Matheson Collection > Cornelli Taciti annalium

SYNTAX
arguendae sententiae, xiii 49, l ; interficiendi domini animum,
xiv 44, I ; constantiam opperiendae mortis, xiv 59, 2. Sometimes
it is epexegetic of a neuter adjective, as nee grave manu missis . . .
retinendi libertatem, xiii 26, 4 (supply the idea of ' opus ') ; Vologesi
vetus et penitus infixum erat arma Romana vitandi, xv 5, 3 (supply
the idea of 'consilium'). So, perhaps, ostentandi, xv 21, 3, sup-
plying ' ius ' from the context.
(d) A remarkable use is iactandi ingenii, xiii il, 2, an imitation
of the Greek genitive of infinitive expressing purpose, like to
'KjjaTKov Kadrjpn, tov tus npoauSovs fxaWov levai avT(c (Thuc, i. 4).
III. Verbs.
27 [38, 39]. Tacitus uses more freedom than earlier classical
writers in the omission of verbs of speaking, as in xiii 56, i ; xv
17, 2, and many other passages ; motion, xiv 8, 4; see also teneri
(sc. poterat), xiii 41, 3 ; and the elliptical expressions in xiv 7, 2.
Parts of ' esse,' other than present indicative and infinitive, are
omitted, especially in relative or dependent clauses, as quod
peditum (sc. fuit), interfecit, xiv 32, 6 ; qua proximum . . . Armenios
petivit, XV 12, I. The subjunctive of this verb is also freely
omitted when another subjunctive follows, and in oratio obliqua,
as xiii 55, 5. Note also omission of ' fuisse ' after a future participle,
XV 16, I ; XV 24, 3 ; xv 67, i.
28 [40]. Simple verbs are often used in place of compound, a
poetical use ; as pressus for oppressus, xiv 5,2; for repressus, xiv
64, 3 ; nosco for cognosce, xv 73, 3 ; haurio (or exhaurio, xvi 18, I ;
egerat for coegerat, xvi 34, 2. Cf. also movetur, xiv 60, 5 ; solatus
est, xvi 13, 5.
29 [41]. Verbs usually transitive are used intransitively, as ago,
xiii 24, I, iS:c. ; verto, xiii 37, 4, &c. ; flecto, xv6i,6 ; moveo, xv 46, 3.
30 [42]. The personal passives regnantur, xiii 54, 2, and dubi-
taretur, xiv 7, i, are peculiar.
IV. Moods and Tenses.
A. Infinitive.
31 [43]. Verbs of commanding, entreating, and advising, and
those expressing effort and compulsion, which in earlier classical
PITMAN xvii B