had _commenced offensive operations
(oppugnasse ultra).--Castella adorti_ is the means by which they _metum
addiderant_, i.e. _had inspired additional fear_.
_Pluribus agminibus. In several divisions_. Accordingly it is added:
_diviso et ipse_, A. _himself also_, i.e. as well as the Britons,
_having divided_, etc.
_Agmen_ (from ago), properly a body of men on the march.--_Exercitus_,
under military drill (exerceo.)
XXVI. _Quod ubi_, etc. _When this was known_, etc. Latin writers, as well
as Greek, generally link their sentences, chapters, &c., more closely
together, than English. Hence we are often obliged to render their
relative by our demonstrative. See Z. 803. _Ubi_, here adv. of _time_, as
in 20, 38, et passim.
_Certabant_. Not _fought_ with the enemy, but _vied_ with each other. So
below: utroque--certante. Hence followed by _de_ gloria, not _pro_ gloria,
which some would substitute for it; _secure for_ (in regard to) _safety,
they vied with each other in respect to_ (or _in_) _glory_. With _pro
salute_, cf. His. 4, 58: pro me securior.
_Erupere. Sallied forth_, sc. from the camp.
_Utroque exercitu_. Each of the two _Roman_ armies.
_Quod_. Cf. 12, note.--_Debellatum_, lit. the war would have been fought
_out_, i.e. _ended_.
XXVII. _Cujus_ refers to _victoria_ in the previous section (cf. _quod_
26, note): _inspirited by the consciousness and the glory of this
victory_.
_Modo cauti_. Compare the sentiment with 25: specie prudentium, etc.
_Arte--rati_, al. arte _usos_ rati by conjecture. But T. is fond of such
ellipses: _The Britons, thinking it was not by superior bravery, but by
favoring circumstances_ (on the part of the Romans) _and the skill of
their commander_ (sc. that they had been defeated). Rit. reads
_superati_.
_Utrimque_. Both the Romans and the Britons; the Romans excited by their
victory, the Britons by their coetibus ac sacrificiis.
_Discessum. They separated_, viz. after the battle and at the close of
the campaign.