Matheson Collection > Cornelli Taciti annalium

STYLE
one defines the other like an adjective or genitive, is used by
Tacitus more frequently than by earlier prose authors : testamenta
et orbos, xiii 42, 7 (cf. opibus et orbitate, xiii 19, 2) ; ingenium atque
audacia, xv 42, i ; Stoicorum adrogantia sectaque, xiv 57, 5 ; cubi-
culum ac sinum, xiii 13, 2,
55 [77]- Anastrophe (a) of prepositions is frequent in the case of
ab, ad, apud, ex, in and inter, but not found with circa, praeter,
prope, sine, supra, and pro : note also abusque, xiii 47, 2 ; coram,
XV 24, 3; extra, xiii 47,2; super, xvi 35, 2: following a genitive,
cubiculum Caesaris iuxta, xiii 15, 8 ; so propter, xiv 9, 3 : between
two substantives in apposition, Ferentino in oppido, xv 53, 3.
(/>) of conjunctions ; si occurring fifth word, xiv 3, 3 ; quasi
seventh, xiv 52, i ; see also quamquam, xiv 21, 7 ; ut, xv 14, i ;
donee, xiii 33, i.
56. Anaphora: qui,xiii 21, 7 ; quantum, xiii 28, 4; no.i, xiii 35, 3 ;
sine, xiii 35, 3 ; &c.
57. The following expressions may also be noticed here : —
(a) instead of using a concrete substantive qualirted by adjective
or partic, Tacitus often employs an abstract substantive coupled
with a concrete in the 'defining' genitive: obiectus moliuni, for
moles obiectas, xiv 8, 2 ; contrario sagittarum iactu, xv 9, i
( = sagittis ex adverso iactis) ; communione parietum, xv 43, 4.
(6) an adjective is sometimes used in agreement with a substan-
tive to which it does not appear properly to belong, (' Hypaliage ') :
novus nuntius contumeliae, xv i, 2 ; diros sacrorum ritus, xvi 8, 2.
The idiom is common in Greek tragedy (e.g. velKos dvdpav ^vvcufAnv,
Soph. Afi/. 793), and arises from regarding the substantive with its
qualifying genitive as a single notion.
III. Influence of the Study of Brevity.
58 [80]. Ellipses. Many such have been already noted, as the
omission of verbs, § 27, of prepositions, §§ 5, 8, 13, 14, 19, and other
particles, § 48, as well as many usages adopted for conciseness of
expiession.
Note also the passage nee amplius quam &c., xiii 40,6 ; qui . . .
cremabantur, xvi 13, 2 ; aspexeritne &c., xiv 9, i.
59 [82]. Parenthetical remarks are sometimes expressed concisely
by one or more words apparently in apposition in the nominative
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